Saudi Arabia sends 54 new relief trucks to Syria through Jordanian border    Hans Zimmer delivers a spectacular musical night at Riyadh Season    Storm brings relief to California wildfires but raises flash flood concerns    Vice President JD Vance breaks tie to confirm Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense    No signs of severe winter as Saudi Arabia enters final third of the season    Saudi Arabia records over 22,500 residency, labor, and border violations    KSrelief concludes prosthetic limbs project for Ukrainian refugees in Poland    Hamas hands over four Israeli soldiers under Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal    Putin claims Ukraine crisis might not have occurred if Trump had been reelected    Saudi Arabia to host regular World Economic Forum global meeting starting 2026    Governor of NDF highlights development strategies at King Abdulaziz University panel    Bank of Japan raises rates to highest in 17 years    Injured Djokovic booed off after quitting semi-final    Trump shrugs off Elon Musk's criticism of AI announcement    Why do athletes earn such high incomes?    Al Ittihad defeats Al Shabab 2-1 to stay in title race with Al Hilal    Julian Quinones' brace secures Al Qadsiah's 2-0 win over Al Orobah    Tina Turner's lost Private Dancer song rediscovered    Comeback queens, blockbusters and Succession stars: The Oscar nominations previewed    Dangerous drug-resistant bacteria are spreading in Ukraine    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    









First Umrah flight arrives in Madinah from Malaysia
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 11 - 2015

MADINAH — The first Umrah flight arrived at Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah carrying a total of 489 pilgrims from Malaysia.
The Umrah season which started on the first day of Safar (Nov. 13) will continue up to Shawwal 15, 1437H (July 20, 2016). Flights carrying Umrah pilgrims from India and other countries have already started arriving in Jeddah.
The pilgrims were given a warm welcome by officials of the Haj Ministry and other departments involved in the Haj services.
"The use of modern technology is helping us provide Umrah pilgrims with fast and consummate services," Haj Minister Bandar Al-Hajjar said.
He said e-services include the ministry's e-portal which facilitates the procedures for obtaining Umrah visas and helped increase the number of Umrah pilgrims to six million last year.
"The system has also helped cut down the number of overstayers drastically," he added.
The minister made it clear that Saudi diplomatic missions abroad do not levy any charges for Umarh and Haj visas.
"The Haj and Umrah visas are given free of charge to pilgrims. The Kingdom is spending billions of rivals every year to make Haj and Umrah an easy and enjoyable trip," Hajjar said.
He said pilgrims are being served by 41 companies which have about 3,500 foreign agents in 81 countries.
The Kingdom is planning to triple the number of visas it issues for Umrah.
Hajjar announced in October that as many as 1.25 million pilgrims are expected to arrive each month. This compares with 400,000 a month previously.
The new system would allow full use of massive expansion projects at the holy sites. A multi-billion-dollar expansion at the Grand Mosque in Makkah began four years ago.


Clic here to read the story from its source.