Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 13 Jun 2026, 12:11 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia requires the quadruple meningitis vaccine for all pilgrims, with polio and yellow fever shots mandatory for travellers from at-risk regions, and flu, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines strongly advised.
The 1448 AH Umrah season has opened with the Nusuk app as the sole gateway for permits, now serving over 30 million users, alongside a stricter package-first booking model that ties visas to confirmed accommodation and transport.
Saudi Arabia's Holy Sites Metro carried more than two million passengers between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah during Hajj 2026, supported by smart road management and Madinah shuttle services.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has approved 73 companies as qualified to serve domestic pilgrims, urging pilgrims to contract only through official channels.
Saudi Arabia has set June 30 to August 13, 2026 as the window for Hajj affairs offices and international service providers to reserve pilgrim accommodation in Makkah and Madinah for the 1448 AH season.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has released a documentary on crowd engineering, detailing how the Kingdom moved more than 1.7 million pilgrims safely during Hajj 1447 AH.