Saudi Arabia Expands "Road to Mecca" Hajj Initiative to Five Countries

Implemented with the participation of the ministries of "Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah", the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Zakat, the General Authority of Customs and Tax, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority "SDAIA", the Doyof Al Rahman (Guests of Allah) Program, the General Directorate of Passports and the Elm company, this initiative "aims to receive pilgrims and complete their procedures in their country with ease," the ministry said.

These procedures include the issuance of the visa electronically, the taking of biometric characteristics, and the completion of passport procedures at the airport of the country of departure after verifying the necessary health requirements, in addition to the coding and sorting of luggage according to the modalities of transport and accommodation in the kingdom, reports the daily Saudi Gazette. Once arrived in Saudi Arabia, the pilgrims will board buses that will take them directly to their places of residence in Mecca and Medina. Their luggage will be delivered to their residence.