From now on, Azerbaijani Hajj pilgrims will, for the first time, have to pay the pilgrimage fee to the Caucasian Muslims Office’s (CMO) Hajj department in cash, without referring to the bank.

The CMO informed that the payment will be made directly to the department and pilgrims will be given a receipt on payment, APA reports.

No bank receipt or document will be required.

Until the past year, pilgrims were required to pay the fee to the CMO’s account at Azerbaijan International Bank’s central branch.

Azerbaijan began receipt of documents for Hajj pilgrimage on April 1. Under the latest decision, Azerbaijani pilgrims will only be given visas after the Ramadan holiday. Pilgrimage from Azerbaijan will begin on September 2 and end on September 18. Azerbaijan had earlier set a quota of 1,500 pilgrims for this year, but this number was later reduced to 1,040. To stay in more prestigious hotels where guests can have much more expensive meals and stay in four-bed rooms, will coast AZN 4,500. The other option offers relatively cheaper hotels with six-bed rooms, which will coast AZN 3,500. Due to dollar rate, hajj expenses this year are AZN 1,000 more expensive compared to the previous year. Last year 2,400 pilgrims went to Hajj from Azerbaijan. Three of them died in Mecca and were buried there. Last year’s Hajj also stood out with an accident that claimed a vast number of lives.

The CMO is the only body authorized to receive documents for Hajj pilgrimage.