Hajj Procedures

Hajj Procedures

Kingdom's regulations

Laws and rules being running in the Kingdom should be respected and been adhered therewith. Among those are :-

Security must not, in whatever form, be violated including acts of advertising, circulating publications of political or intellectual purposes, holding symposia or meetings, doing marches, and the like, that affect and disperse pilgrims away from their essential goal which is the entire freeing for worship. This is in the accordance with the say of Allah:- ( "..then, no sexual intercourse, iniquity, nor arguing during hadj" verse 197, Baqara Chapter ). • Paid or unpaid work is not allowed in the Kingdom, or practicing beggary in whatever form. • Fetching narcotic substances of any kind, and by any means, whether for distribution or personal use. A guilty is prosecuted with the death sentence. • Going beyond the places where ceremonies and visits of hadj may be performed, is not allowed. In addition, staying in the Kingdom beyond the time of performing hadj ceremonies is not allowed. • A pilgrim (hajji) is not allowed to carry prohibited goods or things, such that their entry through the Kingdom's ports would not be delayed.

• A pilgrim (Hajji) must hold a valid passport.

• A pilgrim must hold the health certificates and fulfill health conditions.

• A pilgrim must possess a valid hadj entry visa. These visas could be obtained from the consulate of KSA (His Royal Highness The Servant of The Two Holy Mosques). They are free of charge the same as every other free service being provided by the Government of KSA on hadj for Allah's guests.

• An identity in Arabic language, bearing a photograph and personal date of a pilgrim, must be attached with his passport being stamped by the meant authority in a pilgrim's country, as well as the KSA consulate therein.

• A pilgrim must carry checks for the costs of the services provided by the Establishment (guiding wages, tents' rents, transportation). Such checks should be handed over to the unitive office of the Establishment at the port of arrival and upon the arrival.

• Once the passport and custom formalities would have been finished and the payment to the Establishment have been made, passports would be handed over to the unitive office's representative in order to enable him accomplish leaving procedures to either Makkah ( Mecca ) or Madeena ( Medina)

• Air- or sea-traveling pilgrims should hand over their air or sea tickets along with their passports to the Establishment or the personnel of service field offices in order for the Establishment or the personnel to know the traveling date and time to either Madeena or Jeddah.

• A pilgrim should observe the instructions regarding the places of residence andwith the times of moving to: Jeddah/Madeenah/Makkah/Holy shrines.

• The holiness of the Two Holy Places' spots, as well as the KSA's regulations should be respected. Spreading on the roads, especially in the adjacent of either of The Haramm Mosque and Prophetic Mosque, squares or under bridges, whether in Makkah, Madeenah or Mena, should be avoided. Any wastes must be dropped only in the allocated facilities, as a participation of a pilgrim to keeping the holy places tidy.

• A pilgrim should take care of carrying along his identity being provided to him by the Establishment in Makkah, by the serviece field office to which he belongs, by Adellaa Establishment in Madeenah or an office of theirs, or the identity being prepared in his own country and stamped by the KSA consulate.

• 12 photographs of a pilgrim should be handed over along with his passport for the use in making an identity of him by the establishment, and whenever necessary.

• Official documents, money, and the like, of a pilgrim should be saved with this Establishment, Adellaa Establishment, the service field office to which a pilgrim would belong, safe boxes being available in pilgrims' houses, or with whomever a pilgrim might trust such as his national hadj commission or his hadj group leader. In all cases, a pilgrim should get a receipt of his belonging(s) from the saving party. A pilgrim should not carry money with him but only enough for his buying and dealings, and should be attentive not to lose it or other belongings. In case of theft or loss - God forbidding - he should immediately inform the service field office, this Establishment, the Adellaa Establishment, the Hadj Ministry's Committee for receiving complaints, or the police, for the necessary action.

• In case of luggage loss, a pilgrim should contact the service field office or a representative of the Hadj Ministry (lost-and-found Division), whether in Makkah, Madeenah or Jeddah, for he might recognize his lost belonging(s), if found.

• In case of a problem, a pilgrim could contact the Establishment or the nearest representative of the Hadj Ministry in order for them to take the immediate necessary action in helping him and solving his problem.

