Helpful hints for hujjaaj

• Ensure that the Accommodation and/or Travel contract is signed by a registered Hajj Operator.

• Request the Hajj Operator to provide you with his/her Authorisation Certificate, which is provided by the Ministry of Hajj to verify that the Hajj Operator can operate for a particular year.

• Sign Hajj/Umrah Service Contracts with registered Hajj/Umrah service providers only i.e. DO NOT accept a contract unless the registered Hajj/Umrah Service Provider has signed the contract. "Sub-Agent's" are illegal in the Hajj/Umrah environment and they, therefore, may not sign contracts on behalf of registered Hajj/Umrah Operators. It is a criminal offence for "Sub-Agents" to accept funds from the public on behalf of registered Hajj/Umrah Service Providers. Please report this type of activity to Hajj Watch's legal team for further legal action.

• Do not pay for your hajj package until you have received the products (visas, air ticket, etc.). Alternatively, ensure that you pay your Hajj Package or part thereof into a registered Trust Account. Payment, from the Trust Account, for the goods and service must only be made once the goods or service is being received.

• It is a regulation that all registered Hajj Operators must deposit funds received into a registered Trust Account. Request the Hajj Operator to provide you with the Trust Account bank details. Verify with the bank that it is a registered Trust Account for the purpose of Hajj or Umrah.

• Deposit Hajj Package funds directly into the Trust Account. Ensure that you keep the bank deposit slip for proof of deposit.

• DO NOT hand monies to a Hajj Operator or so-called "Sub-Agent" "over the counter". It would be better to deposit the money directly into the registered Hajj Operator's Trust Account. Note: The Hajj Operator's business bank account IS NOT necessarily a Trust Account.

• Ask for a quotation with a breakdown of the cost items (visa, air-ticket, etc.) in your Hajj/Umrah package. If the Hajj/Travel Operator refuses to present this information in writing, request the information in writing from him and  submit a copy of this letter to Hajj Watch. Hajj Watch will use the letter to request the information via the Courts as facilitated by the Access to Information Act. If you receive the quotation, then send us a copy of the quotation.

• It is  your right as a consumer to have a complete breakdown of costs and services that you are purchasing.