Over 9,000 Maldivians Await Hajj Slots, Says Hajj Corporation

Managing Director of the Hajj Corporation, Mohamed Shakeel, has disclosed that more than 9,000 individuals are currently on the waiting list for Hajj pilgrimage slots in the Maldives.

Speaking to Mihaaru News, Shakeel revealed that a total of 9,115 people have made payments and are awaiting their turn to perform the pilgrimage. This includes 8,623 first-time applicants and 492 who have previously undertaken the sacred journey.

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The majority of those registered—7,150—are first-time applicants under the age of 65. Within this age group, 393 individuals who have already performed Hajj have also joined the queue.

The second-largest group on the list comprises those aged between 65 and 75, with 1,370 names recorded. Of these, 91 are repeat pilgrims. Meanwhile, among those over the age of 75, 103 new applicants and 8 repeat pilgrims have been added to the waitlist.

In 2022, the government consolidated the allocation of all Hajj quotas under the Hajj Corporation. On Tuesday, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu approved changes to the policy, aiming to reduce the waitlist period. The revised approach prioritises first-time pilgrims to facilitate their access to the pilgrimage.

The Maldives currently receives 1,000 Hajj slots annually. However, the government has announced ongoing efforts to secure an increase in this allocation.