Latest news with #Madinah
Gulf Business
2 days ago
- Gulf Business
Planning Umrah 2025? Here's what Saudi authorities want you to know
Image credit: Getty Images As the Umrah season for 1447 AH begins, Saudi authorities have rolled out a series of initiatives designed to enhance the pilgrimage experience in Makkah and Madinah. Combining digital innovation, improved safety measures, and infrastructure upgrades, these efforts reflect the country's dedication to providing pilgrims with a safe, comfortable, and spiritually enriching journey. Introducing the 'Rushd' App In Madinah, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs launched a campaign to raise awareness about the 'Rushd' app, coinciding with the start of Umrah. Read- This app offers pilgrims multiple digital services including an electronic Quran, prayer times based on Umm Al-Qura, Qibla direction, and a multilingual 3D virtual reality guide for Hajj and Umrah education. It also features an Islamic e-library and access to the S The campaign is active in key locations around Madinah, including historic mosques and areas near the Prophet's Mosque, helping visitors make full use of the app to enhance their spiritual journey, Smart bracelets enhance visitor safety Meanwhile, the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque introduced smart safety bracelets aimed at vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and visually impaired visitors. These bracelets store emergency contact information, enabling quick assistance if needed and providing reassurance during worship. This Infrastructure and services expand in Madinah The With 89 initiatives underway across 23 government entities, covering areas like security, transport, healthcare, tourism, and emergency response, the program is showing strong progress, with a 95% completion rate on its projects. Tourism ministry closes non-compliant facilities To maintain high standards, the Ministry of Tourism carried out inspections in Makkah, The ministry's ongoing campaign, 'Our Guests Come First,' encourages visitors to provide feedback via the Unified Tourism Center (930), helping improve service quality and visitor satisfaction. Service centers support pilgrims in Madinah In Madinah, two service centers within the Prophet's Mosque courtyards served nearly 188,000 visitors in 2024. These efforts are part of the General Authority's broader mission to enhance environmental and human aspects of service within the mosque. Through a combination of digital innovation, safety enhancements, regulatory enforcement, and improved infrastructure, Saudi Arabia continues to elevate the experience of pilgrims during Umrah. These initiatives demonstrate the Kingdom's commitment to serving millions of worshippers with care, efficiency, and hospitality in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Arabian Business
4 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Saudi Arabia announces new property ownership law
Saudi Arabia has published the full details of its property ownership law for non-Saudis in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura on Friday, following Cabinet approval earlier this month. The law will take effect 180 days from publication and replaces previous foreign property ownership legislation issued under Royal Decree No. M/15 in 2000, the Saudi Gazette reported. The legislation grants non-Saudis — including individuals, companies, and non-profit entities — the right to own property or obtain other real rights over real estate within designated geographic zones to be determined by the Cabinet. Non-Saudis can own property in Saudi Arabia under new law published in official gazette These rights include usufruct (beneficial use), leaseholds, and other real estate interests, but will be subject to controls and restrictions based on location, property type, and usage. Ownership remains prohibited in certain locations and regions, particularly in Makkah and Madinah, except under conditions for individual Muslim owners. The law states that all real estate rights that were legally established for non-Saudis prior to the regulation taking effect will be preserved. The Council of Ministers — upon a proposal by the Real Estate General Authority and with the approval of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs — will define the allowable zones for foreign ownership and set upper limits on ownership percentages and durations for usufruct rights. Foreign individuals legally residing in Saudi Arabia may own one residential property outside restricted areas for personal housing purposes. This provision does not apply to Makkah and Madinah. The regulation includes provisions for corporate ownership. Non-listed companies with foreign shareholders, as well as investment funds and licensed special-purpose entities, will be permitted to acquire real estate throughout the Kingdom, including in Makkah and Madinah, provided the ownership supports operational needs or employee housing. Listed companies and investment vehicles may also acquire property in line with Saudi financial market regulations. Diplomatic missions and international organisations can own premises for official use and residence of their representatives, subject to Foreign Ministry approval and reciprocity conditions. Non-Saudi entities must register with the competent authority before acquiring property. Ownership or real rights become valid only after formal registration in the national real estate registry. The law introduces a real estate transfer fee of up to 5 per cent for transactions involving non-Saudis. Sanctions for violations include fines up to SAR10 million and, in cases such as falsified information, the forced sale of the property with proceeds remitted to the state after deductions. A committee under the Real Estate General Authority will be formed to investigate violations and impose penalties. Decisions of this committee can be appealed to the administrative courts within 60 days. The law repeals a prior rule that prohibited GCC citizens from owning property in Makkah and Madinah, standardising rules for all non-Saudi entities under a single framework. The executive regulations, which will detail implementation mechanisms and specify geographic boundaries and conditions, are expected to be issued within six months.
