HIBAPRESS
The Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, confirmed on Tuesday in Rabat that the final cost of Hajj for the 1447 AH season for pilgrims organized by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs has been set at 63,221 dirhams.
Toufiq explained, in a speech during a meeting of the Royal Committee in charge of Hajj affairs, that 1,779 dirhams will be refunded through Barid Bank services, which is the excess amount over the cost of Hajj, to citizens who have previously paid the lump sum for Hajj expenses, set at 65,000 dirhams, within the official organization list. He added that the date for starting the refund of this amount to the concerned citizens has been set for the period between Monday, March 9th and Friday, March 20th, 2026. The Minister confirmed that the final cost of Hajj for the 1447 AH season will include, for the first time, the obligatory Hajj sacrifice, set at 720 Saudi Riyals, in implementation of the decision issued by the competent Saudi authorities, which entails the payment of the Hajj sacrifice through the electronic Hajj track for all pilgrims as a basic condition for obtaining Hajj visas. He pointed out that, given the link between issuing visas and transferring Hajj expenses to the Saudi parties contracted with (accommodation, transportation, and services…) through the "electronic track" portal of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, official organization pilgrims are not entitled to request a refund of these expenses after the start of the process of issuing Hajj visas (before March 20, 2026), except for the cost of the plane ticket, provided that the withdrawing pilgrim presents a copy of the ticket before the end of the week following the date of the trip that was scheduled for him. On the other hand, Toufiq urged the travel agencies organizing Hajj to abide by the decisions of the Financial Committee for Hajj regarding the application of the fatwa issued by the Supreme Scientific Council regarding the direct ascent of pilgrims to Arafat without passing through Muzdalifah on the day of Tarwiyah, with appropriate measures taken against violating agencies. Regarding the Hajj season of 1448 AH, he indicated that adhering to the schedule of Hajj arrangements issued by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires starting the arrangements for the 1448 AH Hajj season immediately after the end of the 1447 AH Hajj season, highlighting that, for this purpose, it was decided that the citizens selected in the Hajj lottery for the next season within the official organization list pay a lump sum of 65,000 dirhams, similar to the previous two seasons, with the final cost of Hajj to be determined later, either by increase or decrease. It was also decided that the services of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection would start conducting the necessary medical examinations immediately after the end of the lottery process and granting the selected ones a certificate of physical and mental capacity to perform the Hajj rituals to submit it to the services of the Ministry of Interior before handing them the coupon that enables them to pay the Hajj expenses. He continued that it was also decided to continue the Barid Bank offices in collecting the Hajj expenses for the 1448 AH season, for both organizations, with the acceptance of the certified check, and activating the electronic payment mechanism, adding that the period for collecting the Hajj expenses for 1448 AH has been determined, for both organizations (suggesting the period between Monday, June 29th and Friday, July 10th, 2026).
