Modus of Indonesian Citizens Departing for Illegal Hajj via Soekarno-Hatta Airport Revealed, Here Are the Threats to Hajj Pilgrims

The Special Class I Immigration Office at the Immigration Checkpoint (TPI) of Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, thwarted the departure of 13 Indonesian citizens suspected of intending to perform Hajj non-procedurally via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

The Head of the Special Class I Immigration Office TPI Soekarno-Hatta, Galih P. Kartika Perdhana, stated in Tangerang on Tuesday that the prevention efforts were part of intensive inspections by immigration officers on 18 and 19 April 2026 at Terminal 3 international departures.

“From the surveillance results, eight Indonesian citizens were found to be departing on flights to Jeddah using the modus of work visas. However, after further examination, they admitted that their actual purpose was to perform Hajj without going through official procedures,” he explained.

Additionally, four other Indonesian citizens were found claiming to be going for Hajj using work visas without supporting worker documents.

On 19 April 2026, officers again prevented the departure of one Indonesian citizen detected in the system as someone who had previously attempted the same regarding indications of non-procedural Hajj departure.

“The directive from the Director General of Immigration, Mr. Hendarsam Marantoko, is very clear that every unit must be present, not only as guardians of the nation’s gateway but also as protectors of the people. We do not want Indonesian citizens to depart through channels that do not comply with procedures and risk causing problems later,” he clarified.

He stated that this security action is part of preventive efforts to protect the public from potential legal issues and risks in the destination country.

Nevertheless, the surveillance conducted by Soekarno-Hatta Immigration is not only document-based but also involves profiling, system analysis, and cross-sector coordination internally.