Hajj 2023: Saudi Arabia recently announced that women between 18 to 65 can now perform the Umrah pilgrimage without a male guardian or “mahram,” as long as they are part of a group.
This decision also applies to the Hajj 2023 pilgrimage, and women must have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and be free of any illnesses in order to use it.
Saudi citizens and residents inside the Kingdom who have not performed Hajj in the past five years are eligible to register for this year’s Hajj.
The new policy is part of the social reforms initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who aims to modernize the country’s economy, which relies heavily on oil.
The decision to allow women to travel without a male guardian and drive are among the many reforms that have been implemented since he became the crown prince.