Saudi Arabia has set February 8 as the deadline for biometric verification for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims. Authorities warned that Hajj visas will not be issued without completing the process. The Ministry of Religious Affairs shared the update on Saturday.
Pilgrims must complete fingerprint verification using the Saudi Visa Bio mobile application. Officials said the app allows verification from home, reducing crowds and delays. Pilgrims were advised to keep their confirmation email safe after completion.
Read more: Hajj pilgrims told to complete biometrics by February 8
To support applicants, Tasheer centres will remain open from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Pilgrims aged over 80 years have been exempted from biometric verification. The ministry urged timely compliance to avoid last-minute issues.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will begin issuing Hajj visas globally from February 8. The early launch follows an accelerated schedule under Vision 2030 to improve services and pilgrim comfort. So far, 750,000 pilgrims have registered worldwide.
Read more: Government sets Nov 15 deadline for hajj 2026 installment
In Pakistan, registration is complete for 119,000 government pilgrims and 60,000 private pilgrims. Federal Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said preparations match Saudi timelines. Training sessions are underway nationwide to ensure discipline and readiness.