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I read some potentially conflicting claims:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/23/middleeast/egypt-hajj-tourism-companies-revoke-licenses-intl/index.html:

Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and Saudi Arabia requires each pilgrim to acquire one of the 1.8 million available licenses to legally access Mecca.

But as the cost of one of these licences costs several thousand US dollars, many pilgrims try to access the site illegally and typically don’t travel in organized tour buses with air conditioning or easy access to water and food supplies.

https://visaindex.com/visa/saudi-arabia-visa/hajj-visa/:

Hajj visas are free of charge. However, there will certainly be other costs for accommodation and services during the trip to Saudi Arabia.

How much does a Hajj visa/permit cost, and is a Hajj permit the same as a Hajj visa?

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    The first link talks about Egyptian licenses and the second link is about Saudi visas. You do realize those are different countries, right?
    – littleadv
    Commented Jun 23 at 17:46
  • @littleadv both about Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:00
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    Your first link says "Egypt to revoke licenses from Hajj tourism companies over illegal pilgrimages". Presumably then, those dastardly companies are the ones charging 1000s for the trip.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:14
  • @WeatherVane link also says "licenses to legally access Mecca."
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:16
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    They seem to be selling "licenses" for illegal pilgrimages.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:18

1 Answer 1

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If you are a legal resident of Saudi Arabia, you get a permit to perform hajj, it is done through an app. It is free.

If you are not a resident of Saudi Arabia, you need to get a Hajj visa, which is also is a permit for hajj. It is just terminology. Short-term visa holders are not allowed to perform hajj. Again, it is free.

However, you have to be registered with a Hajj agency to perform Hajj (even for residents), they will provide you with accommodation, food, transportation, and other services. They will charge you for that, and the prices are also controlled to avoid overpricing.

Finally, "Hajj Mabroor", that's what people say to people who are about to perform Hajj.

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  • Thanks, this means that the "Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system" from the first link (cnn.com/2024/06/23/middleeast/…) is incorrect, right?
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:42
  • There are quotas of course, not sure how but I guess the population of the country has a big role in it, otherwise rich countries with less populations will fill up the space and the rest will have no luck.
    – Nean Der Thal
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:44
  • Wouldn't quotas allocated by Saudi Arabia to other countries be on visas instead of permits?
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:46
  • visas are permits..
    – Nean Der Thal
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:47
  • so Hajj permits are also for people other than legal residents of Saudi Arabia?
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Jun 23 at 18:48

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