Maldivian Hajj Pilgrims to Receive Extra USD 1,750 Debit Card Allowance
Maldivian citizens travelling to Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage this year will be granted an additional USD 1,750 allowance on their Bank of Maldives (BML) debit cards, as announced by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
މިއަހަރު ޙައްޖަށް ވަޑައިގަންނަވާ ފަރާތްތަކަށް ބޭންކްގެ ރަސްމީ ރޭޓުގައި ޑޮލަރު ހޯދުމުގައި ލުއި ފަސޭހަ ޙައްލެއް ހަމަޖައްސައިދިނުމުގެ ގޮތުން، ކޮންމެ ޙައްޖު ވެރިއެއްގެ ބޭންކް އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް ޑެބިޓް ކާޑަށް، މިހާރު އޮންނަ ޑޮލަރުގެ ލިމިޓުގެ އިތުރުން 1750 އެމެރިކާ ޑޮލަރުގެ ލިމިޓެއް…
— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) May 12, 2025advertisement
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In a post shared on social media yesterday, President Muizzu stated that he had instructed BML to provide this allowance in order to ease difficulties faced by pilgrims in accessing US dollars at the official bank rate. He also extended his gratitude to the national bank for facilitating the arrangement.
Following the announcement, BML confirmed that each hajj pilgrim will receive the extra allowance on top of the existing monthly foreign transaction limit of USD 250 on BML debit cards. This brings the total transaction capacity for hajj pilgrims to USD 2,000.
In addition, pilgrims will still be eligible for the standard USD 500 in cash available for sale to outbound Maldivians at the bank rate.
According to BML, the increased debit card limit will be applied once the Maldives Hajj Corporation shares the list of pilgrims with the bank. Customers will be notified via SMS when their limits are updated.
The bank had introduced a similar measure earlier this year, granting an additional USD 1,500 allowance for umrah pilgrims during Ramadan and the early days of Shawwal. BML reported that around 1,300 umrah pilgrims utilised the extra allowance to make nearly 9,000 transactions totalling over USD 1 million. This year, the Maldives received a quota of 1,000 hajj pilgrims.
