Saudi Arabia wraps up Hajj 2026 and releases new Umrah visa guide

Saudi Arabia concluded the Hajj 2026 season, with the last group of pilgrims departing after a coordinated operation that involved land, sea and air ports. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah highlighted extensive use of digital platforms, noting that the Nusuk app recorded about 54 million interactions and over 1.3 million pilgrims accessed its services. Initiatives such as "Hajj Without a Bag" reduced processing times to 15 minutes and inspections cut reported issues by 39 percent compared with the previous season. Preparations for Hajj 2027 have already begun, with early planning documents issued to relevant offices.

Separately, iVisa launched a free 2026‑2027 Umrah Visa Guide to simplify the visa process for the surge of pilgrims. The guide provides nationality‑specific eligibility, a cost calculator, processing timelines, and steps for the Masar system used by travelers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries. Luis Enrique, Head of Fulfilment at iVisa, said, "Millions of people are planning Umrah this year and they deserve accurate, straightforward information." The guide aims to consolidate scattered, often outdated information into one regularly updated resource.