Saudi Arabia has added the Maldives to its Makkah Route Initiative, offering significant relief to Maldivian Hajj pilgrims by streamlining immigration and travel procedures.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed confirmed the development in a Facebook post, noting that the initiative will allow Maldivian pilgrims to complete all immigration requirements at Velana International Airport before departure. Upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims will be able to proceed directly to their accommodation without needing to queue for immigration or wait for their luggage.

The Minister described the move as a major milestone, highlighting that the initiative had previously only been extended to nations with large pilgrim populations, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan. He also noted that the inclusion of the Maldives reflects the close and longstanding ties between the two countries.

According to the Minister, the government of Saudi Arabia granted the opportunity following an official request made two months earlier, after extensive consultations with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Implemented as part of Saudi Vision 2030, the Makkah Route Initiative has been in place since 2018 and is overseen by the Kingdom’s Hajj and Umrah and Interior Ministries. It is intended to simplify and expedite the pilgrimage process for participating countries.

The Minister said that under the initiative, pilgrims will benefit from several enhanced services, including biometric data collection, electronic visa processing, and pre-departure health and safety screenings. Additional benefits include on-site luggage tagging, boarding pass issuance, and completion of all Saudi entry requirements before boarding the flight. Upon arrival, pilgrims will be transported directly to their hotels, with luggage delivered to their rooms without delay.

Minister Dr Shaheem expressed appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, as well as Hajj and Umrah Minister Dr Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah and Interior Minister His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz for facilitating the inclusion of the Maldives. Acknowledgement was also given to the Saudi Embassy in the Maldives and the Saudi Islamic Ministry for their support.

The Minister stated that this development is expected to significantly improve the quality of services available to Maldivian pilgrims and ease the burdens often associated with the pilgrimage experience.