Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 6 Nov 2026, 7:39 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has made completion of an official training programme a legal condition for Hajj staff to obtain visas and permits, alongside a unified service-package model and a contracting timeline that opened on June 30 for the 2027 season.
For the 1448 AH season, Umrah pilgrims must confirm hotel and transport bookings through Nusuk before a visa is issued, and entry visas now expire 30 days after issuance.
The Royal Commission for Makkah City has secured approval to build the city's first international-standard airport, while feasibility studies for a Makkah Metro are complete.
The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah has expanded its integrated digital services, including real-time prayer-area monitoring, smart indoor maps, and multi-language sermon translation.
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has awarded contracts to redevelop seven districts across 4.4 million square meters at a cost of $4.3 billion.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior concluded the eighth edition of the Makkah Route Initiative, pre-clearing 388,694 pilgrims in their home countries across 10 nations.
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