Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The department of passport (Jawazat) has successfully completed a new experiment to process the passports of pilgrims right at their home countries before they arrive in the Kingdom to perform Haj.

The first such experiment was carried out at Kuala Lumpur Airport where the Jawazat sent a number of its staff to finalize the procedures for the Malaysian pilgrims before boarding the flight to Saudi Arabia.

"This was done in collaboration with the concerned Malaysian authorities," director of the Jawazat Maj. Gen. Solaiman Al-Yahya said.

Al-Yahya said, under the new experiment, the data of the pilgrim, his or her photo and the fingerprinting were entered into the computers of the Jawazat at Kuala Lumpur Airport.

"When the pilgrim arrives, all we do in Jeddah is to check his/her identity and the authenticity of the travel document," he said.

"This is an extremely fast service and it completes the passport procedures of the pilgrims on arrival so that they do not have to wait for any time at the airport," he added.

Al-Yahya said this was the first experiment of its kind, which will be made universal with many other countries coming into its ambit during the coming years.

"We aim to provide the satisfaction of the pilgrims and facilitate their passport procedures so that they do not lose any time on arrival in Jeddah," he said.

The director received a number of Malaysian pilgrims, who had their passports processed at home terminal at Kuala Lumpur, on arrival at KAIA on Sunday onboard a NAS flight from Kuala Lumpur.