The Kingdom has also issued stern warnings of heavy penalties for visa overstayers as part of broader efforts to prevent unregistered individuals from performing the pilgrimage.

On Wednesday, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced a series of regulations related to the Hajj season, including a strict ban on entering Mecca, which applies even to Saudi citizens, from 23 April to 11 June.

Only those with an official Hajj permit will be exempt. This includes residents holding Mecca-issued residency permits and individuals working in the city with a special license.

Since 13 April, the new regulations have also banned individuals with Umrah visas from entering Saudi Arabia through any port or airport. Those who arrived before that date must leave by 29 April.

The ministry warned that overstayers will face a fine of SAR 50,000 (around $13,000), a prison sentence of up to six months, and deportation after serving their time.

Furthermore, tourism companies that fail to report individuals who overstay their visas will be fined SAR 100,000 (approximately $26,000).

The penalty on tourism companies may also increase depending on the number of unreported individuals, the ministry statement noted.

Although holders of valid family visit visas can still enter Saudi Arabia, the new regulations prohibit them from entering Mecca between 23 April and 11 June.

The Saudi authorities stated that tourist visas issued at Saudi ports to holders of Schengen and US visas currently do not face an entry ban to the Kingdom.

However, those visa holders are prohibited from entering Mecca during the restricted period. The kingdom warned that any attempts to enter will result in accountability and deportation.

Meanwhile, authorities said transit visas are currently available only on Saudi-affiliated airlines (Saudi Airlines, Flynas, and Adel) and are not subject to an official entry ban, except for entry through King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah.

The ministry urged transit visa holders to comply with their specific visa conditions, including a maximum stay of 96 hours and onward travel to a third country.

In response, Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Egyptian citizens on Thursday to strictly comply with Saudi visa regulations, including validity periods, departure dates, and the ban on entering Mecca, to avoid legal repercussions.

The Saudi announcement follows 2024’s tragic Hajj season, when over 1,300 pilgrims — including hundreds of Egyptians — died due to extreme heat.

Additionally, Saudi authorities revealed that most fatalities involved individuals without official Hajj permits, which barred them from access to critical support services.

Therefore, Egypt has formed a task force to investigate violations of Hajj trips and revoked the licenses of several travel agencies.

In recent years, the cost of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, has skyrocketed after the devaluation of the Egyptian pound.

This led many pilgrims to overstay their visas to join the Hajj without official permits, contributing to overcrowding.

The Hajj season is slated for 4-9 June, and pilgrims are expected to arrive in the Kingdom in early May.