The Private Hajj Scheme 2027 is facing new challenges due to Saudi Arabia’s revised timeline and quota policy. Hajj organizers have expressed concerns as the deadline for transferring payments is approaching, while several issues related to quotas and clusters remain unresolved.
According to sources, Saudi authorities have set August 14, 2026, as the deadline for completing the transfer of funds. However, private Hajj companies believe that meeting this deadline may become difficult due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the scheme.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has allocated 40 percent of the total Hajj quota for the private scheme. However, Hajj organizers have raised concerns over the requirement of allocating 2,000 pilgrims to each cluster, saying the condition may create difficulties for several operators.
Furthermore, sources revealed that authorities have initially proposed allocating a quota of 50,000 pilgrims among 25 clusters. Meanwhile, officials have invited fresh applications for the remaining 20,000 pilgrims’ quota until August 10. Applicants for this quota must also meet the requirement of having Rs. 300 million in paid-up capital.
Hajj organizers claim that the new policy is affecting several companies that have been part of Hajj operations for the past two decades. They stated that some experienced operators have been removed from clusters, while many clusters have yet to finalize their partnership structures and receive approval for their directors.
Moreover, organizers have raised concerns that some private Hajj operators transferred funds to Saudi Arabia according to their 2025 quotas last year, but the proposed quota for 2027 may be lower than the previous allocation. They believe this situation could increase financial pressure on companies.
However, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has not yet issued a detailed official response regarding these concerns. Authorities are expected to release further details about the quota distribution, cluster arrangements, and payment transfer process in the coming days.
