Riyadh: Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia has announced stricter penalties fines against Hajj visa violators. Those who will be caught performing the pilgrimage without a permit or attempting to do so will face a fine of up to SAR20,000. The same penalty applies to visit visa holders who attempt to enter Makkah and stay there starting Tuesday, April 29 (Dhul-Qi’dah 1) and until Dhul-Hijja 14 which will fall either on June 10 or 11 according to crescent citing.
Earlier this month, the kingdom’s authorities have tightened the penalties on visa overstayers. The Ministry of Interior said that visa sponsors who do not report when expatriate workers under their sponsorhip leave the country after their entry visas have expired will face a SAR50,000 fine in addition to up to 6 months in jail and deportation.
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As part of the stricter penalties, anyone who applies for a visit visa for another who performs or tries to perform Hajj without a permit or attempts to enter Makkah during the aforementioned period will be subject to a fine of up to SAR100,000. The same penalty applies to anyone who transports visit visa holders to Makkah during this period to perform Hajj and those who offer accommodations to these violators in hotels, apartments, etc.
Visa overstayers and those who infiltrate to perform Hajj without a permit will be deported and prevented from entering Saudi Arabia for 10 years. Any land means of transportation used to transfer violators to the holy sites will be seized.
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