April 21, 2026 | 01:53 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thirteen Indonesian Hajj hopefuls have their Saudi-bound flights delayed over reportedly using work visas to depart from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
The Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Special Class I Immigration Office, Galih P. Kartika Perdhana, said the thirteen Indonesian nationals were using work visas to perform Hajj. "This is part of the preventive measures taken to protect citizens from potential legal issues and risks in the destination country," said Galih in his official statement on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
Galih said officers discovered the attempt on April 18, when eight people intended to fly to Jeddah through Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport with work visas. Upon a probe, the individuals admitted that the actual purpose of their trip was to perform Hajj pilgrimage.
On the same day, four other Indonesian citizens were also found to be using work visas to go to Jeddah, but without the required supporting documents as workers. It was later discovered that they were planning to perform Hajj using the work visa as a cover.
Meanwhile, on April 19, 2026, authorities again delayed the departure of one Indonesian citizen who was flagged in the system as someone who had previously attempted the same unauthorized Hajj departure.
"We do not want Indonesian citizens to depart through unauthorized channels and risk facing issues in the future," said Galih.
As a follow-up, immigration officers have coordinated with the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement division for further investigation. Soekarno-Hatta Immigration urges the public not to be tempted by offers of unauthorized Hajj departures promising convenience.
In addition to violating regulations, such practices poses the financial and safety risks for prospective Hajj pilgrims.
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