Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 16 Sep 2026, 10:23 AM (Saudi time)
The first of four groups under King Salman's Guests Program has reached Makkah and performed Umrah. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is hosting 1,000 pilgrims from around the world at his own expense this year.
Saudi authorities have announced separate daily entry times for men and women wishing to enter Hijr Ismail at the Grand Mosque, aiming to ease crowding and regulate movement around the Kaaba.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman Gate project, rising beside the Grand Mosque, is set to add capacity for around 900,000 worshippers as the Kingdom targets 30 million pilgrims a year by 2030.
Saudi Arabia has declared the 2026 Hajj season complete, with 1,707,301 pilgrims from 165 nationalities taking part under an integrated system of security, organization and services.
Saudi Arabia's Cabinet has approved a single national visa platform under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aiming to streamline how visas are issued and managed across the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has launched a Package Visa pilot that lets eligible travelers obtain a tourist visa together with flights, accommodation and other services in a single booking.
Hajj 2021: How the pilgrim routes to Makkah and Madinah evolved over the centuries Arab News