Saudi Arabia has rescinded the 15-year minimum age restriction for Hajj pilgrims, reinstating the earlier policy which permits children aged 12 and older to undertake the pilgrimage, the Pakistan Airports Authority announced on Saturday. This reversal cancels the recently introduced regulation that was set to take effect on May 3.
The Airports Authority confirmed that Hajj visa applications that were previously denied due to the 15-year age limit will now be reconsidered and processed in light of the updated directive. Similarly, the Directorate General of Hajj verified that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has officially revoked the age restriction.
Previously, Saudi officials had prohibited pilgrims younger than 15 from entering the Kingdom for Hajj 2026, leading to the cancellation of visas issued to under-15 pilgrims. Earlier statements from the Ministry of Religious Affairs had indicated that no flights departing for Saudi Arabia would be allowed to carry pilgrims under 15 years old as of May 27, 2026, corresponding to the 9th of Zulhijjah 1447, the Day of Arafat.
Along with the policy change, the Saudi government had assured a full refund of deposits to pilgrims affected by the age restriction. Notably, Hajj flight operations from Pakistan commenced on April 18, with the initial group of 160 pilgrims departing from Karachi via a private airline.
the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, approximately 119,000 Pakistani pilgrims will travel to Madinah and Makkah under the official Hajj scheme. Of these, 67,230 male pilgrims will participate through the government program, while 51,846 female pilgrims will journey to the holy cities under the same scheme.
