Hajj 2023 Guide for Pilgrims from India

This article is reviewed regularly by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.

Updated March 2023

Hajj is the most anticipated event for Muslims worldwide. Following success in the Hajj pilgrimage in 2022, Saudi Arabia is now preparing to once again welcome pilgrims from all over the world to perform the Hajj, including those from India.

Below, we have gathered the Hajj guideline for all Indian nationals wishing to perform the pilgrimage this year. Read further to find out.

Hajj 2023 from India news – latest updates

Extension of the last date to apply for Hajj 2023 from India

The Hajj Committee of India has extended the last date to apply for Hajj 2023 from India from 10 March to 20 March, giving pilgrims an additional 10 days to submit their applications.

According to the Committee, applicants possessing machine-readable valid Indian passports issued on or before 15 March 2023 and valid up to 3 February 2024 will be eligible to apply for Hajj 2023.

Embarkation points from India

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has announced a revised Haji policy and declared 25 embarkation points for this year’s pilgrimage. The embarkation points in the country are Srinagar, Ranchi, Gaya, Guwahati, Indore, Bhopal, Mangalore, Goa, Aurangabad, Varanasi, Jaipur, Nagpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Vijayawada, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur and Agartala.

Reduction in Hajj package cost

Hajj package costs have been reduced by approximately INR 50,000 as the money that was deposited with the Hajj Committee for foreign exchange and items such as umbrellas, bags and bed sheets would not be charged, and these things can be arranged by the pilgrims themselves.

No application fee

No application fee will be incurred from the hajj applicants this year. Earlier, the application fee was INR 300. The processing fee will be charged only to applicants who are selected for the pilgrimage.

VIP quota discontinued

According to the latest Hajj policy, the VIP quota has been discontinued. Moreover, 80% of the total quota will be allocated to the Hajj Committee of India and the rest to private operators.

Increase in Hajj quota

The Indian government has just signed a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia to increase the Hajj quota for Indian pilgrims in 2023. According to the agreement, 1,75,025 pilgrims from India will be allowed to perform Hajj in the next Hajj season. The quota is known to be the highest given to Indian pilgrims ever.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has lifted the age limit, meaning those above the age of 65 will be able to perform Hajj this June.

Hajj 2023 from India dates

For 2023, Hajj for Indian pilgrims will commence on Monday, 26 June – Saturday, 1 July 2023, corresponding to the 10th of Dhulhijjah 1444 AH. The final date will be decided once the new moon of the month of Dhulhijjah has been sighted.

Hajj 2023 guidelines from India

As of now, there are a few requirements and rules that have been announced regarding Hajj 2023 in India:

Age limit & testing requirements

Anyone who is 12 years old and above can go on Hajj provided that they obtain the basic doses of vaccines approved in the Kingdom and they must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to their arrival to the Kingdom.

Passport – vaccination certificate linking

As per the circular issued by the Hajj Committee of India, Indian pilgrims are required to link their passports with their COVID-19 vaccination certificate. The steps to link your passport to your vaccination certificate are as follows.

• head to cowin.gov.in
• select the Register/Sign in yourself option
• provide your mobile number and verify your OTP
• select the ‘Raise’ an issue option
• select the passport detail option 
• submit your request

Vaccination requirements

Pilgrims seeking to perform the Hajj must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with the complete doses of the following vaccines to be able to enter the Kingdom:

• Pfizer/BioNTech. 2 doses
• Oxford/AstraZeneca: 2 doses
• Janssen. 2 doses
• Moderna. 2 doses
• Sinopharm. 2 doses
• Sinovac. 2 doses
• Covaxin. 2 doses
• Sputnik V. 2 doses
• ​Nuvaxovid. 2 doses
• ​Covovax​​. 2 doses

Source: Approved Vaccines (moh.gov.sa)

Quarantine requirements

No quarantine will be necessary for foreign pilgrims fully vaccinated with vaccines approved in Saudi Arabia. However, travellers arriving on visit visas (including pilgrims) must have medical insurance to cover any COVID-19-related treatment costs during their stay.

Permit

Worshippers are no longer required to obtain an appointment to pray at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. However, they will still need to obtain a Hajj permit through the online app Absher.

Health protocols

Saudi Arabia has lifted many COVID-19 restrictions in the country. Currently, wearing a mask in closed public spaces is not mandatory; however, it is still required to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and places for which safety protocols have been issued by Weqaya. Face masks may also be required by some public events, public transportation and health facilities that wish to uphold their safety measures.

Proof of vaccination via the Tawakkalna app is no longer required to enter most establishments. Social distancing in mosques and other areas no longer applies.

Hajj 2023 application from India

Note: Hajj application form submission will be closed on 31 January 2023. 

