Ministry of Hajj: No Permit, No Hajj!
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s government has once again emphasised the strict prohibition on anyone intending to perform Hajj without an official visa. Pilgrims who recklessly enter the Holy Land with non-Hajj visas will certainly face severe sanctions.
Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj), Ichsan Marsha, stated that the policy is implemented to maintain order and the smooth running of Hajj worship in accordance with applicable regulations.
Saudi Arabia, he said, only permits pilgrims with official Hajj visas to enter Mecca during the Hajj season. “Anyone without a Hajj visa is not permitted to enter Mecca for the performance of Hajj,” Ichsan revealed at the Indonesian Consulate General’s office in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday (29/4/2026) WAS.
He explained that pilgrimage visas, tourist visas, or other types of visas cannot be used for Hajj. The Saudi government is now also tightening surveillance at several access points to Mecca to prevent the entry of non-procedural pilgrims.
For violators, firm sanctions will be imposed. Pilgrims who perform Hajj without official permission may be fined up to 20,000 riyals or approximately Rp 90 million, face imprisonment, or deportation.
In addition, they may be banned from re-entering Mecca for five to ten years. Not only pilgrims, but parties assisting in the departure of illegal pilgrims will also face sanctions.
Facilitators without official Hajj visas may be fined up to 100,000 riyals or equivalent to more than Rp 450 million, along with other criminal penalties. Ichsan also emphasised that similar sanctions may be imposed on hotels or accommodation providers that host such non-procedural pilgrims.
The Indonesian government, he continued, has formed a special task force working with immigration and law enforcement agencies to prevent the departure of illegal pilgrims from the country.
This effort is made so that the public does not fall for offers to perform Hajj without queuing through unlawful channels. “No permit, no Hajj; there is no Hajj without an official visa and tasreh from Saudi authorities,” he stressed.
Therefore, he urged the public to comply with official procedures. Do not be tempted by quick Hajj routes that ultimately harm oneself.