DR ‹ › The Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, announced on Tuesday in Rabat that the final cost of Hajj for the 1447H season for pilgrims supervised by the Ministry has been set at 63,021 dirhams. Speaking during a meeting of the Royal Commission in charge of Hajj, Toufiq explained that an amount of 1,979 dirhams, representing the remaining balance from the initial flat fee of 65,000 dirhams paid under the official organization scheme, will be reimbursed to the concerned pilgrims through Al Barid Bank services. The reimbursement will take place from Monday, March 9 to Friday, March 20, 2026, he specified. For the first time, the final Hajj cost for 1447H will include the sacrifice (hady) fee, set at 720 Saudi riyals. This follows a decision by the Saudi authorities requiring payment of the sacrifice through the official Hajj electronic platform as a precondition for obtaining a visa. The minister further noted that because visa issuance is now linked to the transfer of Hajj fees to contracted Saudi service providers (accommodation, transport, services, etc.) through the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's electronic portal, pilgrims under the official organization cannot claim reimbursement of these fees once the visa issuance process has begun (before March 20, 2026). The only exception concerns airfare, provided that cancellation is accompanied by a copy of the ticket and submitted within one week of the originally scheduled flight date. On the same occasion, Toufiq urged travel agencies organizing Hajj to comply with the decisions of the Hajj Financial Commission regarding the implementation of the fatwa issued by the Supreme Council of Ulema. The ruling stipulates the direct transfer of pilgrims to Arafat without passing through Mina on the Day of Tarwiyah. He also called for appropriate measures to be taken against agencies that fail to comply. Regarding the 1448H Hajj season, the minister indicated that adherence to the preparation calendar issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah requires that arrangements for the 1448H season begin immediately after the conclusion of the 1447H season. Accordingly, it has been decided that citizens selected by lottery for the next season under the official organization must pay an advance flat-rate amount, pending the later determination of the final Hajj cost, whether higher or lower. It was also decided that the Ministry of Health and Social Protection will conduct the necessary medical examinations immediately after the lottery process. Selected individuals will be issued a certificate confirming their physical and mental fitness to perform the Hajj rites, which must be presented to the Ministry of the Interior before receiving the receipt authorizing payment of Hajj fees. In addition, Al Barid Bank branches will continue collecting Hajj fees for the 1448H season for both official and travel agency organizations. Certified checks will be accepted and electronic payment will be activated. The payment period for the 1448H Hajj season has been set from Monday, June 29 to Friday, July 10, 2026.
