President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that everyone on the Hajj Corporation's waiting list will be able to perform Hajj this year.

In a post on X on Sunday night, the President highlighted that this marks the first time in years that all waitlisted pilgrims will be accommodated within their expected year of travel.

The announcement follows the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ decision last year to centralise Hajj arrangements, making the Hajj Corporation the sole entity responsible for organising pilgrimages and discontinuing quota allocations to private companies. The change aims to resolve frustrations from those who previously paid the Hajj Corporation but were unable to travel due to the fragmented quota system across multiple providers.

The President amended the Hajj policy on January 5, 2025, replacing the "pay first, go first" system with a framework prioritising first-time pilgrims. The revised guidelines, published on March 18, 2025, allocate a portion of the annual Hajj quota to individuals over 65 who have not yet performed Hajj.

For those aged 75 and above, an assistant may be arranged based on health conditions, with preference given to family members who have not performed Hajj. If no eligible family member is available, an assistant who has previously performed Hajj may be assigned, provided no first-time pilgrims are available to accompany them. Additionally, individuals who have previously performed Hajj will be eligible for another pilgrimage only after five Hijri years.

According to the Hajj Corporation, 9,115 people are currently in the queue, including 7,543 under 65, 1,461 between 65 and 75, and 111 over 75. Among them, 8,623 are first-time applicants, comprising 7,150 under 65, 1,370 between 65 and 75, and 103 over 75.