Soekarno-Hatta Airport Immigration Delays Departure of 89 Prospective Pilgrims Who Did Not Follow Procedure
The Immigration Office Class I Special for the Immigration Examination Area (TPI) at Soekarno-Hatta Airport has taken firm action by delaying the departure of 89 prospective pilgrims who did not follow procedure. This action was carried out within the period since the start of the departure period on April 22, 2026 until Sunday (May 17).
The Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, Galih Priya Kartika Perdhana, revealed that the trend of non-procedural departures is still being closely monitored. The latest delay occurred on Friday (May 15), where officers prevented 32 people at once who were suspected of performing the hajj pilgrimage without official documents.
“We are working together in a task force with the assistance of the Airport Police and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. To date, specifically at Soekarno-Hatta, the departure of 89 people has been delayed,” said Galih in his statement on Sunday (May 17).
Immigration investigations revealed various methods used by prospective pilgrims to avoid officer checks. One of the most common is the use of work visas or iqama (official residence permits in Saudi Arabia).
The pilgrims often do not fly directly to Saudi Arabia. They use regular flights and transit in a third country such as Malaysia or South Korea on the pretext of tourism, before finally applying for an entry visa to Saudi Arabia from that country.
“This may be to give the impression that they have been living there (with iqama). However, ultimately, their main goal is hajj. They use regular flights so that they are different groups from regular pilgrims,” explained Galih.
This preventive measure is in line with the instructions of the Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko. Since April 22, all immigration officers at embarkation and disembarkation airports have been on standby to screen pilgrim departures.
“We have instructed all personnel to provide the best service for official pilgrims, but at the same time are fully committed to tightening supervision of prospective non-procedural pilgrims,” Hendarsam said in a previous statement.
The government has again reminded the public that the hajj pilgrimage must be carried out through official channels. Using non-hajj visas to perform the hajj is very risky, ranging from potential legal problems in Saudi Arabia, lack of protection from the Indonesian government, to the threat of deportation and being banned from entering Saudi Arabian territory in the future.
Currently, the Hajj Task Force at Soekarno-Hatta Airport continues to carry out intensive coordination to ensure that there are no more loopholes for illegal hajj practices that can harm Indonesian citizens. (Ant/I-1)