Saudi Gazette report

 

JEDDAH — The Passports Department (Jawazat) has deported five pilgrims for violating the Kingdom’s residency regulations, Makkah daily reported. Three of them had fake travel documents, one was sick and was deported previously because of her health conditions, and the fifth did not have a Haj visa.



Spokesman of the Passports Department, Lt. Col. Ahmad Allihedan, did not reveal the nationality of the pilgrims, but confirmed that four of them disembarked at King Abdulaziz International Airport while the fifth landed at Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah.



He noted that so far, Jawazat has completed entry procedures for 493,675 pilgrims, of whom, 488,594 came by air, 5,043 by sea, and 38 by land.



Meanwhile, the Ministry of Haj attributed the reason behind the delay of the arrival of 19,000 Yemeni pilgrims due to technical problems in Yemen, as authorities there failed to send the required information electronically.



Dr. Amin Fatani, director of the Ministry of Haj’s branch in Makkah, said countries with advanced technology did not face any visa related problems and sent their visa applications on time. “The ministry issues visas electronically to all applicants around the world,” Dr. Fatani said.



Mohammad Majeeni, deputy chairman of the board of directors of the Arab Countries’ Pilgrims Establishment, said they did not know the real reason behind this delay.



A source inside the Yemeni Consulate in Jeddah confirmed that the problem is being fixed and visas will be issued through the Ministry of Haj.