The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has unveiled a comprehensive four-year official holiday schedule for financial institutions spanning 2026 through 2029, marking a significant step toward enhancing economic planning and operational clarity. This unprecedented long-term calendar precisely outlines the dates for major Islamic celebrations—Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha—alongside the fixed national observances of Saudi National Day and Founding Day.
The strategic release is designed to empower businesses, international investors, and residents with the foresight needed to schedule critical financial operations, manage liquidity, and align international transactions well in advance. SAMA accompanied the calendar with a detailed operational advisory specifically tailored for the high-volume Hajj season, emphasizing uninterrupted banking services for pilgrims.
A key provision addresses the observance of national holidays: should Saudi National Day (September 23) or Founding Day (February 22) fall on a Friday—the weekly休息日—the official holiday will be observed on the preceding Thursday. Similarly, if either falls on a Saturday, the holiday will shift to the following Sunday, ensuring a continuous break.
Furthermore, SAMA has issued specific guidelines for banking hours during Ramadan. Client-facing bank operations will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, while remittance centers and payment service providers are required to operate for a flexible six-hour window between 9:30 AM and 5:30 PM.
Crucially, the directive mandates that banks, exchange centers, and payment providers must ensure robust service availability during the Hajj season. This includes maintaining continuous operations at branches in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, at air and sea ports of entry, and at border crossings, even throughout Fridays and Saturdays, to cater to the millions of pilgrims and visitors. Institutions are also instructed to publicize the locations and operating hours of these seasonal and extended-service branches through all appropriate channels to guarantee public awareness.