There Are New Rules, Goods Carrying Regular Hajj Pilgrims Are Now Free Of Import Duty Starting June 6, 2025

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) of the Ministry of Finance will waive import duties on luggage belonging to pilgrims, both regular and special.

This policy is regulated in the Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) Number 34 of 2025 which is an amendment to PMK Number 203/PMK.04/2017 concerning Export and Import Provisions for Goods Carried by Passengers and Transportation Facilities.

Meanwhile, PMK was officially promulgated on May 28, 2025 and took effect on June 6, 2025.

Acting Head of Sub-Directorate for Imports of the Technical Directorate of Customs, DJBC Chairul, explained that in the PMK, the luggage of the Hajj pilgrims is divided into two categories, namely regular and special Hajj pilgrims, in accordance with the provisions in the regulations for organizing the hajj.

Meanwhile, for regular pilgrims, they are given the exemption of import duties for all personal belongings. Meanwhile, special Hajj pilgrims get exemption from import duties with a maximum limit of 2,500 US dollars worth of Free on Board (FOB).

"First, is for regular pilgrims, it will be given exemption from entry fees for all their belongings. Against special Hajj pilgrims, they will be given the most entry fees, FOB 2,500 US dollars," he said in a media briefing related to PMK 34 of 2025, via a teleconference channel, Wednesday, June 4.

Chairul explained that if the luggage of the pilgrims specifically exceeds the value limit, then they will be subject to import duties or import taxes (PDRI).

"The income fee will be 10 percent, the Value Added Tax (VAT) will be imposed in accordance with the provisions, and the Income Tax (PPh) will be excluded. This is for special Hajj," he said.

Chairul emphasized that this release only applies to personal belongings of the pilgrims, which are used for personal purposes, including the remaining supplies.

He also explained that in the previous regulation (PMK 203/2017), the provisions related to the luggage of the pilgrims had not been specifically regulated. However, in this new regulation, regular pilgrims are still given full exemption from import duties and taxes in order to import.

"What are the limits on the exemption from entry fees? That is the whole thing. The record is that there were regular Hajj pilgrims' personal goods. What about the import duty rate? This is exempted so there are no import duties. Additional import duties, tax rates in the context of imports, both VAT, VAT-BM and PPh rates do not exist," he explained.

In addition, Chairul explained that the difference in provisions for regular and special Hajj pilgrims is because the pilgrimage has special characteristics, different from other worship.

He added that first, the implementation can only be carried out at a certain specified time, so it cannot be done at any time; Second, this worship requires a fairly large cost; Third, there is a very long waiting period, which can reach 15 years to 25 years, especially for regular pilgrims.

Chairul explained that the pilgrimage is usually only held once in a lifetime by each individual, so that many pilgrims carry souvenirs as an expression of gratitude after completing heavy and long worship.

"One person generally only performs worship It's once in a lifetime and every congregation will bring gifts as a sense of gratitude for having finished carrying out heavy worship, it's also quite long, heavy souvenirs are a sense of gratitude, I think I am grateful and have finished the worship, then become a great pilgrimage, which is blessed approximately like that," he explained.

He conveyed that considering these characteristics, namely a limited implementation time, large costs, and a long waiting period for the government, through the Ministry of Finance, took the initiative to provide special facilities that were different from general provisions.

"That for regular Hajj, the Ministry of Finance considers that it will take a longer waiting time. Because it takes approximately a long time, 20-15 years, 20-25 years, it's roughly like that and generally, the middle class people, then the lower middle class people and so on. Therefore, for regular Hajj services, this is given full entry fee exemption," he said.