JEDDAH, 5 January 2005 — Saudi authorities yesterday issued a final warning to Umrah overstayers to leave the country, saying all those who came to the Kingdom during Ramadan can now leave for their countries through the Kingdom’s exit points without having to report to the immigration offices to process their papers.
The ultimatum was issued by the Passports Department which said overstayers should benefit from this gesture and return immediately to their countries now that Haj has started. The annual pilgrimage to Makkah will begin in earnest during the second half of this month.
Over the past weeks hundreds of foreigners who overstayed their Umrah visas have been rounded up and sent to detention centers run by the Passports Department pending their deportation. The police were especially active in Makkah arresting any one found to stay in the holy city without legal documents. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have already arrived in Makkah as well as Madinah in preparation for Haj.
The department now says all those who overstayed their Umrah visas can leave directly through any of the country’s air, sea and land outlets without having to report to the immigration offices to obtain exit visas as has been the case in the past. Those who make use of this initiative would not be subjected to questioning, it said.
Last month, the Ministry of Haj gave Umrah tour operators until the end of December to report any pilgrims who came during Ramadan and overstayed their visa. The ministry has been in close cooperation with the Passports Department to ensure Umrah visitors leave at the end of the season.
Two million Muslims are expected to visit the Kingdom annually to perform Umrah, or minor pilgrimage, under the new Umrah system. Over 200,000 of the estimated one million plus pilgrims who entered the Kingdom for Umrah during Ramadan may have stayed behind, according to some estimates.
Pilgrims coming for Umrah slip away from their tour operators and remain in hiding until Haj. Many return home after performing the pilgrimage, but some opt to stay behind in search of work.
The Passports Department has repeatedly urged pilgrims who have come from abroad for Umrah to leave before the expiry of their visas, warning violators they face punishment in accordance with the law, including fines and deportation.
