Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 10 May 2026, 1:12 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia restricted entry to Makkah from 13 April 2026 to Hajj permit holders only and suspended Umrah permits from 18 April to 31 May 2026 as the Kingdom prepares for the Hajj pilgrimage beginning around 25 May.
Saudi Arabia has imposed fines of up to SAR 100,000 for facilitating unauthorised Hajj and up to SAR 20,000 for pilgrims performing Hajj without a permit, alongside 10-year re-entry bans for violators.
Hajj 2022: dates, packages, Covid rules and all you need to know The National
Hajj 2021: How the pilgrim routes to Makkah and Madinah evolved over the centuries Arab News
Hajj 2021: How the pilgrim routes to Makkah and Madinah evolved over the centuries Arab News
In Pictures: Hajj in Mecca during the COVID pandemic Al Jazeera
Saudi considers limiting hajj pilgrims amid coronavirus fears Middle East Monitor
This Pandemic Isn’t the First Time the Hajj Has Been Disrupted for Muslims Smithsonian Magazine