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Expired passports allowed for initial Hajj registration

Published : Friday, 18 September, 2026 at 6:50 PM

Observer Online Report

Collected Photo

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has relaxed the passport validity requirement for the initial registration of pilgrims for Hajj 2027, allowing intending pilgrims to complete the initial registration even with expired passports.

The ministry issued a notification in this regard on Thursday (September 18), saying the relaxation was introduced to facilitate the initial registration process ahead of the September 24 deadline.

However, pilgrims or Hajj agencies registering with expired passports must submit a valid passport with the required validity to the e-Hajj system and update the relevant information before a Pilgrim ID is assigned and the visa process begins.

According to the ministry, the passport submitted for the final process must remain valid until December 31 next year.

Failure to update the e-Hajj system with a passport meeting the prescribed validity requirement will result in the pilgrim not being issued a visa, the notification said.

Hajj is expected to be held in Saudi Arabia on May 15 next year, subject to moon sighting. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has said that 78,500 Bangladeshis will be able to perform Hajj in 2027.

The initial registration process is scheduled to close on September 24, and the ministry has indicated that there will be no scope to extend the deadline further.

As of Friday afternoon, a total of 16,281 people had completed initial registration. Of them, 2,311 registered under the government arrangement, while 13,970 registered through private arrangements.

The passport relaxation is aimed at making the initial registration process easier, while the requirement for a valid passport before the visa stage remains unchanged.

-AAH