15.2 Million Perform Umrah in Just Three Months

MAKKAH: More than 15.2 million people performed Umrah during the first quarter of the ongoing Umrah season in Saudi Arabia, according to data released by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.

The authority reported that a total of 15,233,767 people performed Umrah during the first three months of the season. Of these, around 9.5 million were domestic pilgrims, while the remaining pilgrims arrived from outside Saudi Arabia.

Men accounted for 56.4% of the total Umrah performers, while women represented 40.6%. Saudi nationals made up 28.9% of the total number, highlighting the significant contribution of international pilgrims to the overall figure.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set March 9, 2027 as the deadline for issuing Umrah visas for the current season. Pilgrims holding valid visas will be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia until March 23, 2027.

With millions of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom, Saudi authorities are continuing efforts to improve facilities and services related to Umrah and manage the growing number of visitors.

Meanwhile, payments for Private Hajj 2027 have also begun. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has advised pilgrims to use only the official Pak Hajj App and Hajj Portal for registration, bookings and payments.

According to the ministry, private Hajj payments must be made through the official portal, where pilgrims can select an authorised Hajj organiser and choose their preferred package. No Hajj organiser has been authorised to collect payments directly from pilgrims.

The ministry has warned pilgrims against fraud and urged them not to make cash payments or issue cheques to individuals or companies outside the authorised digital system. The quota for the Private Hajj Scheme 2027 has been set at 71,696 pilgrims.