Starting this year, the process will be entirely digital (online). The application procedure and online filling of the Haj Application Form (HAF) for Hajj 2023 will begin through the Haj Committee of India (HCOI) website at hajcommittee.gov.in on Sunday, January 1, 2023. The deadline to submit an application for the Haj Yatra is January 31, 2023.

The “Haj Mobile App” and internet applications are both available to the public. Moreover, there is no offline application process for the Haj Yatra.

To complete the online application for Hajj 2023 from India, pilgrims must meet certain prerequisites. A computer or smartphone with an adequate internet connection is required for those who wish to apply. They should also have a working phone number and an active email address. Below are the steps for registering for Hajj 2023 from India:

Required documents for Hajj 2023 from India

• applicant photo
• mobile number
• valid e-mail address
• registration processing fee of INR 300
• identity card
• first and last page photocopy of passbook
• bank passbook or a cancellation check.

Registering for Hajj application from India

• go to the official website of the Hajj Committee of India
• click on “Hajj Form” and select “Apply’’
• click on “New User Registration
• fill out the registration form carefully
• applicants have to fill in their mobile number, email ID, and first and last name
• choose a strong password and reconfirm the password
• enter the security code
• if the information is correct, click the check box
• click on “submit details”
• on successful submission of registration details, a system-generated OTP (One-Time Password) will be sent to the Mobile Number provided in the registration form. Activate the user-id by entering the OTP number and clicking on the ‘’Submit’’ button. Please note that your account will not be activated until you have entered OTP in the above-displayed verification box, so do not forget this important step. On successful submission of OTP, a confirmation message will appear on the screen.

Fill out the Hajj application form

After signing in, a particular screen will appear.

• click on the appropriate application category
• select the number of Adults from drop-down
• click the “Next” button
• fill in the applicant’s details (as per Indian International Passport), Covid-19 vaccination details, personal details, present residential address, nominee details, bank account details etc
• the fields marked with * are compulsory.
• after entering all the details, click on declaration and then on the “Save & Next” button

Upload your photo and required documents

• step 3 for uploading images will appear on the screen
• now select the pilgrims from the drop-down
• click on “Browse” to upload your photo & documents
• all documents should be in JPG/JPEG format only
• photograph (passport size) should be between 10kb to 100kb & width between 100pixel to 148pixel
• document size should be between 100kb to 500kb & width between 570pixel to 795pixel
• after uploading the photos and documents, click the ‘Upload’ button

Make the payment

• after uploading the images, applicants will automatically go to the link for fee payment
• applicants can pay the fee through Debit/Credit Card/Net Banking
• select ‘Online Payment’ and click on “Click here to Pay Online”
• after clicking on Pay Online, you will be redirected to the payment gateway and make the payment
• on successful completion of the transaction, a transaction receipt will be generated. After successful payment, kindly re-login to online HAF for final submission
• click on “Final Submission”, and you will get the alert message
• click ‘OK’

Print your HAF (Hajj Application Form)

• a unique system-generated Group ID will be displayed, which indicates the successful completion of the online submission
• to view/print the online Hajj Application Form (HAF), click on “Download PDF”
• NOTE: If documents are uploaded, then no need to submit your printed HAF copy and documents to your respective State Hajj Committee (SHC) at this stage
• if documents are not uploaded, kindly submit the printed HAF copy along with the documents to your respective State Hajj Committee before 31-01-2022 for the completion of HAF
• SHC will scrutinise and verify the details filled out online before generating a cover number
• if you have found a major mistake in HAF, then you can use the delete button

If you have further inquiries, you can call helpline services (Hajj Information Centre) on 022-22107070 (From 8 am to 8.00 pm Monday to Saturday) or reach them through e-mail at [email protected] on all working days.

Hajj packages from India 2023

To book your Hajj packages, you can easily do so through the Hajj Committee of India — the steps are mentioned above. You can also book your Hajj packages through the MoMA (Ministry of Minority Affairs) India-authorized private travel agents for Hajj enlisted here.

According to the HCI (Hajj Committee of India), the price for the Hajj package is increased to INR 3,99,500. Meanwhile, if you book your Hajj packages through private tour operators, they will charge around INR 600 or more than the government Hajj package price.

Here’s a list of travel agents approved by the KSA Government in the major cities of India:

Ahmedabad

Tawaf Tours and Travels
Phone number: 0091 79 25508104
E-mail: [email protected]

Uveis Tours & Travels
Phone number: 00919727711844
E-mail: [email protected]

Saudi Haj Travels
Phone number: 9376707003
E-mail: [email protected]

Rajasthan Haj Umrah Tours
Phone number: 00917925395035
E-mail: [email protected]

Inter Air Travels
Phone number: 9723791300
E-mail: [email protected]

Bangalore

Baitul Haram International Tours and Travels
Phone number: 09986755507
E-mail: [email protected]

Round The World Travel and Tours
Phone number: 8197995777
E-mail: [email protected]

