Your Guide to Hajj Application 2020

In this Post
–Mandatory Requirement for Hujjaj
–Details About Hajj 2020 Quota for Pakistanis
–Last Submission Date for Hajj Application 2020
–Major Banks Accepting Hajj Applications
–Hajj Application 2020 Document Requirements
–Government’s Hajj Policy and Plan for 2020
–More About the Ministry of Religious Affairs

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah performed by millions of Muslims around the world. As per government statistics released by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for Hajj 2019, the number of pilgrims reached up to 2.5 million last year. However, these numbers are expected to grow further in the coming years. For Pakistanis, the KSA government has fixed a quota since 2011, according to which, around 179,210 Hajis from Pakistan perform pilgrimage to Makkah every year. So, if you also plan on performing Hajj this year but don’t know how to go about its application process, then you have come to the right place. In this blog, we are bringing you a comprehensive guide that will help you go about the application for Hajj 2020. 

Let’s begin!

Hajj Application 2020: A Step-By-Step Guide

We shall now discuss all the steps that you need to take to complete your Hajj application process for 2020.

Mandatory Requirement for Hujjaj

The government of KSA has laid down some guidelines for Hajj 2020, according to which, Pakistani pilgrims must fulfill the following requirement.

Mandatory conditions for Intending applicants are as under:

• Pilgrims to Makkah should have a machine-readable Pakistani Passport with validity up-to 1st February 2021 as well as Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC)/Smart Card.
• Recently-issued Medical fitness certificate by a certified medical practitioner of any particular medical institutes of the Local Government or Federal/Provincial Government/Armed Forces.

Note: People with severe diseases are not allowed to travel.

• In case, the intending pilgrims are unable to provide a medical fitness certificate or any discrepancies have been discovered between their actual health status and medical certification, then their nominee will be the one responsible for consequences or in the worst-case scenario, it can result in the cancellation of their Hajj package by the Ministry of Religious Affairs Pakistan or the KSA government.
• Any applicant who is barred from travelling abroad by any authorised government body and has a name on the Exit Control List (ECL) shall not be eligible to proceed for Hajj 2020.
• Vaccination against all viral diseases, specifically coronavirus, seasonal flu, and meningitis is a mandatory condition before your departure to KSA. Moreover, polio vaccination is also a necessary requirement for the Hajj Pilgrims.
• Grand arrangements are going to be made by the Ministry at the designated areas for Haji camps near the holy sites and airports for the arrival and departure of Hajj flights.
• Inspection teams formed and supervised by the Pakistani government’s Directorate of Hajj in Jeddah will be tasked to monitor the accommodation as well as catering and transport arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims under the government Hajj 2020 scheme.
• All Pakistani pilgrims will be required to strictly follow the local laws and regulations laid down by the host countries.
• Pilgrims are required to carry their luggage in the standard bags, complying with the specific guidelines of the airline they are travelling with.
• Hujjaj under the government’s Hajj 2020 scheme will be provided with five litres.
• of Zamzam (holy water) either in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or on their return to Pakistan.
• Successful applicants under the Hajj 2020 scheme by the Government of Pakistan are bound to take comprehensive Hajj Training sessions related to activities and rituals that pilgrims need to perform during Hajj

Note: Keeping in view the current practices, it is recommended for the pilgrims to carry at least 2000 Saudi Riyal (SR) (equivalent to PKR 80,000) to feasibly manage expenses during the pilgrimage.

Details About Hajj 2020 Quota for Pakistanis

Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year as per the details given below:

As stated above, the total number of Pakistani pilgrims allowed to perform Hajj this year will be around 179,210. In the light of Haj policy 2020, here are some key takeaways regarding the designated quota for pilgrims. 

• The quota for Pakistani pilgrims has been further divided into a 60:40 ratio, which means 60% percent of the pilgrims will be handled by the government’s Hajj 2020 scheme while the remaining 40% will be handled by private tourism companies.
• Out of the total quota, around 10,000 seats have been allocated for senior citizens above 70 years of age. An attendant will also be accompanying them.
• Around 1,000 seats have been reserved for overseas Pakistanis who intend to perform pilgrimage to Makkah with their relatives.
• The names of the applicants who couldn’t be selected in draws for Hajj for a minimum of three times will be given an additional chance this year. Around 10,000 seats have been allocated for this purpose.

Last Submission Date for Hajj Application 2020

As per the latest updates on Hajj 2020, the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Pakistan has started accepting applications for Hajj. However, the last submission date for the application for Hajj 2020 is the 6th of March.

Major Banks Accepting Hajj Applications

Some of the major banks accepting Hajj applications in Pakistan are JS Bank, Dubai Islamic, and Allied Bank. So, whether you are the applicant of the government or private Hajj scheme, you can conveniently get your Hajj application submitted at your nearest branch of the aforementioned banks. 

Hajj Application 2020 Document Requirements

Document requirements for the application for Hajj 2020 have been mentioned below:

• Three Passport Size Photos (with Blue Background and without Sunglasses)
• International Machine Readable Passport Copy with Validity up to 1st February 2021
• Valid CNIC/Smart Card
• Medical Certificate and Test Reports (only of successful applicants)

Hajj 2020 Package Rates in Pakistan

According to the government scheme, the Hajj 2020 package rates in Pakistan have been mentioned in the table below:

Government’s Hajj Policy and Plan for 2020

Some of the key highlights of the government’s Hajj Policy and Plan for 2020 released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Pakistan, in accordance with the rules set by the government of KSA, have been listed below:

• Applicants who may have performed Hajj during the last seven years under a government scheme will not be elected for the Hajj proceeding. Similarly, the criteria for 5 years have been set for the private sector.
• To apply for a Hajj visa from Pakistan, the applicant must have a passport with a validity of six months. Passport book with at least two empty pages is eligible for the stamping and attestation of visa.
• The Saudi authorities have been requested for the extension of the “Road to Makkah” project to different cities in Pakistan including the international airports of Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta airports in addition to Islamabad International Airport, where the facility has already been offered.
• If you intend to perform Hajj as a part of a group, then the permitted group size according to this year’s Hajj policy is between 1 and 14 members.
• Along with the launch of an appropriate awareness campaign through all popular channels of communication, the training material would be available on the website of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. 

Note: For more information and the latest updates on Hajj 2020, you can visit www.mora.gov.pk. 

More About the Ministry of Religious Affairs

Headquartered in the capital city of Islamabad, the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) is one of the top government agencies in Pakistan, which is responsible for dealing with different types of religious matters, specifically Islamic pilgrimages outside Pakistan, such as Umrah and Hajj. Each year, almost four to five months prior to the annual Hajj season, it rolls out Hajj policy to effectively manage the pilgrimage affairs and ensure the safety and welfare of the Pakistani pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Similarly, the Hajj policy 2020 has also been released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs this year in collaboration with the KSA government.

The Federal Minister of Religious Affairs in Pakistan is Noor-ul-Haq Qadri. Some of the other subsidiary bodies of the Ministry of Religious Affairs include the Directorate of Hajj, Council of Islamic Ideology, and Madrassah Education Board.

This was all you needed to know about the application process for Hajj 2020. If you have any questions or feedback regarding the above-mentioned procedures, feel free to get in touch with us at blog@zameen.com.

Meanwhile, before packing for the annual pilgrimage, you can also take a look at some of the most useful tips to stay healthy during Hajj Pilgrimage. As soon as there is any new development regarding the Hajj policy and plan for 2020, we’ll update this blog, so make sure to visit this page again.

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