How to check a Hajj or Umrah agent is genuine before you pay

Is your Hajj or Umrah agent genuine? The short answer

A few checks before you pay can protect your money and your journey.

For Hajj, check that the operator is an eligible Hajj Group Organiser (HGO) for the year you travel. For Umrah, check that the agent works with a Saudi Umrah company and can apply for your visa. For both, check the office, the company and how you pay.

What is an HGO for Hajj?

HGO stands for Hajj Group Organiser. It is a private company registered with the Ministry of Minority Affairs to take pilgrims for Hajj. HGOs were earlier called Private Tour Operators (PTOs).

Indians go for Hajj in one of two ways: through the Haj Committee of India, or with an HGO. For private Hajj in 2027, only operators on the Ministry’s list of eligible HGOs for Haj 2027 can take pilgrims.

• The Ministry published the list of eligible HGOs for Haj 2027 on 27 August 2026.
• As reported, the private quota for Haj 2027 is 52,507 seats.
• Each HGO’s quota is allotted after the list is published. A seat is final only once the operator has its quota.
• Under HGO Policy 2027, the HGO signs an agreement with each pilgrim that lists the services and charges, and uploads pilgrim details and the package cost on the Ministry’s HGO portal.

Before quota is allotted, no one can promise you a Hajj 2027 seat. All Hajj dates and seats are tentative and subject to Saudi and Indian government policy and approvals.

How to verify an HGO for Hajj 2027

It takes a few minutes. Do it before you pay any advance.

If a local agent is booking you with an HGO, check that HGO on the list and ask the HGO itself to confirm your booking.

How to check an Umrah agent

The Haj Committee of India does not handle Umrah. Umrah is booked with private companies, so the checks are a little different.

Indian pilgrims get the Umrah visa through authorised agents linked to Saudi Umrah companies. As reported, hotel and transport must be booked through Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk platform before the visa is issued. In short: no booking, no visa.

• Ask which Saudi Umrah company the agent works with.
• Ask for the hotel names, the distance from the Haram and the dates for each city.
• The visa needs a passport valid for at least six months. Be careful if someone promises a visa without your passport details.
• Once the visa is issued, ask for a copy and check your name, passport number and dates.

Saudi Umrah rules change often, as reported. A genuine agent tells you the current rules for your travel month.

Checks for any Hajj or Umrah company

For Hajj or Umrah, tick these off before you pay:

Red flags: signs of a fake Hajj or Umrah agent

Stop and check again if you see any of these:

• Cash only, or payment into a personal bank account or personal UPI ID.
• A “guaranteed” Hajj seat before the operator’s quota is allotted.
• An offer to “set” your name higher on the Haj Committee waiting list. The list moves only in its official order.
• A price far below what others charge for the same dates and hotels.
• No office address, or an office you cannot visit.
• Pressure to pay the full amount at once, “today only”.
• A visa promised without your passport details.
• Hajj on a visit, tourist or Umrah visa. Saudi Arabia allows Hajj only with an official Hajj permit.

If you have been cheated, go to your nearest police station with your payment records and messages. For online payment fraud, you can also report it on cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930.

The April 2025 lesson: ask about quota and Mina

In April 2025, as reported, Indian private Hajj operators missed Saudi deadlines for their Mina camp, accommodation and transport contracts. The Saudi Nusuk portal was closed to them, and seats for about 10,000 private pilgrims were at risk.

As reported, the Indian government asked Saudi Arabia for help. The portal was reopened so the operators could finish the work, and the quota for these pilgrims was restored.

The lesson: being on the list is the first check, not the last. As Hajj gets closer, ask your operator:

• Has your quota letter for this year been issued, and for how many seats?
• Which Combined HGO are you part of?
• Have your Mina camp, hotel and transport contracts been completed on Nusuk?
• When will my details be uploaded on the Ministry’s HGO portal?

Check us the same way

Suhail Haj & Umrah Tours has served pilgrims from its office in Nashik since 1992. We are on the Ministry of Minority Affairs list of eligible HGOs for Haj 2027.

Every booking is confirmed by our Nashik office. Please check us the way this guide explains: search the official list, visit or call our office, and ask us any of the questions above.

Hajj 2027 seats depend on the quota allotted to us. All dates and arrangements are tentative and subject to Saudi and Indian government policy and approvals.