"Indonesia's Hajj quota this year has been filled. Do not be tempted or fooled by Hajj departure offers with other non-Hajj travel visas," the ministry's spokesperson, Anna Hasbie, stated here on Sunday.
She highlighted the number of bogus offers promising Muslims to depart for Saudi Arabia for Hajj without queuing this year by abusing non-Hajj travel visas, such as Hajj officers, work, single-entry, or multiple-entry visas after observing an increase in such those cases before the first Hajj departure next week.
She further informed that Indonesia's Hajj quota is divided into two, namely regular Hajj visa organised by the government and special Hajj visa organised by authorised special Hajj organisers (PIHK).
In this year's Hajj season, Indonesia received 241 thousand Hajj quota, which comprised 213,320 for regular Hajj and 27,680 for special Hajj, she noted.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Muslims receiving Hajj invitations directly from the Saudi authority will depart for Saudi Arabia with assistance from PIHK that must report to the ministry if serving Saudi-invited Hajj pilgrims, Hasbie explained.
"The Saudi authorities become more strict on their Hajj visa enforcement. They have informed us about potential abuses of non-Hajj visas (for Hajj travel) this year," she noted.
"The visa regulation will be implemented more rigidly, and the Saudi authorities will perform intensive checks," the spokesperson added.
While acknowledging Indonesian Muslims' enthusiasm to perform Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, Hasbie reminded them of not falling victim to Hajj offers with a non-Hajj visa.
She stated that the Saudi authority would deport visa violators and ban their entry to Saudi Arabia for ten years.
"Hence, besides being unable to perform Hajj, they cannot perform Umrah for at least ten years," she remarked.
The first batch of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims will depart on May 12, 2024, while the first flights of pilgrims under the special Hajj programme will start on May 23, 2024.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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