To Expand Services, Makkah Route Scheme Can Be Used by Prospective Hajj Pilgrims in Makassar

A total of 15,804 prospective Hajj pilgrims from the Makassar embarkation point will benefit from the Makkah Route scheme, which is now available at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport in Makassar this year. This advance immigration check complements services previously operational at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Juanda Airport in Surabaya, and Adi Soemarmo Airport in Solo.

For context, the Makkah Route is a cooperation between the Indonesian and Saudi Arabian governments involving pre-clearance immigration processes conducted directly by Saudi Immigration officers at Indonesian departure airports. Its primary benefit is to shorten time and procedures, allowing pilgrims to bypass passport and visa checks upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, stated that the Makkah Route scheme will serve a total of 221,000 prospective Hajj pilgrims across Indonesia. According to him, adding the service point in Makassar is an effort by both governments to improve the quality of Hajj services.

“The expansion of the Makkah Route to Makassar is a strategic initiative to ensure that more Indonesian pilgrims experience eased immigration processes right from home soil. We aim to cut bureaucracy, allowing pilgrims to prepare more calmly for their journey to the Holy Land,” said Hendarsam in a written statement on Thursday (23/4/2026).

As a sign of operational readiness, 115 Saudi Immigration officers arrived in Indonesia on 20 April 2026 to be assigned to those airports. Preparedness of facilities and infrastructure at the relevant Immigration Checkpoints has reached 100%.

Additionally, Hendarsam assured that the government has integrated cross-sectoral data and compiled risk profiles to prevent non-procedural departures of Hajj pilgrims, ensuring all are served safely.

Hendarsam hopes that in the future, the Makkah Route service can continue to be expanded to cover all Hajj embarkation points in Indonesia. The government is also pushing for this service to be implemented reciprocally, making Hajj services far more optimal for both parties.

“Immigration will continue to transform to provide the best services for the people. We are committed to delivering adaptive and solution-oriented services to meet public needs, including in succeeding the Hajj pilgrimage. Immigration services for the people are our priority,” he concluded.