Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Feb 16, 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
U.S. and Russian officials are set to convene in Saudi Arabia to discuss ways to conclude the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian and European leaders, who benefit from this war, have been left out of the discussions.
The special envoy for hostage affairs appointed by Trump cautions Hamas against challenging him before the Saturday deadline.
Trump Asserts BRICS 'Is No More' in Light of Tariff Threats
Trump Announces Scheduled Meeting with Putin in Saudi Arabia Amidst Ukraine Crisis
Israel Warns of Military Action as Hostage Talks with Hamas Continue
CPJ Report Finds Highest Number of Journalists Killed in 2024
Hamas Coordinates Worldwide Solidarity Marches in Reaction to U.S. and Israeli Strategy
Apple Releases Critical Security Update Following Reports of Vulnerabilities
Israel Warns It May Terminate Gaza Ceasefire Due to Hostage Situation
King Abdullah II Dismisses US Proposal to Move Palestinians, Promises to Welcome Children from Gaza.
OpenAI Reiterates Its Independence After Musk's $97 Billion Proposal
Saudi Arabia Assumes Presidency of GlobE Network to Combat Corruption
Riyadh Season 2024 Attracts 19 Million Visitors in Four Months
Saudi Schools Celebrate Founding Day with Nationwide Festivities
Saudi Arabia Participates in AI Action Summit in Paris
Saudi Arabia Issues Premium Residency to 685 Tech Experts
Saudi Arabia Sends Relief Convoy to Syria Amid Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis
Saudi Arabia Launches Electronic Service for Issuing Passports to Adopted Family Members
Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Introduces Flexible Payment Plan for Domestic Pilgrims
Saudi Council of Ministers Rejects Israeli Statements on Palestinian Displacement
Saudi Air Force to Participate in Cobra Warrior 25-1 Exercise in the UK
Countryside Winter Festival in Madinah Attracts Over 7,000 Visitors
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts Across Multiple Nations
Saudi Arabia and Argentina Strengthen Diplomatic Relations in Riyadh Meeting
Saudi Tailor Yousef Tammar Enrolls at Italy's Renowned Accademia Nazionale dei Sartori
Head of Muslim World League Visits Guinea-Bissau to Review Medical Initiatives
Saudi Arabia Advances Carbon Credit Initiatives Through Workshop
GCC Secretary-General Meets Sumitomo Corporation Chairman in Riyadh
Exhibition of the Holy Kaaba’s Kiswah at Islamic Arts Biennale 2025
Saudi Arabia's Mental Health Revolution: A Shift Towards Awareness and Accessibility
16th Klija Festival Highlights Local Beekeeping and Honey Production in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Dismantles Three Drug Trafficking Gangs, 19 Arrested
Boston Dynamics Founder Addresses Robotics and Regulation at Riyadh Summit
Saudi Royal Guard Celebrates Graduations and Sports Competitions
IBM Invests in AI Workforce in Saudi Arabia Amid Vision 2030 Initiatives
Saudi Arabia's Startup Ecosystem Sees Significant Funding Influx Ahead of LEAP 2025
Riyadh Expo 2030: A New Frontier for Saudi Arabia's Global Presence
Saudi Aramco Official Discusses Key Factors for Unlocking AI Potential at LEAP 2025
Saudi Arabia Unveils $14.9 Billion Investments at LEAP 2025 Tech Conference
Tencent Cloud to Launch Operations in Saudi Arabia by 2025 with $150 Million Investment
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Regional Technology Hub
Saudi Arabia's Sports Sector: A Catalyst for Economic Diversification
LEAP 2025: Saudi Arabia’s Tech Ambitions Take Center Stage
Saudi Ma’aden Achieves Successful $1.25 Billion Debut Sukuk Issuance
Pakistan Seeks to Strengthen Trade Ties with Saudi Arabia
Lenovo and Saudi PIF’s Alat Break Ground on Manufacturing Hub in Riyadh
Saudi Royal Decree Exempts Government Agencies from Licensing Fines
Saudi Arabia Elected to IAACA Executive Committee Amid Global Anti-Corruption Efforts
Royal Saudi Navy Joins AMAN-25 Maritime Exercise in Pakistan
Saudi Crown Prince Hosts IOC President for Enhanced Cooperation Talks
×