Guidelines for Hajj

1. Qurrah or digital random selection date: 13 August 2025

1. Advance payment date for selected candidates: The first installment of Rs.1,52,300 was due by 20 August 2025, with a subsequent second installment of Rs.1,25,000 due by 13 October 2025.

1. Release of first waiting list and payment deadline: 29 September 2025

1. Deadline for Hajj booking through private tour operators: Earlier the deadline was set for 15 January 2026 but now the deadline has been officially extended to 25 January 2026 to accommodate more pilgrims.

1. Arrival window for Hajj 2026: The arrival window for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia begins on 18 April 2026 and concludes on 21 May 2026.

1. Departure window for Hajj 2026: The return flight phase from Saudi Arabia to India is scheduled to run from 30 May 2026 to 30 June 2026.

Eligibility Criteria to attend Hajj 2026

The eligibility criteria to attend Hajj 2026 are as follows: 

1. You can perform Hajj only once in your lifetime through HCol. However, this condition has an exception if you are a Mehram (male guardian) or a companion of a pilgrim aged 65+. They can repeat Hajj if they go with a first-time visitor who has no other eligible relative to travel with.

1. You must be physically fit for Hajj. A medical fitness certificate from a Government Allopathic Medical Officer is required after selection, and a two-stage medical screening process is now mandatory, and it will take place first at the time of applicant and again at the embarkation point.

1. You must hold a machine-readable Indian passport, valid at least until 31 December 2026. 

1. You are not eligible to travel if you are an applicant with serious medical conditions such as kidney failure requiring dialysis, heart failure, chronic lung disease, advanced liver cirrhosis, or dementia. Furthermore, pregnant women in their last three months of pregnancy or those with high-risk pregnancies at any stage are restricted, as are children under 12 years of age and individuals restricted by court from traveling.
2. If you are a women pilgrim, you must be accompanied by a male guardian, unless traveling under the Lady Without Mehram (LWM) category. The LWM category now allows women with age of 45 years or above to travel in groups of four or more. However, if an LWM pilgrim is aged 65 or above, she must be accompanied by a female companion aged 45 to 60 years.

1. You should be capable of bearing the cost of pilgrimage, including advance payments, travel expenses, accommodation, and other logistics.  

1. If you are a pilgrim above 65 years of age, you are required to travel with a companion for safety and support. The companion should ideally be aged between 18 to 60 years of age, but a special relaxation allows a spouse or sibling aged between 60 and 65 to act as a companion, provided they are certified as medically fit.

Documents Required to Apply Hajj 2026

You need to submit the following documents to apply for Hajj 2026: 

1. A machine-readable passport with validity at least up to 31 December 2026

1. Multiple copies of passport-sized photographs as per the specified requirements. 

1. Address proof like Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, or utility bills (Electricity/ Telephone/ Water) from the last three months.

1. Medical certificate confirming your fitness for the travel from a registered government medical doctor, ensuring you are free from major organ failure or severe chronic diseases.

1. Proof of mandatory vaccinations, specifically the Quadrivalent Meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine and the Covid-19 vaccination.

1. Bank account details, cancelled cheques, passbook, etc. 

1. Cover number generated after successful application and selection through Qurrah. 

1. Declaration confirming that the applicant has not performed Hajj earlier (except for those applying as a Mehram or companion for an elderly pilgrim over 65).

1. Mehram documents in case of elderly or lady pilgrims. 

Note: Applicants must also be prepared to provide biometric verification (fingerprints and photo) as part of the digital visa process.

How to Apply for Hajj 2026

Follow the steps given below to apply for Hajj 2026: 

Step 1: You need to check if you fulfill the eligibility criteria required to perform Hajj 2026, which includes ensuring you have not performed Hajj through the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) previously, as the current policy generally doesn’t allow participation more than once in a lifetime per individual.

Step 2: Ensure that you are physically fit and financially capable of performing Hajj and that you also possess a machine-readable Indian International Passport that remains valid at least until 31 December 2026.

Step 3: You will have to submit an online application through anyone of the official portals: Haj Committee of India website or Haj Suvidha Mobile App during the official application window, which for the 2026 cycle originally concluded in August 2025 for primary applicants.

Step 4: Fill in all the required details on the application form and make sure to accurately provide your bank account details and choose from the seventeen available embarkation points across India.

Step 5: Wait for ‘Qurrah’ or lottery announcements. If selected, you will be informed through SMS notification. The list will also be available on the official website.

Step 6: A cover number will be generated for you upon selection, save that number as it is essential for all future correspondence and for tracking the status of your specific group or “cover” throughout the process.

Step 7: Pay the first installment of the fees within the given deadline, which for the Hajj 2026 cycle was set at Rs.1,52,300 for provisionally selected pilgrims to secure their place.

Step 8: Submit all the required documents including a mandatory Medical Screening and Fitness Certificate signed by a Government Allopathic Doctor to confirm that you do not have any prohibited health conditions.

Step 9: Pay the balance amount and receive all the details related to travel. For candidates selected from the latest waiting lists, the total of the first and second installments was Rs.2,77,300 as of early 2026.