The Islamic Ministry has announced that Maldivian pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia this year under the Mecca Route Initiative.

The Mecca Route Initiative was launched in 2019 to facilitate easy immigration services for pilgrims. Under it, the majority of the immigration procedures will be completed at the airport before departure.

"Through the Mecca Route Initiative, Maldivian pilgrims will complete their immigration procedures for entry into Saudi Arabia while still at Velana Airport. This streamlined process is expected to significantly reduce the time pilgrims spend at Jeddah Airport, enhancing their overall travel experience," the Islamic Ministry said.

Visa application, biometric data collection, health checkups and luggage tagging will be conducted at Velana International Airport (VIA).

This is the first time the Maldives has participated in the Mecca Route Initiative. The program was introduced to target the countries with the highest number of pilgrims. Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Ivory Coast and Turkey are currently members of the programme.

A high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in the Maldives on Friday to oversee the implementation of the initiative. In addition, a 26-member Saudi delegation is also expected to arrive in the country to support the operation.

Earlier on Saturday, the advance team of the Mecca Route Initiative met with the Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed. The delegation also conducted consultative meetings with various relevant Maldivian institutions to ensure a smooth rollout.

Saudi Arabia allocated 1,000 Hajj quotas to the Maldives for the year 2024. The pilgrims will leave on May 26, May 27, May 29 and May 30. They will depart on two Maldivian flights and two Saudia Airlines flights.

The pilgrims usually spend 20 or 25 days on the pilgrimage. However, the government has shortened the trip to 15 days. The pilgrims have not received any discount despite the reduction in the duration of the pilgrimage.