JEDDAH, 28 December — The Passport Department has given all those who came for Umrah under the new rules until Sunday Dec. 30 to leave the country or face being rounded up and deported for violating the Kingdom’s immigration laws.
Under the new Umrah (minor pilgrimage) rules, the validity of visas granted for Muslims coming to the Kingdom has been extended until the 15th day of the lunar month of Shawal, two weeks after the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The Department also said it will start on Sunday issuing Haj permits for Saudis and expatriates working in the Kingdom who wish to perform Haj, which this year falls in mid-February. An estimated two million people, half of them from outside the Kingdom, are expected to make the annual pilgrimage to Makkah.
Some 1.5 million people came to the Kingdom for Umrah this year, the majority of whom arrived during Ramadan. Under the new system, all pilgrims wishing to perform Umrah must do so under the supervision of local agents. These look after the pilgrims’ accommodation and transportation between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah and must ensure the pilgrims in their charge return to their respective countries at the end of their Umrah visa period, which has been extended to 30 days from the previous two weeks.
The Director of Haj and Umrah Passport Department, Col. Hassan Rashwan, has warned that anyone found to have overstayed their visas will be treated as violators of the country’s laws and face arrest and deportation.
The Department has already begun a nationwide campaign to round up overstayers. So far, more than 1,500 overstayers have been rounded up from various locations in the early days of the campaign. Wide buses with their windows fenced to prevent possible escape routes have been seen in recent days in markets and other public places in Jeddah, ready to transport violators to the main detention camp at the old airport buildings — from where they would be deported.
Brig. Rashwan said his department would vigorously enforce the campaign, while working closely with companies licensed to serve Umrah pilgrims.
The Ministry of Haj said it will fine and blacklist any firm found in violation of the Umrah rules and will punish those who neglect their pilgrims by allowing them to slip away.
