Pakistani citizens planning to perform Hajj this year have been urged to urgently complete their Hajj biometric verification by Sunday, February 8, as visas will not be issued without fulfilling this mandatory requirement. The reminder was issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, stressing that the deadline will not be extended.
According to a ministry spokesperson, all intending pilgrims must complete fingerprint biometric verification using the Saudi Visa Bio mobile application. The process can be done from home, allowing pilgrims to avoid long queues and unnecessary travel. After completing the verification, pilgrims have been advised to securely save the confirmation email, which may be required during later stages of visa processing.
To further facilitate pilgrims, Tasheer centres across Pakistan will remain open from 9 am to 5 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. These centres will assist individuals who are unable to complete the process digitally or require additional guidance.
The ministry clarified that pilgrims aged over 80 years are exempt from biometric verification, providing relief to elderly applicants and their families.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed that the Kingdom will officially begin issuing Hajj visas from February 8. According to Saudi media, this early launch is part of an accelerated preparation timeline aimed at ensuring better services and smoother arrangements for pilgrims, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
So far, nearly 750,000 pilgrims worldwide have registered for Hajj, with 30,000 pilgrims booking packages directly from their home countries. Saudi authorities have allocated 485 camps at the holy sites for international pilgrims, while 73 Hajj affairs offices have completed their basic contractual requirements.
In Pakistan, 119,000 government pilgrims and 60,000 private pilgrims have already completed registration. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf recently confirmed that preparations are progressing according to the Saudi schedule. He added that arrangements for food, transport, and accommodation were finalised through a transparent and competitive process.
Referring to the previous pilgrimage, the minister said that during Hajj 2025, refunds worth Rs3.5 billion were returned to 75% of Pakistani pilgrims, reflecting improved management. Training sessions with audiovisual support are also being conducted nationwide to ensure discipline and preparedness among pilgrims.
