Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 4 May 2026, 1:39 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia requires all Hajj 2026 pilgrims to carry a valid quadrivalent ACYW meningitis vaccination certificate administered at least 10 days before arrival, with additional polio vaccine requirements for pilgrims from high-risk countries.
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.
Saudia has launched Hajj 2026 operations with 160 aircraft and over one million seats spanning 145 global destinations, as part of Saudi Arabia's total air transport plan of 3.1 million seats across 12,000 flights.
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
Ivory Coast President visits Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah Arab News
British Umrah pilgrim expresses joy at returning for Ramadan post pandemic Arab News
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