Hajj With Pilgrimage Visa, Can It?

Illustration of pilgrims with pilgrimage visas was successfully thwarted (ANTARA)

YOGYAKARTA Indonesian pilgrims who want to perform the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia must comply with the applicable rules. One of them is going for Hajj on a Hajj visa. Unfortunately, these rules are still violated a lot. There are even pilgrims from Indonesia who have hajj with pilgrimage visas. Then can Hajj use a pilgrimage visa?

The pilgrimage visa is a document issued by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for foreign nationals (WNA) who want to visit Islamic holy places in the country. This visa can be obtained through official travel agents with an active period of 90 days.

The existence of pilgrimage visas is indeed widely used by Indonesian citizens for Hajj. However, these activities are considered not in accordance with applicable procedures.

Reporting from an article entitled Problematics Hajj with Visa Nonhaji published by the Ministry of Parliamentary Analysis Center, the DPR RI Expertise Body explained that pilgrimage visas include non-hajj visas. The visa is only used as a permit to enter Saudi Arabia, not to carry out the pilgrimage. Unfortunately, the practice of Hajj using pilgrimage visas has been going on for quite a long time, especially being used by pilgrims from Indonesia.

The use of pilgrimage visas for Hajj is now limited. In 2024, the Government of Saudi Arabia has issued regulations related to non-hajj visas. In the latest regulations, it is said that the Saudi Arabian government will impose severe sanctions on pilgrims who do not have appropriate visas.

Sanctions that can be given can be in the form of deportation, a fine of 10,000rials, and a ban on entry to Saudi Arabia for 10 years. In addition, pilgrimage visa holders also have the potential to be unable to carry out a series of pilgrimages perfectly.

Even though it has been banned, in the 2025 Hajj season there are still prospective pilgrims who use the pilgrimage viza. In fact, as reported by Antara, the Soekarno-Hatta Airport City Resort Police (Polresta), Polda Metro Jaya, found a Hajj group that did not have a Hajj visa. The group came from Madura.

Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia, Yusron Ambary explained that the group used a pilgrimage viza to go to Saudi Arabia. In the group, each person has paid a fee of approximately Rp. 150 million so that they can go to Saudi Arabia.

That's information related to Hajj with a pilgrimage visa. Visit VOI.id to get other interesting information.