Medina Opens Registration For Hajj Housing Permits

The committee responsible for pilgrims’ housing in the holy city of Medina, Saudi Arabia, has opened registration for housing permits ahead of next year’s Hajj pilgrimage. 

This comes as part of early preparations for the annual Islamic pilgrimage. Last month, nearly 2 million pilgrims from around the world performed Hajj in Saudi Arabia, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels of participation.

The committee in Medina, which is home to the second holiest site in Islam, has invited potential applicants to check the requirements for obtaining housing permits during the upcoming Hajj season. 

The registration period will run until the end of Rajab, the eighth month in the Islamic lunar calendar.

Saudi Arabia has recently disclosed rules for the upcoming Hajj season and emphasized the importance of early preparations. 

The Minister of Hajj, Tawfiq Al Rabiah, stated that no specific places will be allotted to countries at the holy sites. Instead, the allocation of places will depend on finalizing contracts.

Each country is now expected to start making preparations for the next year’s Hajj to ensure the provision of high-quality services to the pilgrims. Early contracting will give priority to countries in securing appropriate places at the holy sites.

The issuance of Hajj visas will begin on March 1 and end on the 20th of Shawwal, which corresponds to April 29 in the Islamic calendar. 

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The arrival of Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia will commence on the first day of Dhul Qaidah, the 11th month of the Islamic calendar, corresponding to May 9.

This new process will facilitate preparations for Hajj, which is an obligatory duty for Muslims.  The official figures from Saudi Arabia reported that more than 1.8 million pilgrims participated in the Hajj pilgrimage this year.