“Saudi regulations do not allow pilgrims overstaying their Haj visas,” it said.

Brig. Ayed Al-Harbi, commander of the Passport Department forces for Haj, said his department has intensified patrolling Makkah districts to prevent overstaying of pilgrims in the city.

“We’ll impose punishments, according to the law, on those who employ or shelter pilgrims who overstay their visas,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, a high-level source at the Passport Department said the return journey of Haj pilgrims was not affected by a breakdown of fingerprinting system at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

“We apply alternative systems whenever we face such technical failure in our electronic systems at airports, seaports and other entry points,” the source told Arab News.

The outflow of pilgrims was smooth. At Halat Ammar checkpoint, the Passport Department cleared 850 pilgrims per hour, said Brig. Mansour Al-Nasser, director of passports at Halat Ammar in Tabuk.

He said the department officers had arrested an Arab who tried to leave the Kingdom illegally traveling on a pilgrims’ bus. “He was hiding inside the bus’ toilet,” Al-Nasser said.

“We learned later that the arrested man had reached a deal with the bus driver to take him outside the Kingdom,” said Al-Nasser, who is also spokesman of the department in the Tabuk province.

The Arab was wanted in Riyadh following a summons by a Riyadh court, he said, adding that the department has transferred both the Arab national as well as the driver to police for further investigation. The department, however, released the bus with the driver’s assistant taking over the driving duties.