The Ministry of Religious Affairs, Zakat and Ushr has started registration of tour operators and group organisers for Haj-2005.
Those registered are required to follow Saudi instructions issued by the Saudi government for Haj-2005 before June 12, official sources told APP here on Wednesday.
"We have received instructions from the Saudi government for tour operators and group organisers for the forthcoming Haj," the sources added.
Giving details of the instructions, sources said the organiser must be licensed to operate in travel and tourism business by the concerned authorities as well as the ministry of exterior/foreign affairs in the country in which it operates.
Such licences must be endorsed by the embassy or the consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia located in the country in which the organiser is licensed.
The organiser must have the necessary financial resources and the ability to comply with all requirements, including the ability to pay the required deposits and make the necessary upfront payments on the services as described in these regulations.
The organiser must have the required technical capabilities to connect the electronic network of the ministry of Haj in order to electronically submit the passport details of its pilgrims prior to submitting such information to the embassies or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the country in which it operates.
The organiser must also have the ability to pay the associated fees. The organiser may not enter into agreements, or sign any contracts, with other Tawwafa establishment besides the concerned Tawwafa establishment serving the country in which the organiser is licensed.
The sources informed that the minimum number of pilgrims for each organiser is 50 pilgrims and the maximum number is 600 pilgrims.
The ministry of Haj will consider requests for additional pilgrims above 600 as long as it does not exceed the officially allotted number of pilgrims for each country.
The organisers with more than 200 pilgrims must assign one person for every 100 pilgrims for the purposes of field supervision of pilgrims and ensuring the provision of required services.
The visas for such supervisors count towards the maximum number of pilgrims allowable for each organiser and no additional visas will be issued.
The organisers with more than 200 pilgrims must, at the time of submitting pilgrims passports to the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to obtain visas, submit the written contract/agreement with the air carrier that will be transporting pilgrims on a roundtrip basis, or present a confirmation letter issued by the air carrier indicating confirmed roundtrip reservations and complete prepayment.
The certification of accommodation agreement(s) from its branches in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah will be obtained from ministry of Haj.
No changes to the accommodation location(s) are allowed except with the prior written approval of the ministry of Haj.
According to sources, accommodation agreements that are signed with hotels must be certified by the ministry of commerce and industry's branches in Makkah A1-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah.
The accommodation agreements in Madinah Al-Munawwarah must terminate not later than the 5th of Zul Hijja. For pilgrims returning from Madinah Al-Munawwarah to Makkah Al-Mukarramah, their accommodation agreements in Makkah Al-Mukarramah must begin on the 5th of Zul Hijja and last until their departure after the Haj season.
The pilgrims may not be transported directly from Madinah Al-Munawwarah to the holy sites (Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah) on or after the fifth of Zul Hijja.
Travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia prior to the Haj is mandatory in order to fulfil the requirements as an organiser.
The last day to apply for visas from the embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the 15th of Ramazan of every year.