Makkah Tours & Travel
Phone number: 00919967077577
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Aamiri Travels Services
Phone number: 9888832222
E-mail: [email protected]

Shifana Travels Private Limited
Phone number: 00918095845151
E-mail: [email protected]

Baitul Haram Hajj Service
Phone number: 00919845309493
E-mail: [email protected]

Sagar Overseas Services
Phone number: 09886021666
E-mail: [email protected]

Sultan International Group
Phone number: 9739397786
E-mail: [email protected]

Mumbai

3N Travel & Tourist Bureau
Phone number: 00912226796088
E-mail: [email protected]

Shukriya Travels Private Limited
Phone number: 00912223471600
E-mail: [email protected]

The Benzy Tours and Travels
Phone number: 00912239816222
E-mail: [email protected]

Makkah Haj Corporation
Phone number: 00912223465963
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Khalid Tours & Travels
Phone number: 00912223011111
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Hafsa Tours & Travels
Phone number: 00912223400250
E-mail: [email protected]

Asfahan Tours & Travels
Phone number: 919930181046
E-mail: [email protected]

Kozhikode

Safiya Travels
Phone number: 00914952722770
E-mail: [email protected]

Safa Umrah Tours and Travels
Phone number: 00914952701846
E-mail: [email protected]

Salaf Haj Umra Guidance & Service
Phone number: 00914832765100
E-mail: [email protected]

Wandoor Safiya Travels
Phone number: 04931 248398
E-mail: [email protected]

Southern Alliance International Tours & Travels
Phone number: 9324558479
E-mail: [email protected]

Markaz Travel Mart
Phone number: 00914952723831
E-mail: [email protected]

Arabworld Travel and Tradelinks
Phone number: 00914712328386
E-mail: [email protected]

Hyderabad

Al-Azam Tours and Travels
Phone number: 00914066786111
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Mohsin Tours and Travels
Phone number: 00914066804545
E-mail: [email protected]

Arsh Travel Bureau
Phone number: 04023235525
E-mail: [email protected]

Al-Qayyum Tours and Travels
Phone number: 00919866172525
E-mail: [email protected]

Evia Travel
Phone number: 7680902359
E-mail: [email protected]

Muskan Tours and Travel
Phone number: 00918472272783
E-mail: [email protected]

Zahis Travel and Tourism
Phone number: 00914066777600
E-mail: [email protected]

Quba Tours and Travels
Phone number: 9700786786
E-mail: [email protected]

Fahad Tours and Travels
Phone number: 919885929550
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Afifa Tours
Phone number: 00919394779877
E-mail: [email protected]

New Delhi

Alif Travels
Phone number: 00911123719411
E-mail: [email protected]

Alhind Tours and Travels
Phone number: 9496005902
E-mail: [email protected]

Aliya Air Travels
Phone number: 00911204017400
E-mail: [email protected]

Destination India Tours & Travels
Phone number: 00919910111290
E-mail: [email protected]

Musafir Tours & Travels
Phone number: 0096658909077
E-mail: [email protected]

Taqwa Tours Corporation
Phone number: 9810294348
E-mail: [email protected]

Al-Ansar Tours & Travels
Phone number: 00966599989695
E-mail: [email protected]

Al Shahin Tour and Travels
Phone number: 9811675783
E-mail: [email protected]

Al-Aqsa Global Services
Phone number: 00911126983435
E-mail: [email protected]

Shaan International
Phone number: 00919310288871
E-mail: [email protected]

Habib Tours
Phone number: 9899153722
E-mail: [email protected]

Lucknow

United Tours and Travels
Phone Number: 00919935257098
Email: [email protected]

Laraib International Tours and Travels
Phone Number: 00915224003535
Email: [email protected]

Mirza Tour and Travel
Phone Number: 05224067707
Email: [email protected]

Kalaam Tours and Travels
Phone Number: 00919628897628
Email: [email protected]

Makkah Tours & Travels
Phone Number: 9555151887
Email: [email protected]

Sagar Tours and Travels
Phone Number: 2530047
Email: [email protected]

Riaz Tour and Travels
Phone Number: 00919935570058
Email: [email protected]

Shan Enterprises
Phone Number: 00915224004066
Email: [email protected]

To see the full list of the approved travel agents, please consult The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s website.

Hajj from India 2023 cost

Please note that all the information provided below may be subject to change without prior notice

The cost of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage may be higher than the last Hajj season in 2022. Indian Hajj seekers will have to endure a staggering 50 per cent increase. Those registering for Hajj through the government’s HCI will have to pay INR 3,99,500, while private operators are charging up to INR 6 lakh.

The steep increase is due to Saudi Arabia’s decision to jack up various Hajj-related charges. For example, one of the most crucial elements of Hajj, a stay in Mina and Mount Arafat, now costs over INR 124,247 compared to the previous INR 22,778.