The government will guarantee slots for next year’s Hajj pilgrimage to all registered Maldivian citizens aged 70 and above who have remained on the official waiting list for at least three years, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has announced.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed confirmed the policy decision on Monday, stating that the directive is intended to prioritize elderly citizens whose advanced age and prolonged wait times warrant immediate placement.
Prioritising elder pilgrims
Under the updated guidelines, applicants aged 70 and older who have maintained paid registrations with the Maldives Hajj Corporation for three years or longer will be assigned priority quotas without being subject to standard waitlist lotteries.
The decision addresses long-standing public concerns regarding elderly applicants who have endured extended delays while awaiting an opportunity to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam:
"Ensuring that our elder citizens can perform the holy pilgrimage while they retain the health and physical mobility to do so is a profound national and religious responsibility," Dr. Shaheem stated in an official announcement.
The ministry noted that priority slots will be allocated directly through the state-run Maldives Hajj Corporation, which manages the bulk of the country’s official pilgrim quota received annually from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Streamlining pilgrimage management
The policy follows broader structural reforms aimed at lowering the financial and logistical hurdles of the pilgrimage. Earlier this month, the government announced plans to operate direct charter flights from Gan International Airport in Addu to Jeddah during Ramadan to ease travel for southern atoll residents.
Islamic authorities confirmed that administrative verification of eligible applicants is underway. Families of qualifying pilgrims will be notified by the Hajj Corporation in the coming weeks to finalize health screenings and travel documentation well ahead of the 2027 pilgrimage season.
