Hajj registration for domestic pilgrims of Saudi Arabia finally ended at midnight on June 11, 2022. With more than 390,000 applicants already in the mix, the selection of candidates has been made by e-lottery.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia recently stated that the country is getting ready to welcome one million pilgrims for Hajj 2022, including 150,000 pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia. The ministry conducted a nine-day registration process for Muslims living in Saudi Arabia who wish to perform this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage. During these nine days, the ministry received over 390,000 requests from resident Muslims to perform Hajj in 2022. Commencing at the beginning of June, the registration process for Hajj 2022 for domestic pilgrims ended at midnight on Saturday, i.e., June 11, 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the successful nominees for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage late on Sunday. The ministry made the selection of candidates through an electronic draw, with priority given to those who have been fully vaccinated and haven’t performed Hajj before. Once the registration was carried out via the Eatmarna app, the applicants were sorted, and an e-draw was conducted to choose the nominees who meet the Hajj conditions. The would-be pilgrims were informed of their selection via text messages and were given 48 hours to pay for their desired Hajj packages, after which Hajj permits were issued to them. There is no provision for the domestic pilgrims who have registered for this year’s Hajj to check the status of their application or e-draw status.
Hajj 2023 packages
For the Hajj season this year, the ministry has slashed prices for the three hospitality packages. Now, the ‘Al-Abraj’ package costs SR 13,943.75 per pilgrim, the ‘Undeveloped Tents’ package costs SR 9,098.80 per pilgrim, and the ‘Developed Tents’ package costs SR 11,970.35. These prices do not include value-added tax and air or land transportation from and to Makkah. Based on their package, domestic pilgrims will stay in Mina’s residential towers in sophisticated tents akin to hotel rooms or normal tents with full facilities.
Hajj 2023 eligibility
After restricting the holy annual pilgrimage to thousands of Muslims living both inside and outside the country for two consecutive years due to the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has finally relaxed the COVID-19 restrictions. According to the acting head of the Coordination Council for Domestic Pilgrims, Saed Al Juhani, the ministry will also reintroduce the open buffet service after a suspension of two years due to the pandemic-related restrictions. As per the conditions stipulated by the ministry, eligible pilgrims must be under 65 years of age, fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and successfully able to provide a negative PCR test result.
Earlier, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that pilgrims from Australia, North America, and Europe could also register for Hajj 2022 electronically. Thousands of pilgrims belonging to these regions were able to successfully register for the pilgrimage by submitting the required information and documents, including COVID-19 vaccination certificates and passports. Those who registered were also entered into the e-lottery process for the respective packages. If successful, they should complete the online payment process, following which the requests are sent to the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue visas in consultation with the information center.
The date for Hajj 2023 will most likely be during the last week of June. The final date will only be confirmed after the new moon of Dhul Hijjah is sighted. Accordingly, the Hajj flight schedule for local pilgrims will be announced in due course.
