Saudi Arabia has announced new rules for pilgims for Hajj in 2025.

One of the biggest changes affecting parents is the ban on children from visiting the holy site. The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cited safety as the reason behind the change, saying overcrowding poses potential risks to younger pilgrims.    

“This step has been taken to ensure the safety and well-being of children and to mitigate any potential harm during the Hajj pilgrimage,” the ministry said. 

Another change comes in the form of Visa rules – Saudi Arabia has suspected one-year multiple-entry visas and launched single-entry visas to pilgrims from 14 countries. The countries are Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen.  

Under the new rule, the single-entry visa will only be valid for 30 days, and according to the Saudi government, should prevent un-registered people from undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage and causing extreme overcrowding. 

As a precursor to understanding the significance of this event, we’ve prepared a brief introduction to Hajj below:

What is Hajj? 

Hajj is an annual pilgrimage amongst those practising the Islamic faith that involves a visit to Kaaba in the Saudi city of Mecca. 

In 2025, the pilgrimage takes place over five to six days from 4 June, during which pilgrims perform prayers and a series of rituals. The most notable rituals are that of tawaf, a counterclockwise walk around Kaaba performed seven times, and arafat, where they stand in a barren land 20km east of Mecca to repent, atone and seek mercy from God. 

Unlike Umrah, which is an optional pilgrimage you can read more about here, practitioners of Islam are required to carry out Hajj at least once in their lifetime. 

How many people attend Hajj every year? 

Hajj is one of the biggest religious events in the world, welcoming 1,833,164 pilgrims in 2024.

Last year, most pilgrims travelled from outside of Saudi Arabia, with just over 1.6 million international arrivals vs 220,000+ Saudis.  

Both males and females are encouraged to partake in the religious event at some point in their life. In 2024, 958,137 men and 875,027 females completed the pilgrimage. 

Are there rules around travelling to Kaaba for Hajj? 

For those looking to perform Hajj in 2025, it’s important to know that Saudi Arabia has strict travel requirements for incoming flights. 

While the week of Hajj doesn’t officially commence until 4 June, the final day for non-Saudi airline flights carrying pilgrims to arrive in Saudi Arabia is 31 May. After that day, travellers will only be able to arrive in the holy city via Saudi-owned carriers. 

With regards to departures, pilgrims won’t be able to fly out post-Hajj until 10 June, and this can be via any carrier operating services to and from Mecca. 

Is there anything else required for performing Hajj? 

Yes, everyone must be registered. 

The Kingdom officially opened registrations and interested pilgrims can apply here: https://masar.nusuk.sa.

As part of the application process, pilgrims are required to provide health information, names of companions and other general details.  

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also made it clear that this year, priority will be given to first-time pilgrims for Hajj.