Saudi Arabia has withdrawn its recently imposed minimum age limit of 15 for Hajj pilgrims, restoring the previous policy that permits children aged 12 and above to perform the pilgrimage.
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According to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), the decision reverses a directive that was set to take effect on May 3, 2026. Under the earlier rule, all pilgrims under 15 were barred from traveling, and visas issued to them were cancelled.
Authorities confirmed that visas previously rejected under the restriction will now be reprocessed following the latest announcement. The Directorate General of Hajj also verified the policy change, citing confirmation from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The earlier restriction had caused concern among affected families, though Saudi authorities had assured full refunds for cancelled applications.
Hajj flight operations from Pakistan began on April 18, with the first batch of pilgrims departing from Karachi. Under the government scheme, approximately 119,000 Pakistani pilgrims are expected to travel to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah this year.
