Hajj travel uncertain if visa application not completed by Monday noon

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has urged all intending Hajj pilgrims to complete their visa applications by Monday (May 5) at 12 noon. It has been clearly stated that no visa applications will be accepted after this deadline.

This directive was issued in a letter sent to lead Hajj agencies.

According to the ministry, more than 10,000 pilgrims visas are still pending.

Based on a message from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Bangladesh informed that any visa applications not yet submitted through the Nusuk Masar Platform, including passport, biometric data, accommodation, and flight details, must be submitted by May 5 at 12pm. After that, the platform will be shut down.

The ministry further warned that if any Hajj agency fails to submit the applications on time, the pilgrims under their responsibility will not be able to perform Hajj, and the agency will be held accountable. Any negligence will be dealt with under the Hajj and Umrah Management Act 2021 and Hajj and Umrah Management Rules 2022.

For reference, the 2025 Hajj is expected to be held on June 5, subject to moon sighting. This year, 87,100 Bangladeshi pilgrims are scheduled to perform Hajj: 5,200 under government management and 81,900 under private management. Hajj flights started on April 29 and will continue until May 31.

According to the ministry’s latest Hajj bulletin, 22,203 pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia: 4,564 under government arrangements and 17,639 privately managed. Unfortunately, two Bangladeshi pilgrims have passed away so far.