Breaking: Saudi Arabia reveals final decision on 2021 Hajj, bars foreigners

Only people from within the kingdom and aged between 18 and 65 who have been vaccinated will be able to take part, the state-run Saudi Press Agency said.

Saudi Arabia also said this year’s hajj pilgrimage will be limited to no more than 60,000 people, all of them from within the kingdom, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The kingdom made the announcement Saturday on its state-run Saudi Press Agency. It cited the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for making the decision.

Only people aged between 18 and 65 who have been vaccinated will be able to take part, the ministry that manages the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca said in a statement carried by SPA.

In last year’s hajj, as few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the hajj. Two-thirds were foreign residents from among the 160 different nationalities that would have normally been represented at the hajj. One-third were Saudi security personnel and medical staff.

The hajj begins mid-July.