The Ministry of Religion Emphasizes that Saudi Arabia Will Not Issue Furoda Visa This Year

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak and Wakapolri Komjen Dedi Prasetyo / ANTARA / Asep Firmansyah

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) confirmed that the Government of Saudi Arabia did not issue a furoda Hajj visa in this year's implementation, so the public is asked to be alert if there is an offer to depart using the visa.

"No, so this year Saudi Arabia did not issue a furoda Hajj visa. So the clear legal visa is called the Hajj visa," said Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, April 9.

Dahnil said the prevalence of offers to depart for the hajj without a queue through social media was a practice that must be wary of because it had the potential to be a modus operandi for fraud or illegal hajj.

Currently, the Ministry of Religion together with the National Police will form a Illegal Hajj Prevention Task Force, one of whose tasks is to crack down on all forms of modus operandi for non-procedural Hajj departures.

"That's what we want to prevent. If it still happens, then automatically the police will take criminal action," he said.

He emphasized that there were two official routes for Indonesian people to perform the hajj, namely regular hajj and special hajj. Outside of that, the Ministry of Religion ensures that it is not in accordance with the provisions.

"There is no Hajj without a queue. Hajj is definitely a queue," he emphasized.

According to him, the waiting period for regular hajj is currently around 26 years, shorter than before which can reach almost five decades in some regions. Meanwhile, the waiting period for special hajj is around six years.

According to him, the claim of fast departure without queues or often referred to as 'Haji Tenol' is an indication of illegal practices that must be avoided by the public.

Dahnil added that the government continues to improve the management of the haj according to the instructions of President Prabowo Subianto, including efforts to reduce the waiting period to be more rational.

The government appeals to the public not to be easily tempted by offers that do not comply with procedures and ensure that registration is carried out through official channels to avoid losses and potential legal problems.