Saudi Arabia Warns Against Fake Hajj Offers and Encourages Use of Official Channels
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia warned those wishing to perform the Hajj pilgrimage against misleading advertisements and fictitious offers, urging them to only interact with official channels. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah specified that the rites of Hajj can only be performed after obtaining a “Hajj visa” issued by the relevant authorities, in coordination with specialized offices in 80 countries.
Direct booking of Hajj packages is possible through the official “Nusuk Hajj” platform, which caters to pilgrims from approximately 126 countries. The ministry also stated that the “electronic pathway” on the ministry’s official website and the Nusuk app are the only approved channels for pilgrims residing in Saudi Arabia, whether they are nationals or expatriates. It emphasized that offers coming from unofficial sources are “deceptive” and should not be considered valid.
To facilitate the pilgrimage and ensure its smooth execution, the ministry has established a multilingual assistance service, available 24/7, through the dedicated Pilgrim Center, reachable via the unique local number (1966), the international number (+966920002814), or by email at [email protected].
As part of the preparations for the 2025 Hajj season, the ministry has set the deadline for the entry of Umrah pilgrims for Sunday, April 13, 2025, and the departure deadline for April 29. It warned that any stay beyond this date would constitute an infringement subject to legal penalties. Unreported overstay could result in fines of up to 100,000 Saudi riyals (approximately $27,000), along with legal actions against those responsible.
