Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is an annual pilgrimage to Holy places in Makkah and Madina. The religious duty is performed by millions of Muslims worldwide. With all the COVID restrictions, over 1 million people performed Hajj in 2022. Furthermore, this year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is ready to host over 2 million people for Hajj. However, the number can grow more in the future.

For Pakistanis, The Saudi Government has fixed the quota for Pakistanis who can perform the pilgrimage to Makkah every year. According to this, around 179,210 hajis can perform religious duty in 2023. Also read our blog a guide to calculating your Zakat.

So if you plan to perform Hajj this year and must learn how to go through the application process, you have landed on the right page. Realtorspk.com brings you a comprehensive step-by-step guide for the application of Hajj 2023.

Let’s get started!

Hajj Application 2023 – A step by Step Guide

We will now discuss all the necessary steps that need to be taken to complete the Hajj Application process for 2023.

Set of Requirements for Hajj Applicants

The Government of KSA has laid down guidelines for Hajj 2023, according to which the pilgrims should follow some rules and regulations and fulfill the requirements.

Mandatory Conditions for the Hajj Applicants are as Under:

• Hujjaj should have a machine-readable Pakistani Passport with validity up to 26 December 2023. The pilgrims also should have Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) or Smart Card.
• Medical Fitness certificate by a certified medical practitioner of local or Federal/ Provincial Government medical institutes. It is pertinent to note here that people with severe diseases are not allowed to travel for Hajj.
• Suppose the pilgrims are unable to provide a medical certificate or discrepancies have been discovered between their medical certificate and actual health during travel. In that case, the nominee will be responsible for the consequences. Moreover, in the worst-case scenario, it can result in the cancellation of the Hajj package by the Saudi government or the Ministry of Religious Affairs Pakistan.
• Anyone who is banned from traveling abroad by a provincial or federal government body & has their name on the Exit Control List is not eligible to proceed with Hajj 2023.
• Pilgrims should be vaccinated for every viral disease, such as COVID, flu & meningitis. They have to provide the certificate of vaccination before departure. Furthermore, polio vaccination is also an essential requirement for Hajj travelers.
• All pilgrims are advised to strictly follow the local regulations and laws laid down by KSA.
• Hujjaj are required to carry their luggage in standard bags that comply with the guidelines of the airlines they are traveling with.
• Saudi Airlines Zamzam water policy allows Hajj/Umrah visa holders to carry 5 liters of Zamzam water as a part of free checked-in baggage upon their return.
• Those who succeed under the Hajj scheme must take comprehensive Hajj Training sessions. The sessions are related to rituals and activities that pilgrims abide to perform during Hajj.
• Lastly, the pilgrims are advised to carry a small amount of Saudi Riyal with them to manage the expenses during the pilgrimage.

Who is Not Eligible to Perform Hajj?

Any person suffering from a contagious disease or commuting issues, or mental illness cannot perform Hajj. Moreover, people suffering from COVID, T.B., acute asthma or severe heart conditions, B.P. issues, and uncontrollable diabetes are forbidden from performing Hajj.

• Women five months or above into their pregnancy during Hajj are not allowed to travel for Hajj.
• The Hajj applicant must not have performed Hajj from 2016 & onwards, except if they are a Mahram or going to perform Hajj Badal.

Age Limit to Perform Hajj:

There is no age limit to perform Hajj. However, children born after 2nd August 2021 can travel at discounted rates. The remaining applicants will have to pay the total amount of dues to perform Hajj.

List of Banks that Accept Hajj Application:

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs major banks accepting hajj applications in Pakistan are:

• National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank, Bank of Punjab, United Bank, Bank Alfalah, MCB Bank, Faysal Bank, Allied Bank, Zarai Taraqiati Bank, First Women Bank, Al-Habib, Askari Bank, Habib Metropolitan Bank, Meezan Bank, and Soneri Bank.

Banks can collect Hajj applications and dues from the pilgrims for Hajj 2023 from 16th March to 31st March 2023 throughout the country.

Hajj Application 2023 Documents Requirement:

Here is the list of documents required for Hajj application 2023:

• Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC / SNIC) issued by NADRA. The card should be valid up to 26th December 2023.
• Machine Readable International Passport, generally known as MRIP. The passport should be valid up to 26th December.
• 3 Passport size pictures with blue background.
• Must have some bank account
• CNIC copy and contact number of Next of Kin
• COVID vaccination certificate of Saudi approved COVID vaccine.

Hajj Pakistan 2023 Sponsorship Scheme:

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has initiated the Hajj sponsorship scheme for around 22,400 pilgrims who will deposit dues in U.S. Dollars. The pilgrims will be given a 50% special quota in the government Hajj scheme and will be exempted from balloting.

Hajj 2023 Package Rates:

According to the scheme of government, the Hajj 2023 package rates in Pakistan in PKR have been mentioned in the following table:

Hajj Dues 2023 Under Regular Scheme

It is pertinent to note here that the Regular Scheme of Government Hajj scheme will be selected through computerized balloting.

Hajj Scheme 2023 Under Sponsorship Scheme:

Please note that the sponsorship scheme quota is utilized on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore the registration for the sponsorship will be stopped once the reserved quota is filled.

Let’s wrap it up:

So that’s all for now! The general guidelines for Hajj remain the same, but a few changes are made yearly according to the situation. The Hajj application 2023 guide can help every pilgrim traveling on a religious and spiritual journey for the first time. We hope this guide will make the auspicious journey more comfortable & peaceful. Hajj Mabrook!

Read More:

• Online qurbani pakistan
• Ramzan Sasta Bazaar
• Ramzan Rashan Packages

The post A Step By Step Guide to Hajj Application 2023 appeared first on Realtors Blog.