Hajj from Qatar: registration, eligibility and licensed campaigns

Hajj is the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim who is able is asked to make. From Qatar, it is organised by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), whose Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department runs a single online system at hajj.gov.qa: you register, places are allocated electronically within Qatar's quota (4,400 pilgrims for 1448 AH / 2027), and accepted applicants then contract and pay a licensed Hajj campaign (a licensed tour operator, called a 'hamla') through the same portal. Qatari citizens can apply from age 18, but residents and GCC nationals face strict conditions: at least 45 years old, at least 15 years of continuous residence in Qatar, and no previous Hajj. Registration for Hajj 2027 ran from 20 September to 20 October 2026, with results by SMS from the end of October. This guide walks through the whole sequence, from the medical fitness certificate to your leave request, so you can plan calmly and avoid losing a hard-won place.

Before you start

• Your valid Qatar ID (QID) and passport, with the passport valid well beyond the Hajj dates (check what your campaign requires)
• Proof that you meet the resident conditions: your residence history in Qatar should show at least 15 continuous years
• The QID and passport details of your companion (one for residents, up to three for citizens), because companions must be added on the main application from the start
• A medical fitness certificate ('medically fit') from a PHCC health centre, which is linked electronically to the Hajj system
• The mobile number registered in the system, which must be active because acceptance comes by SMS
• A way to pay online (bank card) and at least QAR 10,000 available for the advance within a week of acceptance
• A rough budget: campaign owners quoted roughly QAR 30,000 to 100,000 per person for 1448 AH, depending on the package
• Your employment contract or HR policy on Hajj leave, so you can request time off early

Step by step

1. Check you meet the eligibility rules

   Read the conditions on hajj.gov.qa before you do anything else, because an ineligible application will simply be screened out. Qatari citizens must be at least 18 and can add up to three companions. Residents and GCC citizens must be at least 45, must never have performed Hajj, and must have lived in Qatar continuously for at least 15 years; they can add only one companion. The conditions have been the same for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but Awqaf can change them each year, so always check the current season's rules. If you are unsure whether a gap in your residence breaks the 'continuous' condition, call the Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department on 132 before registering.

2. Get your medical fitness certificate

   Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah now requires every pilgrim to be certified 'medically fit', and Awqaf calls this the first and essential step. In Qatar, PHCC (Primary Health Care Corporation) issues the certificate at any of its health centres, and the result goes straight into the system used by the Hajj department, so you do not have to upload a paper. For 1448 AH, PHCC says the certificate is free with a valid health card, with no appointment needed; people with an expired health card or residence permit pay a small fee (QAR 30 last season). Pilgrims with serious conditions, such as organ failure, dementia, cancer under active treatment, active infectious disease or a high-risk or late pregnancy, are not considered fit. Go early in the registration window so your result is in the system in time.

   Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →

3. Decide on your companion before you apply

   Companions (including a mahram, the male relative who accompanies a woman) must be added to the main application at the time of registration. Awqaf has warned that adding them later causes problems, and in 2026 some women who applied on their own without adding a companion had their applications cancelled. If a husband and wife or other relatives have each filed separately, call 132 to ask about merging them before results are issued. Residents can add only one companion, so agree within the family who travels together. Ask the department whether your companion must meet the same age and residence conditions as you, because this is not clearly stated in public announcements.

4. Register on hajj.gov.qa during the window

   Registration is online only, through the official Awqaf Hajj portal at hajj.gov.qa; there is no paper form and no registration through campaigns. For Hajj 2027 the window opened at midnight on 20 September 2026 and closed on 20 October 2026, so for later seasons expect a similar autumn window and watch for Awqaf announcements around August and September. Enter your details carefully and check your age, residence details and phone number before you submit. Awqaf has published video guides on its social media channels showing how to register, choose a campaign, sign the contract and pay. If the system shows a wrong age or residence detail, or will not let you add a companion, contact 132 rather than submitting a second application.

5. Wait for the electronic draw and the SMS

   After registration closes, applications are screened and places are allocated electronically by draw, which Awqaf describes as a way to ensure transparency and equal opportunity. Demand is far higher than supply: over 12,000 people were expected to apply for 4,400 places in 2027, and residents compete for a limited share. Acceptance messages are sent by SMS to the mobile number in the system, starting at the end of October. Keep your phone active and check your messages daily, because the next deadline is short. If you are not selected, there is no fee to pay, and you can apply again in the next season.

