Saudi Arabia reverses Hajj age limit policy for children

ISLAMABAD/RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has reversed a recently announced restriction on younger pilgrims and restored its previous Hajj age policy, allowing children aged 12 and above to perform the pilgrimage, officials and Pakistani authorities said on Saturday.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah issued revised instructions rolling back an earlier decision that had barred children under 15 from participating in the annual pilgrimage, according to official communications circulated to partner countries.

Under the updated guidance, visas previously cancelled for underage pilgrims will be reprocessed, while affected applications will be reconsidered under the restored policy, officials said.

Pakistan’s Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and the Directorate General of Hajj Pakistan confirmed receiving the revised instructions and said the earlier age restriction has been withdrawn.

The earlier policy had barred all pilgrims under 15 years of age from performing Hajj, with authorities saying it would take effect from May 3, 2026.

Under that decision, only those aged 15 and above would have been eligible to travel, and already-issued visas for younger pilgrims were declared void.

However, the reversal now restores the previous framework, under which children aged 12 and above may again accompany pilgrims, officials said.

Saudi authorities have also directed that previously rejected applications linked to the age restriction be reprocessed, and instructed Hajj operators to update travel arrangements accordingly.

The pilgrimage authorities did not immediately issue a public statement explaining the reversal.

Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, attracts millions of Muslims annually to Mecca, with participation governed by strict quota systems and bilateral arrangements between Saudi Arabia and Muslim-majority countries.

The sudden policy shift had triggered confusion among pilgrimage organisers and families in several countries, including Pakistan, where officials had begun cancelling visas and updating travel lists following the earlier directive.

Officials said the latest reversal is expected to ease concerns among thousands of families preparing for next year’s pilgrimage season, though administrative adjustments will be required to restore previously affected bookings.