JEDDAH— Those who are discovered entering or remaining in Makkah and the holy sites to conduct Hajj without a permit after entering the Kingdom on a visit visa are now subject to sanctions, according to Ministry of Interior Spokesman Col. Talal bin Shalhoub. Speaking at the Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah, he warned that the maximum penalty for such infractions would be SR20,000.
A punishment of up to SR100,000 will be imposed on anybody who facilitates these infractions, including filing for visas, transporting, sheltering, hiding, or helping violators, according to Col. Talal. Penalties are imposed for each infraction. He said that foreigners or overstayers who are detected trying to do the Hajj without a permit will be deported and prohibited from entering the Kingdom for ten years.
The spokesperson issued a warning against bogus Hajj campaigns that promise services including transportation, lodging, sacrificial animals, phoney wristbands, or phoney Hajj services. The Ministry of Interior had declared that anybody found doing or attempting to perform the Hajj without a permit between April 29 and Dhul Hijjah 14 might face a fine of up to SR20,000. All security and gathering centres, the Central Haram Area, the Haramain High-Speed Railway station in the Al-Rusayfah district, the holy sites, and those with visitation visas attempting to enter or stay in Makkah are included in this.
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