S Arabia removes restrictions on Hajj pilgrim numbers, age limit

Saudi Arabia on Monday announced that there will be no limit on the number of pilgrims for this year’s Hajj, Arab News reported citing the country’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah. Speaking at the Hajj Expo 2023, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah stated that the number of people participating in this year’s Hajj will return to pre-pandemic levels and ther will ne no age limit for Hajj pilgrims this year. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah tweeted, “During the opening of #Hajj_Expo 2023, H.E. Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq AlRabiah announces: ‘Number of Hajj pilgrims in 1444H will return to how it was before the Coronavirus pandemic without age restrictions’.” About 2.5 million people took part in the pilgrimage in 2019, Arab News reported. However, the number of pilgrims was reduced for the next two years due to the spread of the Covid pandemic. Earlier on January 5, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that people living in the country wanting to perform Hajj this year can apply for pilgrimage, as per the Arab News report. The ministry said that there would be four categories of Hajj packages available for local residents. The people applying for pilgrimage must have national or resident identity valid until the middle of July, as per the Arab News report. Pilgrims need to have proof of Covid and seasonal influenza vaccination. In addition, they need to obtain a vaccination certificate for the ACYW quadruple meningitis vaccine at least 10 days prior to arriving at the holy sites. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah called on all applicants to register directly through its website and not to make use of the same mobile number for more than one application.