FAQ’s – Hajj Scheme 2023

The Online Hajj applications will be collected from March 16th till 31st, through any of the UBL branches.

Hajj quota for Pakistan is 179,210. out of which 43,308 is reserved for Regular Hajj Scheme and 43,308 is reserved for Sponsorship Scheme under GOP Government Hajj Scheme 2023.

Regular Hajj Scheme:

All Pakistani CNIC holders, who would be paying through PKR are eligible to apply for regular Hajj Scheme 2023.

• The successful candidates in Regular Hajj Scheme will be selected based on balloting. Tentatively, balloting will take place on 5th April 2023.
• Those who have performed Hajj in 2016 or thereafter will not be eligible to apply for Hajj Scheme 2023. However, anyone applying for Haj-e-Badl or Mehram of a female, who is going to Hajj for the first time, would be exempted from this.

Sponsorship Hajj Scheme:

This new scheme is introduced this year, where by overseas Pakistanis can apply for Hajj or can sponsor someone in Pakistan. In order to apply in this scheme, the applicant/ sponsor is required to send a single transaction/ remittance in USD in the designated account of UBL. The deposit in this scheme must be through foreign remittance only.

• The successful candidates in Sponsorship Hajj scheme will be selected based on first come, first serve basis.
• No criteria of Hajj performed in 2016 or thereafter is applicable.

The dues for Govt. Hajj Scheme 2023 as announced by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) are as follows:

All hajj dues collected under sponsorship Scheme must be remitted to following account.

No, applicants or sponsors are required to deposit Hajj dues in USD remitted from abroad only and shall not be allowed to deposit the Hajj dues from the foreign currency accounts in Pakistan.

All the following documents must be available with all applicants:

• NADRA’s Computerized valid CNIC / SNIC. This should be valid up to at least 26th December 2023.
• Submission of Machine Readable International Passport (MRIP). Passport must be valid up to at least 26th December 2023.
• Three passport size pictures on blue background.
• Must have a Bank Account. In case of no bank account, the bank will facilitate in the opening of bank account.
• Vaccination Certificate of Saudi Approved COVID vaccine
• CNIC copy and contact number of Next of Kin.

Following are the categories that will not be eligible for Hajj 2023:

• Women who are five months and above into their pregnancy, at the time of departure for Hajj.
• People suffering from any sort of communicable/ contagious diseases/ mental illness. Furthermore, people suffering from TB, acute asthma, severe heart conditions, uncontrollable diabetes, and blood pressure.
• Applicant must not have performed Govt. Hajj from 2016 and onwards.

Following applicants are eligible to apply for Hajj Scheme 2023 in case they meet either of the following criteria:

• Candidates applying for Hajj-e-Badl.
• Males going as Mehram with their family/female(s) whereby the female/ family member must not have performed Hajj from 2016 and onwards

Its mandatory for the female pilgrim of any age to be accompanied by a Mehram. However, in the case of Fiqah Jafria pilgrims, females of 45 years and above are exempted from Mehram.

For Hajj 2023, there is no age limit. Infants who are born after 2nd August 2021 will be eligible to travel at discounted package. Remaining candidates will be eligible to travel at regular defined package.

Anybody can apply singly; however, two or more people (up to 14) can form a Group and apply together as well. However, sponsorship scheme applicants have to form a group with other sponsorship applicants and regular scheme applicants have to form a group with other regular scheme applicants. Combination of sponsorship and regular applicants will not be considered in group.

• Successful Hajj applicants will have to make arrangements of Qurbani on their own in Saudi Arabia.
• Government of Saudi Arabia has dedicated few organizations which will support Hajis in the country.

No. If any Hajj amount is received below the dedicated amounts mentioned above, it will be returned back to the applicant. As a result, there must be a single complete transaction to apply for Hajj 2023.

All UBL branches will be facilitating in filing of Hajj Application.

Note: The above information is based upon content received from the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) to date, and is subject to revision/ amendment from time to time. Any revision will be accordingly communicated to relevant stakeholders.