Saudi Arabia Not Issuing Furoda Hajj Visas, Public Urged to Be Vigilant

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has affirmed that the Saudi Arabian government is not issuing furoda Hajj visas for this year’s pilgrimage, urging the public to be cautious of any offers to depart using such visas. “There are none, so this year Saudi Arabia is not issuing furoda Hajj visas. The only legal visa is the Hajj visa,” said Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak in Jakarta on Thursday. Dahnil stated that the proliferation of offers for queue-free Hajj departures via social media is a practice that must be approached with caution, as it potentially constitutes a scam or illegal Hajj operation. Currently, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, together with the Indonesian National Police, will form a Task Force for Preventing Illegal Hajj, one of whose duties is to address all forms of modus operandi for non-procedural Hajj departures. “That is what we aim to prevent. If it continues to recur, the police will automatically take criminal action,” he said. “There is no Hajj without queuing. Hajj definitely involves queuing,” he emphasised. According to him, the current waiting period for regular Hajj is around 26 years, shorter than before when it could reach nearly five decades in some regions. Meanwhile, the waiting period for special Hajj is around six years. He added that claims of quick departures without queuing, often called ‘Haji Tenol’, are indications of illegal practices that the public must avoid. Dahnil further noted that the government continues to improve Hajj management in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directives, including efforts to reduce waiting times to more reasonable levels. The government advises the public not to be easily swayed by offers that do not comply with procedures and to ensure registration is done through official channels to avoid losses or potential legal issues.