Tajik pilgrims, who have to leave for Hajj in half a month for the pilgrimage to the Islamic holy sites, will have to first obtain biometric passports in order to get a visa to Saudi Arabia.

Spokesperson for the Committee on Religious Affairs, Afshin Muqim, told Asia-Plus that Tajik pilgrims are required to get biometric passports, because Saudi programs do not recognize our blue passports in order to give a visa to the pilgrims.

According to Mr. Muqim, the Committee already sent a letter to the government in order to facilitate the issuance of biometric passports to pilgrims in a short time. “That is to reduce the issuance time from 15 days to 3 days with the payment of 75 Dollars and 60 Samani,” he said.