As we know, the Saudi government allows pilgrims to perform Umrah on a visit visa. Those eligible for an e-Visa can also obtain a tourist visa on arrival at Saudi Arabia airports. This service is available to citizens of 49 countries who can apply online for tourist visas. USA and UK are also included in these eligible countries.
So, in this context, pilgrims have great confusion in their minds, “Can Hajj be performed on a visit visa?”
Hajj is a pillar of Islam, which all Muslims must perform once in their lifetime. During the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar (Dhul Hijjah), Muslims perform it in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Hajj is a bit physically more difficult journey than Umrah, which provides an opportunity to atone for past sins and start anew in the presence of Allah.
When Hajj is in 2023?
The beginning of Hajj in 2023 will occur in the evening of
Monday, 26 June
And will finish that evening of
Saturday, 1 July
Read it: When can I go to Umrah?
Performing Hajj on a Visit Visa
People mistakenly think they can perform Hajj on hold of a visit visa. The current policy of the Saudi Ministry prohibits them from doing the Hajj while on a visit visa. After obtaining a tourist visa, people can travel for leisure, business, and other reasons. Every act of worship must include intention.
Hajj is not a simple journey where you visit different places at various times than any other typical journey. This worship includes several Islamic rites, such as prayers, Tawaf, Nahr (Sacrifice), etc.
Millions of Muslims gather in Makkah during the Hajj season and travel to all the pilgrimage sites. Controlling a large crowd of pilgrims in a small area is a challenging task for the Saudi Government every year.
To manage this large crowd, Saudi Arabia implements a quota system. According to this system, a fixed number of pilgrims go to the Kingdom holding a Hajj visa. It might be challenging to control the number of pilgrims there if the Saudi government allows everyone to perform the Hajj on a tourist visa.
However, as it does for Umrah, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah started issuing Hajj visas through an online system in 2021. Now, getting a Hajj visa is easier for Muslims than old paperwork.
How to apply for the Hajj?
All you have to do to apply for the Hajj is go to Motawif.com and fill out the form.
Planning this sacred journey may be simple and more manageable due to the selection of Hajj Packages. By the way, the Motawif portal also offers a selection of Hajj packages, multilingual communication centres, and customer support services.
Just registering on the website is not enough to perform Hajj. After providing appropriate information on the application, you must wait for a response from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
To perform the Hajj, you must be between the ages of 18 and 65 and fulfil the following requirements:
• Vaccination certificate for approved vaccines
• A clear medical history is required (should not have any chronic disease)
How much can Hajj 2023 cost?
The Hajj visa is free of charge. Be aware that you might be required to pay additional. Normally, Individuals prefer to get it through travel agencies.
When booking a package through an agency, the cost of the Hajj from the UK may be up to £5,500—£9500. The type of accommodation and the number of days you intend to spend there determine the price of such packages frequently.
It is crucial to remember that choosing between shifting and non shifting Hajj packages can have an impact on the price. Shifting requires you to physically ‘shift’ yourself and your stuff to a new place of living. You may maintain your accommodation and your peace of mind by non-shifting.
Age limit for Hajj 2023
We know that there is no age restriction in Islam for performing the Hajj obligation. Due to the pandemic Covid-19, the Saudi government only permitted pilgrims younger than 65 to perform Hajj in 2022.
But you won’t face such an age restriction in Hajj 2023 because some official sources are already confirmed it.
Conclusion
Islam requires that every Muslim perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime. It is carried out at Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which is also known as Dhul Hijjah.
According to the Saudi government’s recent policy, it is not acceptable for pilgrims to perform the Hajj on a visit visa. During the days of Hajj, there is a big crowd in Makkah. It is a very difficult task to control millions of people in a small area.
If the Saudi government permits anyone to undertake the Hajj on a tourist visa, it might be very difficult to handle the number of pilgrims present. Furthermore, Hajj is a spiritual journey, neither a leisure trip nor any other such reason.
