Makkah Route Initiative: What We Know About the Special Hajj Programme

This article is reviewed regularly by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.

Updated May 2024

Hajj is an annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is a mandatory duty for all Muslims to perform at least once in their lifetime. However, various tedious procedures must be followed in preparation.

So, to facilitate pilgrims with these entry procedures and have a seamless experience upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the government’s programme – Makkah Initiative Route, has been in full swing to help Hajj pilgrims from seven countries with visa, customs and passport issues.

In this article, Wego will provide pertinent information about this year’s Makkah Route Initiative – the countries eligible and how it helps pilgrims. 

What is the Makkah Route Initiative?

The Makkah Route Initiative is one of the initiatives of the Ministry of Interior to serve Hajj pilgrims from the following seven countries that are part of the program:

• Malaysia
• Indonesia
• Pakistan 
• Morocco
• Bangladesh
• Turkiye
• Côte d’Ivoire

The Makkah Route initiative was first launched in Malaysia and Indonesia in 2018, two of the countries with the largest proportion of Hajj pilgrims every year.​ The program’s role is to facilitate Muslims’ performing Hajj and Umrah to the fullest extent and to enrich and enhance their experience by simplifying the entry and customs procedures. 

How does it help pilgrims?

The Makkah Route Initiative comes as a continuation of the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in facilitating Hajj to the pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites- Makkah and Madinah. The program aims to assist the pilgrims from the 7 countries in:

• finalizing the procedures for the pilgrims from their countries.
• issuing the visa electronically and taking the prints.
• completion of passport procedures at the airport of the country of departure after verifying the availability of health requirements.
• coding and sorting luggage according to transportation and housing arrangements in the Kingdom.
• upon their arrival, the pilgrims are directly moved to buses to take them to their places of residence in Makkah and Madinah, with designated paths.
• the service agencies deliver their luggage to their places of residence.

 

The General Directorate of Passports, launched a special stamp featuring the visual identity of the Makkah Route Initiative. The stamp serves as a recognizable symbol for pilgrims participating in the Makkah Route Initiative. It allows authorities at various airports to quickly identify and process pilgrims, reducing waiting times and streamlining their entry process.

The stamp is available in dedicated processing halls at 11 airports across seven countries. Pilgrims can access these halls specifically designed for their convenience, where they can complete necessary procedures efficiently.

Makkah Route Initiative’s latest updates

Malaysia

The first flight of pilgrims departed from the Kingdom of Malaysia on 9 May 2024 and headed to the Kingdom through the initiative lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

 

Pakistan

The first batch of pilgrims departed from the Kingdom of Malaysia and headed to the Kingdom through the initiative lounge at Islamabad International Airport and Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has launched the Makkah Route Initiative to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi as the second airport in Pakistan, this year.

Indonesia

The first batch of Indonesian pilgrims benefiting from the Makkah Route Initiative arrived at the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on 12 May 2024. This initiative has been implemented in three cities in Indonesia, namely, Jakarta, Solo and Surabaya.

The Makkah Route Initiative continues to work at the departure terminal at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and uses the Initiative travel lounge to serve pilgrims in Indonesia by facilitating their travel procedures to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

Bangladesh

The first batch of pilgrims from Bangladesh arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on 10 May 2024 and departed from the initiative’s terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Turkiye

The first batch of pilgrims from the Republic of Turkiye who benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah on 10 May 2024.

 

Côte d’Ivoire

This year marks the second year of the Makkah Route Initiative in Côte d’Ivoire, following the launch of the initiative at Abidjan International Airport in 2023.

 

 

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