Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Sep 2026, 11:04 AM (Saudi time)
The Haj Committee of India held its digital Qurrah draw for Hajj 2027 on 30 July and set 10 August 2026 as the deadline for selected pilgrims to pay the INR 152,300 advance amount.
The three-day National Hajj and Umrah Fair 2026, organised by HAAB in Dhaka, drew large crowds with 163 stalls and discounted airfares for Hajj 2027 and Umrah travellers.
Saudi Arabia has introduced a one-year, multiple-entry Umrah visa allowing pilgrims to enter the Kingdom repeatedly with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days, managed through the Nusuk platform.
Madinah authorities have reviewed their operational plan for the Umrah season while the agency running the Prophet's Mosque expands AI-based crowd management and new entry rules for visits to Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah.
Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 931,500 Umrah visa holders in the opening weeks of the 1448 AH season, a 22.5 percent rise on the same period last year, with Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq sending the most pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with plans for a dedicated Makkah airport and metro network, alongside expanded facilities around the Grand Mosque and in the holy sites, to handle rising numbers of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.