The Ministry of Religious Affairs has decided to suspend a number of Hajj agencies from participating in Hajj operations in 2027 for failing to meet minimum pilgrim registration requirements.

According to two recent notifications issued by the ministry, agencies that registered fewer than 40 pilgrims annually over the last three consecutive years or failed to register any pilgrim for the 2026 Hajj season will be barred from conducting Hajj-related activities for one year.

The ministry said the move was taken to ensure better management and discipline in Hajj operations.

A total of 758 Hajj agencies were included in the list of eligible agencies for the 2026 Hajj season.

Under the conditions of the eligibility list, agencies were required to register pilgrims and could face administrative action if they failed to do so without valid reasons.

The ministry had also instructed each agency to register at least 46 pilgrims—the equivalent number required for one Hajj guide.

According to the Hajj Package and Guidelines-2026, every agency must register a minimum of 46 pilgrims.

Agencies meeting the requirement may coordinate with other agencies, while those failing to reach the threshold must arrange for their registered pilgrims to be transferred to another agency to ensure their participation in Hajj.

The ministry said agencies that registered fewer than 40 pilgrims in each of the Hajj seasons from 2024 to 2026 will be suspended from Hajj operations for the 2027 season.

In addition, agencies included in the 2026 eligible list that failed to register any pilgrim at all will also be ineligible to participate in Hajj activities next year, the ministry added.