Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has enabled pilgrims from Europe, America and Australia to register electronically for this year’s Hajj season.

The portal developed by the ministry includes various packages, support services, and a 24/7 call center in multiple languages.

The ministry said, on Monday, “The portal also enables issuing visas electronically, to meet the aspirations of honorable pilgrims from these countries and ensure quick and easy procedures.”

Pilgrims can register directly via the portal on the following link: www.motawif.com.sa.

Through the portal, the pilgrim can ensure that he fulfills the conditions including, being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, under 65 years (i.e. born after 1-7-1957 A) and has a negative PCR result taken before his departure), with priority given to those who have not performed Hajj before.

These services come within the framework of the ministry's strategy to develop the digital experience for the pilgrims. These efforts aim to facilitate the procedures, and provide competitive prices for pilgrims from these countries.

The ministry announced earlier that foreign pilgrims constitute 85 percent of the total one million pilgrims who will be allowed to perform Hajj this year.

A total of 850,000 foreign pilgrims will be allowed to perform Hajj while domestic pilgrims’ number was restricted at 150,000.

The total number of 850,000 foreign pilgrims constitutes only 45.2 percent of the actual quota of pilgrims that was allotted for each country before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ministry of Hajj has set certain terms and conditions for foreign pilgrims for this year’s Hajj. These include not allowing pilgrims above the age of 65 and the pilgrims having to take two doses of coronavirus vaccine.