6. Choose a licensed Hajj campaign

   Only campaigns licensed and approved by Awqaf for the season are listed on hajj.gov.qa, and you must book one of them; 27 campaigns were approved for the 2026 season. Packages differ in hotel distance from the Haram (the Grand Mosque), room sharing, meals, transport, the standard of the Mina and Arafat camps, and flights. Single rooms cost more, and sharing brings the price per person down. Ask each campaign exactly what is included, how many people share a room, where the camps are, and whether it accepts payment in instalments. Never pay an unlisted operator or a 'visit visa Hajj' offer, because Hajj without an official permit is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

7. Sign the contract and pay the advance within one week

   Once you are accepted, you have one week to sign the electronic contract with your chosen campaign and pay an advance of QAR 10,000 through the portal. This advance is not a fee: it is deducted from the total price of your package. If you do not pay, or pay late, your approval is cancelled automatically and the place goes to another applicant. After payment, the department submits pilgrims' names through the Saudi electronic system, and your campaign arranges the Hajj visa and permit with you. Keep a copy of the contract and every payment receipt.

8. Pay the balance and follow your campaign

   The remaining cost is paid to your campaign according to the contract; some campaigns allow two or three instalments. For 1448 AH, campaign owners told Al Raya that prices were expected to range from about QAR 30,000 to around QAR 100,000 per person, roughly the same as the year before, with some hotel costs up about 15%. Your campaign will tell you what documents it needs, such as passport copies and photos, and when. It will also hold briefings on the rites, luggage rules and the travel schedule. Attend them, especially if this is your first time.

9. Get your Hajj vaccinations

   The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) announces the vaccine requirements each season, usually a few weeks before Hajj. For Hajj 2026, the meningococcal ACYW vaccine was mandatory for all pilgrims, including children, and had to be given at least 10 days before travel. COVID-19 vaccination was mandatory for higher-risk groups (for example over 65s, pregnant women and people with certain chronic illnesses), while flu, RSV (for over 60s) and pneumococcal vaccines were recommended for some groups. Vaccines are available at PHCC health centres. Check the MOPH announcement for 2027 and book early so you are protected in time.

   Read guide: Child vaccinations in Qatar: schedule, clinics and school certificates →

10. Arrange your leave from work

    Under Qatar's Labour Law, a Muslim employee is entitled to unpaid leave to perform Hajj once during their service with an employer. The exact length and whether it is paid often depend on your contract or company policy, and many people combine Hajj leave with annual leave and the Eid al-Adha public holiday. Tell your employer as soon as you are accepted, because Hajj falls at the same time as Eid, when many colleagues want leave too. Domestic workers and government employees follow their own rules, so check with your sponsor or HR. Get the approval in writing before you pay the balance.

    Read guide: Annual leave, sick leave and leave salary in Qatar →

11. Plan around the Hajj 2027 dates

    Hajj takes place from 8 to 13 Dhul Hijjah. On astronomical calendars the Day of Arafah in 1448 AH is expected around 15 May 2027, with Eid al-Adha around 16 May, but the exact dates depend on the moon sighting in Saudi Arabia. Campaigns usually travel some days before the rites and return after the days of Tashreeq, so your trip may last around two weeks; ask your campaign for its schedule. From the start of Dhul Qa'dah, Saudi Arabia restricts entry to Makkah for people without a Hajj permit, and Umrah permits are paused for several weeks, so plan any Umrah trip outside that period. Keep your QID valid for your return to Qatar.

    Read guide: Saudi visa for Qatar residents: tourist e-visa, Umrah and driving across →

12. Know who to contact if something goes wrong

    The Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department at Awqaf handles enquiries, application corrections, complaints about campaigns and feedback, through hotline 132 during working hours (7:30 am to 1 pm according to Al Raya). Call early if your age or residence details are wrong, if you cannot add a companion, or if a campaign does not honour its contract. During Hajj, the Qatar Hajj Mission provides services to pilgrims from Qatar at the holy sites. Do not rely on unofficial social media groups or agents who promise guaranteed places; selection is only through the official draw.

What it costs

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

• Applying as a resident without checking the three conditions (age 45+, 15 years' continuous residence, no previous Hajj), so the application is screened out
• Filing separate applications for a wife and her husband or mahram instead of adding the companion on the main application from the start
• Leaving the medical fitness certificate until the end of the registration window, or ignoring a health condition that makes you unfit
• Missing the one-week deadline after the acceptance SMS, which automatically cancels your place
• Paying an unlicensed operator or a 'Hajj on a visit visa' offer; Saudi Arabia fines people performing Hajj without a permit up to SAR 20,000 and deports and bans residents caught doing so
• Booking non-refundable leave or flights before you are accepted and have signed with a campaign
• Changing your mobile number without updating it, and missing the acceptance SMS

Questions people ask

Official sources

• QNA: Hajj registration opens 20 Sept for one month (eligibility and quota, Sept 2026) ↗
• Qatar Tribune: Over 12,000 expected to apply for Hajj 2027 (Oct 2026) ↗
• QNA: Free Hajj medical fitness certificate at all PHCC centres (Aug 2026) ↗
• Qatar Tribune: MOPH announces Hajj vaccination requirements (Apr 2026) ↗
• Al Raya: Hajj package prices QAR 30,000 to 100,000 (Arabic, Sept 2026) ↗
• Gulf Business: Saudi penalties for Hajj without a permit (2026) ↗

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

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