Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Public Security has announced that residents without valid entry permits will be denied access at security checkpoints on roads leading to Makkah, effective from Monday, May 15.
This comes within the framework of the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to organize the performance of Haj for the current season.
Therefore, residents wishing to enter Makkah are now required to obtain an entry permit from the relevant authorities.
The authorities have been instructed to allow entry only to those who work in holy sites and have entry permits, those with a resident ID card issued by Makkah, and those with an Umrah permit or a Haj permit.
Haj, is expected to begin on June 26. However, the date is subject to change pending an official announcement by the Saudi Arabia moon sighting committee in the days leading up to the Haj.
What is Haj?
The Haj pilgrimage to Makkah is a mandatory religious duty that must be performed by those Muslims who are physically and financially able to perform it, at least once in a lifetime.
This year, the Haj is expected to start on June 26 and will take place without COVID-19 restrictions, allowing a large number of pilgrims to participate.
