Allegedly Lacking Hajj Visas, 23 Prospective Pilgrims Prevented from Departing to the Holy Land

Tangerang, KORANTRANSAKSI.com – The Directorate General of Immigration, through the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, has thwarted the departure of 23 Indonesian citizens (WNI) suspected of attempting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage through non-procedural or illegal means.

The Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Immigration Office, Galih P. Kartika Perdhana, stated that the 23 individuals planned to carry out the pilgrimage using inappropriate visas. "They were initially directed to claim they were going to work in Saudi Arabia before eventually admitting their true purpose," said Galih.

Details of the Incident

Galih further explained that the pilgrims intended to depart in the early hours of Friday (May 1, 2026) from the International Departure Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

1. Group Composition: 23 people (12 men and 11 women).
2. Flight Details: Bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, via Saudi Airlines flight SV827.
3. Findings: Immigration officers discovered discrepancies between the group's travel statements and their official documents.
4. Roles: One individual acted as the coordinator, while the other 22 were prospective non-procedural pilgrims.

Coordination and Prevention

Upon discovery, immigration officers immediately coordinated with the Hajj Task Force, which includes the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the National Police. Ultimately, officials decided to postpone the departure of the 23 citizens.

"We implemented this postponement to prevent Indonesian citizens from falling victim to non-procedural Hajj practices, which carry risks such as entry refusal or legal issues in Saudi Arabia. We continue to strengthen supervision and inter-agency coordination within the Hajj Task Force," Galih stated.

These 23 individuals add to the growing list of illegal Hajj pilgrims whose departures have been intercepted. As of last Friday, a total of 42 Indonesian citizens have been prevented from traveling to Saudi Arabia for attempting to perform the Hajj without following established procedures. (ZIK/TIM)