Gulf Business
4 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Business
Foreigners owning property in Saudi: The rules you need to know
Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes Saudi Arabia has officially published the full text of a new law regulating real estate ownership by non-Saudis, following cabinet approval earlier this month. The legislation, released in the Umm Al Qura official gazette on Friday, July 25, will come into effect 180 days from publication and marks a significant shift in the country's real estate and investment policy, Read- The new law grants non-Saudis, including individuals, corporations, and non-profit organisations, the right to own property or obtain other real rights within designated zones to be defined by the Council of Ministers. These rights include usufruct (beneficial use), leaseholds, and other interests, but will be subject to geographic and usage-based restrictions. Importantly, all legal property rights held by non-Saudis prior to the law's enactment will remain protected. Key restrictions remain Despite the liberalization, the law maintains a firm stance on property ownership in the holy cities. Ownership remains prohibited in Makkah and Madinah, except under specific conditions for individual Muslim owners. Foreign individuals legally residing in the country may own a single residential property outside restricted zones for personal housing purposes. A central provision mandates that the Council of Ministers, based on recommendations from the Real Estate General Authority and with approval from the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, will designate the permissible zones for foreign ownership. These zones will include limits on ownership percentages and the duration of usufruct rights. Foreign-owned non-listed companies, licensed investment funds, and special-purpose entities may acquire real estate throughout the Kingdom, including in Makkah and Madinah, provided the ownership is for operational needs or employee housing. Listed companies and investment vehicles are permitted to own property in line with Saudi financial regulations. Diplomatic missions and international organisations will also be allowed to own property for official use, subject to Foreign Ministry approval and reciprocity. Mandatory registration and oversight Non-Saudi entities must register with the relevant authorities prior to acquiring real estate. Legal ownership or rights will only be recognised following registration in the national real estate registry. To enforce compliance, the law introduces a real estate transfer fee of up to 5 per cent for transactions involving non-Saudis. Violations could incur fines of up to SAR10m, with penalties including forced sales in severe cases such as the use of falsified documents. Proceeds from such sales will be transferred to the state after necessary deductions. A committee under the Real Estate General Authority will be established to monitor violations and impose sanctions. Affected parties can appeal committee decisions to the administrative courts within 60 days. Repeal of previous rules for GCC citizens The new law also revokes a previous ban on real estate ownership by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens in Makkah and Madinah, thereby aligning the rules for all non-Saudi individuals and entities under a single legal framework. Executive regulations, including geographic boundaries and implementation procedures, are expected to be issued within six months. The law replaces the previous foreign ownership legislation issued under Royal Decree No. M/15 in 2000.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Arab News
Madinah authority restores historic holy sites
RIYADH: Projects to preserve and restore important religious and historic sites in Madinah have brought a growing number of visitors to the area. The work by the Madinah Region Development Authority includes ongoing restoration of the Battle of the Trench site and surrounding areas, where followers of the Prophet Muhammad dug a deep trench to fortify themselves against attack in 627 C.E. A place that holds deep religious and historical significance for Muslims, the redevelopment includes restoring several mosques and other significant sites. The authority is also redeveloping the Miqat of Dhu Al-Hulaifah, where the Prophet Muhammed entered the ritual state of Ihram before performing the Umrah pilgrimage. The initiative is focused on expanding the mosque's facilities and improving services. Over the past year, several Madinah landmarks have been enhanced with modern amenities and new guide services using digital technologies. Other upgrades include the installation of pedestrian facilities around the city's central area and near the Prophet's Mosque, such as electric vehicle access and a pedestrian path to Quba Mosque, and landscaping and public amenities. The Rua Al-Madinah Project is a major development featuring an extensive tunnel network and numerous luxury hotels which will contribute to the target of increasing the holy city's hospitality capacity to 30 million visitors by 2030. The Al-Matal Project, another new initiative, features integrated tourist and recreational facilities built into the mountainside of the Al-Jamawat neighborhood. The schemes will enrich the Madinah visitor experience, a key objective of Saudi Vision 2030.
Zawya
6 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia qualifies 31 firms for 3 mining sites in Madinah, Riyadh
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources has qualified 31 local and international companies to compete for exploration licenses across three mineral-rich belts spanning over 24,000 sq km. The winning companies will be announced in September, the ministry said in a post on the social messaging platform X. In March, the ministry sought pre-qualification applications for the ninth round of exploration license competitions. The targeted belts included Nuqrah and Sukhaybrah Al-Safra in the Madinah region, as well as Nabitah in the Riyadh region. These sites contain a variety of precious and base metals, including gold, copper, silver, zinc, and nickel. The ministry aims to launch exploration tenders for an area of 50,000 sq km by year-end, Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, Saudi Arabia, has said. (Editing by Anoop Menon) (
