Doha, September 21 (QNA) - The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, through its Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department, announced the official commencement of registration for the Hajj season of 1447 AH, running from Oct. 1 to 31, 2025, via Awqaf's online portal: hajj.gov.qa.

Speaking at a press conference, Director of Awqaf's Department of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, Ali bin Sultan Al Misifri, highlighted that this early registration was based on the successful experience of the past two seasons and the positive results they generated, which substantially enabled all Hajj campaigns to finalize their contracts in record time and provide top-notch services to the nation's pilgrims.

The Saudi Department of Hajj and Umrah has committed to applying an early timetable for this season's preparations, including the allocation of Hajj quotas to participating countries, the scheduling of contracts for accommodation, catering, and transportation, as well as the activation of the online registration platform and the designation of deadlines for submitting the names of accredited Hajj operators, as preparatory steps essential for securing the requisite official permits, Al Misifri noted.

He affirmed that Qatar's quota for this year's Hajj season stands at 4,400 pilgrims, emphasizing that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's eligibility requirements prioritize health capacity.

Pilgrims must be free of any ailments that could impede the proper performance of the rites, with full details of these requirements published on the official website, Al Misifri highlighted.

As for the registration conditions, he stressed that Qatari citizens must not be under 18 years old, while it is permissible to register up to three guides per pilgrim within the application form.

Al Misifri further explained that there are key conditions regarding Gulf citizens and residents in the State of Qatar, they must not be under 45 years old, must not have performed the Hajj pilgrimage before, and may register only one guide, provided they have resided in Qatar continuously for no less than 15 years.

Al Misifri further stressed that it is important for the names of those guides to be listed in the main application to avert potential hassles. He revealed new upgrades to online payment this year, offering those who wish to perform the pilgrimage the opportunity to easily pay the cost of Hajj in accordance with the prices determined by each operator and the level of amenities.

The ministry has prepared a primer video that demonstrates the key registration steps, the signing of contracts with Hajj operators, and the mechanism of payment via the website, as part of its commitment to streamlining procedures and clarifying them practically. This video will be published on Awqaf's accounts on social media platforms to promote public benefit, Al Misifri said.

Al Misifri further noted that 27 licensed and accredited Hajj operators will facilitate this season's pilgrimage. He urged prospective registrants to contact the Department of Hajj and Umrah Affairs directly for inquiries or to submit complaints via the hotline (132).

The electronic sorting phase will commence immediately after the registration period concludes on Oct. 31, with approvals for successful applicants slated for mid-November.

This will allow accredited operators to complete their preparations promptly and ensure the provision of top-notch services to Qatar's pilgrims, he pointed out.

Al Misifri averred that through these early arrangements, the ministry aims to enable the nation's pilgrims to perform all the religious rites in a spiritual and streamlined atmosphere, with top-tier amenities in place as the epitome of Awqaf's mission in serving pilgrims and reinforcing collaboration with the competent Saudi authorities in pursuit of accomplishing the intended goals of this season.

Representative of the Ministry of Public Health at the Qatari Hajj Mission, Dr. Abdulsalam Ali Al Qahtani, laid out the health eligibility requirements for this season's Hajj, which are the same conditions applied by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

Al Qahtani added that these requirements are published in detail on the online portal of Awqaf's Department of Hajj and Umrah Affairs. (QNA)