The Temptation of Hajj Without Queuing: When Prospective Pilgrims Use Illegal Routes and Fail to Reach Mecca

The desire to perform the Hajj pilgrimage tempts some individuals to seek shortcuts. Amid lengthy official waiting lists, offers to depart quickly without waiting years sound enticing. However, behind this temptation lurks significant risk. Several prospective pilgrims have had to postpone their steps to the Holy Land after being detected using non-procedural routes.

The Directorate General of Immigration of the Ministry of Immigration and Correctional Services has prevented the departure of 42 Indonesian citizens (WNI) who intended to perform Hajj non-procedurally to Saudi Arabia. This prevention is an accumulation from the start of the Hajj season up to Friday (1/5/2026) at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten.

The latest case involved 23 prospective pilgrims who were about to fly to Jeddah using Saudi Airlines. The Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, Galih P. Kartika Perdhana, stated that officers found discrepancies between the travel statements and the documents carried. “From the total, they consist of 12 men and 11 women,” said Galih.

After examination, the group was found to be planning to perform Hajj using visas not intended for that purpose. They initially claimed they were going to work in Saudi Arabia before finally admitting their true purpose.

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah, KH Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, has reminded the public not to be tempted by offers of Hajj without queuing. According to him, such practices are generally illegal routes that violate rules and risk harming the pilgrims. “Do not be tempted by Hajj without queuing,” said Irfan after seeing off the 8th batch of Hajj pilgrims from the embarkation point at the Novotel Hotel, Yogyakarta International Airport, Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, on Friday (1/5/2026).