Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Sep 2026, 11:04 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi authorities have launched a QR-based service at the Grand Mosque in Makkah that shows real-time crowd levels in the Mataf and Masa'a, helping pilgrims choose calmer routes for Tawaf and Sa'i.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais has launched a Field Services Center at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah to improve services for visitors during the 1448 AH Umrah and visitation season, strengthening coordination among agencies and field response.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Islamic Affairs has launched a digital 'new Muslim' card, integrated with the Tawakkalna app and verified by QR code, to automate the process of declaring Islam and support the Kingdom's wider pilgrim-services ecosystem.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has published the 1448 AH Umrah season calendar, setting March 9 as the visa issuance deadline, March 23 as the final entry date and April 7 as the departure deadline for 2027.
Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs says more than 150,000 people registered for Hajj 2027 within 10 days as the country shifts to a paperless digital system and tightens oversight of private tour operators.
As countries begin preparing for Hajj 2027, health authorities are reiterating the vaccination and medical requirements pilgrims must meet, led by the mandatory meningococcal vaccine.