The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has restated that February 8, 2026, is the deadline for submitting pilgrims’ data and forming groups on the Nusuk Masar registration platform, which is essential for Hajj visa issuance.
The ministry, which made the announcement during a virtual meeting on Tuesday but released on X on Thursday, also confirmed that March 20, 2026 is the final date for visa processing.
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The Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Abdallah Awad Alshehri, who anchored the session titled Official Schedule of Operations, said it was the mandatory requirements that must be met before any pilgrims’ grouping would be considered valid for visa processing.
Alshehri said the registration “must be completed before any pilgrims’ grouping would be considered satisfactory for processing of the Hajj visa,” adding that compliance with the Nusuk Masar platform requirements is critical for timely visa issuance.
Before the visa can be issued, there has to be “payment of consolidated guarantees for all pilgrims, the identification, processing, and payment of Hadaya contracts” for pilgrims requiring sacrificial animals, and the proper categorisation of pilgrims under the Hajj rites.
Alshehri said “all pilgrims who choose to perform Hajj under the categories known as Tumattu’I and Qiran must be indicated and subsequently payment for their sacrificial animals (under the rite known as Hadaya) must be done through the Nusuk Masar except those who choose the option of fasting instead of sacrifice.”
Part of the requirement was that countries must ensure that pilgrims performing Hajj under the three categories—Ifrad, Tumattu’I, and Qiran—are clearly identified, while those opting for fasting instead of Hadaya are properly registered on the platform.
Another crucial requirement is the conclusion of a medical service contract on Nusuk Masar, just as Alshehri said “this contract is to be signed with an accredited medical service provider domiciled in Saudi Arabia.”
Also, a “newly mandated backup accommodation contract” in Makkah must be booked for “1% of every country’s pilgrims’ quota.”
For instance, a country with 40,000 pilgrims would need to secure extra hotel space for roughly 400 individuals as a contingency.
Alshehri said “this accommodation must be booked on the Nusuk Masar before visa issuance would be possible.”
The ministry warned that all pilgrims and officials who have not had their passports captured on the platform risk missing Hajj 2026 if the February 8 deadline is not met.
