Algerian-Saudi Negotiations To Raise Algeria’s Quota To 41,000 Pilgrims

The deadlines for registration for the Hajj lottery 2020-2021 seasons will end on Saturday, amid great hopes for raising Algeria’s share this year to 41,000 pilgrims after it did not exceed 36,000 for decades, despite the high number of residents in Algeria, where a preparatory delegation moved a few days ago to Riyadh to negotiate the files of hajj quota and prices for this year.

Interior Ministry confirmed that the deadline for registration in the lottery for the Hajj seasons 2020-2021 will start today at the level of the municipal headquarters or by registering through the electronic portal of the Ministry, highlighting in its statement that this formula “falls within the endeavours of public authorities that aimed at giving a greater opportunity for citizens who are wishing to perform the Hajj, and ensuring a good organization of the process and providing the best services for the pilgrims.”

According to the same statement, the lottery process will be launched on Saturday, January 25th, to choose 36,000 Algerians to be part of this quota, which Algeria is still negotiating to raise it to 41,000, especially since the number of residents has risen and the Saudi authorities had previously refused to review the quota, without providing justifications, and it just expressed its willingness to cooperate and assist Algeria in conducting its mission, especially in regions that are overcrowded, similar to Mina holy site.

This comes at a time when the National Bureau of Hajj and Umrah begins negotiations regarding the cost of the Hajj, as a preparatory delegation moved to Riyadh a few days ago to contract various services that Algerian pilgrims will benefit from during this season, and the cost is determined accordingly.

Registration for the Hajj 2020-2021 seasons requires that the registrar must be of an Algerian nationality with a non-expired biometric passport and no pilgrimage during the previous seven (07) years, in addition to reaching the age of nineteen (19) on the day of registration, and it is required to fill in a personal information form which is granted to the citizen, whether through the Internet or the municipality.

Conditions include compulsory Mahram for women under 45, while a woman who is more than 45 can register with her legal Mahram or alone, and a woman who wants to register with her Maharam is required to register together through the same application, whether through the website of the Interior Ministry or via the intranet ministerial network “Intranet” at the municipality headquarters.

The woman’s legal mahram should register first, and then she will register after him because the Muhram’s registration number is entered to show his name and surname, then the data and registration will be confirmed, and if she is registered alone without a Mahram, she will win alone only.