• If a pilgrim would wish to travel beyond the Hadj cities for visiting a relative, he must contact a representative of the Hadj Ministry in Makkah, Madeenah or Jeddah requesting a pass for traveling beyong the Hadj cities. In case of accepting his justifications, the pass would be granted after the coordination with the meant authorities, and under the supervision of the Establishment.

Organizing Regulations

First: General Requirements:- Pilgrims wishing to perform Haj outside the canopy of official Haj missions must do so through an organizer. Organizers may be: tour operators, travel agencies, charitable organizations, campaigns, or groups. - The following requirements must be met by the organizer: 1- The organizer must be licensed to operate in the travel and tourism business by the concerned authorities as well as the Ministry of Exterior/Foreign Affairs in the country in whish it operates. Such licenses must be endorsed by the embassy or the consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia located in the country in which the organizer is licensed. 2- The organizer must have the necessary financial resources and the ability to comply with all requirements, including the ability to pay the required deposits and make the necessary upfront payments on the services as described in these regulations. 3- The organizer must have the required technical capabilities to connect to the electronic network of the Ministry of Haj in order to electronically submit the passport details of its pilgrims prior to submitting such information to the embassies or consulates of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the country in which it operates . The organizer must also have the ability to pay the associated fees. - The organizer may not enter into agreements, or sign any contracts, with other Tawafa Establishment besides the concerned Tawafa Establishment serving the country in which the organizer is licensed . - The minimum number of pilgrims for each organizer is fifty (50) pilgrims and the maximum number is six hundred (600) pilgrims . The Ministry of Haj will consider requests for additional pilgrims above six hundred (600) as long as it does not exceed the officially allotted number of pilgrims for each country . - Organizers with more than two hundred(200) pilgrims assign one person for every hundred pilgrims for the purposes of field supervision of pilgrims and ensuring the provision of required services. The visas for such supervisors court towards the maximum number of pilgrims allowable for each organizer and no additional visas will be issued. - Organizers with more than two handed (200) pilgrims must, at the time of submitting pilgrims, passports to the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to obtain visas, submit the written contract/agreement with the air carrier that will be transporting pilgrims on a roundtrip basis, or, present a confrontation letter issued by the air carrier indicating confirmed roundtrip reservations and completed complete prepayment . - Obtaining Ministry of haj's certification of accommodation agreement(s) from its branches in Makkah AL-Mukarralah and madinah AL-munawwarah No changes to the accommodation location(s) ate allowed except with the prior written approval of the Ministry of haj. - Accommodation agreements that are signed with hotels must be certified by the Ministry of Commerce and industry branches in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah. - Accommodation agreements in Madinah Al-munawwarah must terminate on later than the fifth (5) of Thul hijja. - For pilgrims returning from Madinah AL-Munawwarah to Makkah Al-Mukarramah , their accommodation agreements in Makkah Al-Mukarramah must begin on the fifth (5) of Thul hija and last until their departure after the Haj season. - Pilgrims may not be transported directly from Madinah AL-Munawwarah to the Holy Sites (Mina,Arafat,Muzdalifah) on or after the fifth of Thul Hija. - Travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prior to the Haj is mandatory in order to fulfill the requirements as an organizer. The last day to apply for visas from the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the fifteenth (15) of Ramadan of every year. - For the purpose of coming to the Kingdom to fulfill the requirements, agency or representation letters will not be accepted if assigned to Saudi Arabia citizens or residents of countries other than the country in which the organizer is licensed. - IF the Organizerُs representative is a manager or owner ُs deputy, then that representative may not represent more than one organizer. Hag organizer may not own more than one Hag organizing company. - Organizers must sign transportation agreements with the General Transportation Syndicate a deposit of eighteen (18) Saudi Riyals per pilgrim (the equivalent of %10 of transportation charges for the Holy Sites) must be made. This deposit is refundable as long as there are no causes for withholding or from the deposit.
Second: Stages and procedural Steps:-
A. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Organizers that meet the above requirements are required to (personally legal representative: - Obtain a multiple entry visa and go to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between the beginning of Rajab and the middle of Shawal in order to fulfill all the requirements including entering into accommodation and service agreements. The Ministry of Hajj, s approval of the total number of pilgrims an organizer plans to serve is dependent upon this first step. - All contracts, formalities, and follow-ups must be entered into/made be the organizer, s official representative: owner, manager, or deputy. The following must be provided: 1- An official identification card used to conduct official business in the organizer's country. 2- The business license issued by the organizer's country and certified according to the above-mentioned requirements. 3- If representatives are invoked, an agency or representation letter certified by the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia located in the country in which the organizer is licensed. - Follow-up with the concerned Tawafa Establishment that is in charge of providing services to pilgrims arriving from the country in which the organizer is licensed. The following is required during follow-up with the concerned Tawafa Establishment: 1- A photocopy of; passport, identification card, license issued by the govermment in which the organizer operates, and an agency or representation letter if there's an owner's representative. Originals must be submitted with the photocopies for verification. 2- Fill out the standardized application in order to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Haj for the issuance of Haj visas.(Attached). 3- Signing an agreement for the required services with the concerned Tawafa Establishment .Deposit equal to 10 % of the service fees due to the Tawafa Establishment is required. The deposit shall be totally reimbursed immediately after the Haj season. 4- If the organizer wishes to provide extra or special services for its pilgrims, the organizer must sign an agreement with the concerned Tawafa Establishment and pay the equivalent of( 50% )of the contract. In this case, the organizer is not required to pay the deposit in (3) above. 5- Sign accommodation and service agreements for Makkah Al-Mukarramah (or Madinah Al-Munawwarah) using the standardized contract provided the Tawafa Establishment (or Adilaa Establishment). Payments for accommodation must be made according to accommodation regulations. 6- Sing transportation agreements for pilgrim's transportation between the Haj cities and the Holy Sites solely with transportation companies operating under the canopy of the General Transportation Syndicate. 7- Sign an 'Electronic Information Exchange' agreement with the company operating the Haj & Umrah information Center via the Ministry of Haj's electronic network. 8- Sign an affidavit stating that the organizer shall abide by all requirements, rules, and regulations. - All documents must be submitted to the concerned Tawafa Establishment all agreements must be signed with the Tawafa Establishment's knowledge. - The concerned Tawafa Establishment will review all above-mentioned agreements and will electronically register such agreements on the Ministry 's dedicated network .The file containing all the organizer's documents and agreements shall be electronically forwarded to the Ministry of Haj branch in Makkah Al-Mukarramah for verification , certification , and ratification of the organizer's approved number of pilgrims. An official receipt indicating the organizer's approved number of pilgrims shall be issued to the organizer. The organizer shall present this receipt to the Ministry of Exterior as evidence of Exterior as evidence of the quota that has been electronically allotted to the organizer on the dedicated electronic network. B. In the pilgrim's Country: - The organizer must sign individual agreements with each pilgrim and such agreements must include: a complete description indicating the type and quality of accommodations, transportation, meals, and services that were agreed upon. A copy of the agreement must be provided to each pilgrim who must bring it with him/her to the Kingdom. - The organizer must enter his pilgrim's passport information on the dedicated Web site operated by the Haj and UmrahData (Computer) Center . - The organizer is then required to submit the passports to the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the country in which the organizer operates . The organizer must also submit the official receipt issued by the Ministry of Haj branch in Makkah Al- Mukarramah in order to obtain the visas. C. When Pilgrims Arrive In the Kingdom: - The organizer's representative who signed the contracts and agreements must: 1- Arrive with the first group of pilgrims. 2- follow-up with the concerned Tawafa Establishment ( Field Services Group) in Makkah Al- Mukarramah and the National Adilaa Establishment in Madinah Al- Munawwarah in order to : verify his presence and provide his accommodation address and contact information, verify the readiness of the pilgrims ' accommodations, and obtain the names of the guides that will be working with him for the service of pilgrims. 3- Not depart the Kingdom until the last group of pilgrims have departed and only after obtaining a 'Free and Clear' letter from the concerned Tawafa Establishment in Makkah Al- Mukarramah and the National Adilaa Establishment in Madinah Al- Munawwarah