ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has withdrawn the under-15 age restriction imposed on Haj pilgrims, restoring the previous policy that allows children aged 12 and above to travel for Haj, the spokesman of the Ministry of Haj and Religious Affairs said on Saturday.
The spokesman stated that the Saudi government reversed the recently announced policy, which was due to come into force on May 3. A senior official of the ministry, in a letter addressed to the Director Haj of Pakistan Mission in Saudi Arabia, confirmed that the Saudi government had reversed its decision regarding the under-15 restriction for Haj. “The previous policy allowing children above 12 years is now back,” the letter stated. However, visas rejected under the 15-year age restriction will need to be reprocessed.
Earlier, the Saudi government had restrained the entry of pilgrims under 15 years of age into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and instructed that no flight departing from any country to Saudi Arabia would be permitted to carry any pilgrims under 15 on May 27 (corresponding to Zulhijjah 9, 1447). It was also assured that all affected pilgrims would receive a full refund of the deposited amount.
