Online biometric mandatory for Hajj pilgrims this year

• Online fingerprints biometric is mandatory for pilgrims
• Religious ministry was briefed on ‘Saudi Visa Bio-Application’
• The biometric facility would also be available free of charge

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has been informed that online fingerprints biometric would be mandatory for Hajj pilgrims this year as well.

The ministry held an important meeting on the use of ‘Saudi Visa Bio-Application’ in which it was briefed that the online fingerprints biometric would be mandatory for pilgrims.

Officials of Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of Etimad Office gave presentations and informed that the pilgrims could use this application through their smart cellular phones in three easy steps including taking selfies, scanning passports, and fingerprints with the help of mobile camera.

The fingerprints biometric facility would also be available free of charge from the Etimad Offices across the country, they added.

The religious affairs ministry’s spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt said the instructions for using this mobile application would be available on the ministry’s website and social media.

He further said the hand or finger handicapped persons had to upload computerized medical certificate of the authorized doctor. He said the biometric mobile application had been further simplified.

The meeting was presided over the joint secretary Hajj and attended by the Hajj Wing officers besides representatives of private Hajj operators.

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