Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 5 Nov 2026, 8:32 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi authorities are reminding Umrah pilgrims that visas cannot be extended and that overstaying can bring fines of up to SR50,000, jail and deportation, with the 1448 season's final exit set for April 2027.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has urged pilgrims to leave large luggage at their accommodation and carry only essentials inside the Grand Mosque to ease movement during the 1448 AH Umrah season.
Regulators are finalising the 1448 AH Umrah season controls, with Egypt's Higher Committee for Umrah and Hajj reviewing new rules and emphasising digital transformation and closer coordination with Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has partnered with Wego on a single digital platform combining flights, hotels, ground services and visa requests, with payments in Saudi riyals and three service tiers.
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.
With Makkah temperatures topping 42C, Saudi authorities are enforcing digital crowd-management and safety rules for Umrah pilgrims arriving this summer.
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