Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Sep 2026, 11:04 AM (Saudi time)
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has released a digital Umrah and Visit Guide in sixteen languages on haj.gov.sa, offering step-by-step instructions, interactive maps and links to official services for pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia has rolled out new safety regulations for the 1448 AH Umrah season, including color-coded digital crowd boards, marked pedestrian paths, prohibited-conduct rules, and designated prayer areas for elderly pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says 931,500 pilgrims arrived on Umrah visas at the start of the 1448 season, a 22.5 percent rise, with Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq leading source countries.
Saudi meteorologists confirm the Hajj has begun shifting out of peak summer heat into milder spring and winter seasons, a change expected to last until around 2050.
Saudi Arabia is enforcing stricter licensing rules for Umrah operators and suspending companies that breach service standards, part of a drive to protect pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia has set stricter health and fitness requirements for pilgrims, barring serious uncontrolled conditions and mandating vaccination and physical capability.