Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 18 Sep 2026, 10:23 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has announced Hajj 2027 reforms that bundle accommodation, transport and catering into unified packages, cut offerings to three tiers, discontinue Package D and require compulsory training for Hajj staff.
Saudi Arabia has launched a multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for 365 days with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days, though each visit still requires a Nusuk service package and permit, and the visa is paused during Hajj season.
Saudi Arabia has opened an early registration-of-interest process on the Nusuk Hajj platform for international pilgrims planning Hajj 2027, as ministry preparations with more than 75 countries get under way.
Saudi Arabia has clarified that the new 365-day multiple-entry Umrah visa still requires a fresh Nusuk service package and permit for every visit, with a pooled 90-day stay limit.
King Salman is hosting 1,000 Umrah performers at his own expense this year. The second group of 250 pilgrims from 23 European and Asian countries has completed Umrah and praised Saudi hospitality.
From August 14, 2026, catering became a compulsory part of Umrah packages for pilgrims from Egypt, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, turning meals from an optional extra into a contracted, monitored service.
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