Ngurah Rai Immigration Foils 13 Indonesians' Non-Procedural Hajj Attempt
Ngurah Rai Immigration Office halted the departure of 13 Indonesian nationals suspected of attempting a non-procedural Hajj journey from the International Departure Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport on Friday evening (22 May 2026). The delay followed irregularities discovered during immigration checks on passengers bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Immigration Office Chief Bugie Kurniawan, when confirmed on Sunday (24 May 2026), explained that officers initially inspected seven Indonesian nationals. During routine checks, discrepancies emerged regarding the group’s travel purpose, and passengers were unable to produce visas matching their intended destination.
“Initial checks revealed six other individuals in the group had already passed through the autogate. Officers subsequently summoned them, bringing the total under further scrutiny to 13,” he said.
Further examination uncovered inconsistencies in each member’s account of their travel intentions. Suspicion intensified when one passenger displayed a return ticket on their phone, revealing a WhatsApp group notification titled “Hebat Haji 2026”.
Investigation of the group chat indicated plans to travel to Dubai for Hajj outside official channels. Additionally, messages instructed families not to accompany the group to the airport to conceal their true destination. Based on these findings, authorities delayed the departure in accordance with applicable laws.
Ngurah Rai Immigration subsequently handed over the 13 individuals to the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Police for further investigation. The delay was executed under Law No. 6 of 2011 on Immigration and Ministry of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 9 of 2024 concerning Immigration Check Procedures for Persons Entering or Exiting Indonesia.
Kurniawan stressed that immigration authorities would continue tightening surveillance on potential non-procedural departures, particularly related to Hajj. “Ngurah Rai Immigration is committed to conducting professional and humane immigration oversight to prevent non-procedural departures that could harm the public. We urge citizens to always use official channels and procedures for Hajj to ensure safety and legal protection,” he added.