Egypt has approved a new set of regulations governing Umrah trips for the 1448 AH season, introducing pilgrim identification cards and satellite tracking of pilgrim buses for the first time. Sherif Fathy, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, endorsed the rules this week, according to Egyptian outlets including Tourism Daily News and El Balad.
The measures tighten oversight of tour operators and aim to protect pilgrims from unlicensed or negligent companies. They arrive as Saudi Arabia's own 1448 AH Umrah season is under way, with visa issuance having resumed on 31 May 2026.
New protections for pilgrims
For the first time, tourism companies must issue an identification card to every pilgrim they carry. According to the published rules, each card must display the phone numbers of the company's field supervisors, the numbers of the ministry's committees stationed in Saudi Arabia, and the short-code number of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The change is designed to give pilgrims a direct line of help if they are stranded, overcharged, or separated from their group while in the Kingdom. Officials say it also makes it easier to hold operators accountable when service standards fall short.
In a further first, the ministry will operate a new integrated electronic system to track pilgrim buses through GPS devices. Authorities describe it as the first time such tracking will extend beyond Egypt's borders, allowing supervisors to monitor transport inside Saudi Arabia in real time.
Program length and timing
The regulations cap the standard Umrah program at a maximum of 15 days. An exception has been introduced, again for the first time, for programs operating between 15 Sha'ban and 17 Ramadan. Those trips may be extended to a maximum of 35 days, reflecting the surge in demand for Umrah during the second half of Ramadan.
The rules form part of a broader push to professionalise the Umrah sector and reduce the number of pilgrims left without support after arriving in Makkah and Madinah. They also align with Saudi requirements that pilgrims hold confirmed hotel and transport bookings logged through the Nusuk platform before a visa is issued.
What operators must do next
Tourism companies that wish to work the new season will be able to submit applications to document their Umrah contracts starting Sunday, 19 July, according to Egyptian press reports. Firms are expected to comply strictly with the approved timelines to remain eligible.
The Saudi 1448 AH season runs until 7 April 2027, with the final date for pilgrims to enter the Kingdom set for 23 March 2027. The last day for all Umrah pilgrims to depart is 7 April 2027.
A wider regional trend
Egypt is one of the largest sources of Umrah pilgrims in the world, sending hundreds of thousands of worshippers to Makkah and Madinah each year. The scale of that traffic has, in past seasons, exposed pilgrims to fraud, hidden fees and poorly organised trips. The new controls form part of a sustained effort by the ministry to raise standards and weed out operators who cut corners.
The reforms also mirror the direction of travel set by Saudi Arabia itself, where the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has steadily digitised the pilgrimage through the Nusuk platform. Confirmed bookings, electronic permits and traceable transport are now central to how the Kingdom manages the flow of pilgrims, and source countries such as Egypt are aligning their own rules to match. Officials in Cairo say the combination of identification cards, real-time bus tracking and stricter contract documentation should give pilgrims greater confidence that the company they pay will deliver the service promised.
Practical tips for pilgrims
Pilgrims travelling from Egypt should confirm that their operator is licensed and issues the new identification card before departure. Keep the card and the ministry contact numbers accessible at all times in Saudi Arabia. Ensure that hotel and transport bookings appear in the Nusuk app, and verify the exact length of the program against the new 15-day and 35-day limits before signing any contract.