Saudi Arabia announces removal of restrictions on Hajj pilgrim numbers and age limit

Saudi Arabia has announced that there will be no limit on the number of pilgrims for this year's Hajj on Monday, reported ANI citing Arab News.

The news was shared by the country's Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah while speaking at the Hajj Expo 2023. The minister said that this year, the number of people participating would return to pre-pandemic times and would have no age limit for hajj pilgrims. 

New announcements for Hajj pilgrims 

The same news has been shared by the official page of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Taking to Twitter, they wrote, "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. #Makkah_and_Madinah_Eagerly_Await_You." 

Furthermore, the Saudi minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah shared more details during a conference on Monday night in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, reported the Associated Press. 

“I bring you two bits of good news in this meeting. The first: The return of the numbers of pilgrims to what they were before the pandemic without any age restrictions,” said al-Rabiah while lifting the restrictions, reported AP citing the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

He further continued, "And the second: Allowing any hajj mission from around the world to deal with any licensed company that meets the requirements of the pilgrims of those countries.” 

In recent years, people aged between 18 to 65 could participate in the hajj and they had also restricted private companies who would make travel arrangements for the Hajj pilgrims, reported ANI. In 2019, around 2.5 million people participated in the pilgrimage, reported ANI citing Arab News reports. After that, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of Hajj pilgrims for the next two years. Now, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is looking forward to early applicants who would require to follow COVID-19 protocol and have proof of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccination.