Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, May 11, 2025

First batches of one million foreign pilgrims head for Saudi Arabia for lifetime spiritual journey

Around one million pilgrims will stream to Saudi Arabia from all corners of the globe over the coming weeks for the first full capacity Hajj season after the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
The first batches of foreign pilgrims arrived in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah on Sunday, Dhul Qada 1, corresponding to May 22, which marks the beginning of the annual Hajj pilgrimage season. The pilgrims who arrived in the Kingdom on Sunday included those who came from Malaysia and Bangladesh under the ‘Makkah Route’ initiative while the first groups of pilgrims from India arrived on board the scheduled flights in Madinah on Sunday.

Foreign pilgrims were not allowed to perform Hajj during the Hajj seasons of 2020 and 2021 when the annual pilgrimage was restricted to limited number of domestic pilgrims and that was under strict COVID-19 preventive protocols and restrictions. Foreign pilgrims were allowed in limited capacity during the Hajj of 2022 under certain restrictions, including age.

The first batches of Hajj pilgrims arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah were from Bangladesh under the ‘Makkah Route’ initiative. Pilgrims from Malaysia were the first pilgrims to arrive at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The pilgrims, under the Makkah Route initiative, commenced their spiritual journey from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The pilgrims from Pakistan under the ‘Makkah Route’ initiative also arrived in Madinah on Monday.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior expanded the Makkah Route initiative this year to include Turkey and the Ivory Coast. With this expansion, the initiative now covers seven countries including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Ivory Coast.

The Makkah Route initiative, which is part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, was launched in 2019, and it aims to streamline the pilgrims’ travel procedures from their home countries. The procedure involves the issuance of an electronic visa, collection of biometric characteristics, completion of passport procedures at the departure airport, and verification of the necessary health requirements.

With the help of a unique feature of the initiative, on arrival, pilgrims are directly transported via buses to their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah. Meanwhile, their luggage is delivered to their respective accommodation by service agencies, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience for the pilgrims.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah would continue to receive pilgrims through its sea and air ports, as well as through land entry points starting from Sunday. The ministry has launched its unified media identity for this year’s Hajj season 1444 under the slogan “Proclaim Hajj to People” via its 15 accounts on social media platforms to harmonize with God’s call to Prophet Ibrahim (may Allah bless him) and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to invite Muslims worldwide to perform the pilgrimage.

The media identity aims to confirm the Kingdom’s values in leading the Islamic world, enrich the experience of pilgrims in a way that realizes the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, and highlight the efforts of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah dedicated to pilgrims who travel from far to make their sacred journey.

This year’s Hajj media identity introduces the ministry and its roles in managing the season, educating pilgrims on Hajj rituals, and informing them about services, procedures, and the correct behaviors during the Hajj journey in all fields in 14 different international languages.

Saudi Saudi Arabia was able to achieve a major qualitative leap in the services and facilities being provided to the Guests of God. These included the automation of requests for visas to perform the ritual, arrival procedures and distribution of identification cards, in addition to receiving those wishing to perform Hajj without setting any age criterion, and without any specific requirements for women, in addition to making available special services for the sick pilgrims and pilgrims with special needs.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
×