Saudi Arabian authorities have announced strict penalties for unauthorized individuals attempting to participate in this year’s Hajj and those who facilitate such violations. A fine of $5,332 will be imposed on individuals performing Hajj without a permit. Additionally, anyone who applies for a visit visa for an individual who performs or attempts to perform Hajj without a permit, or who enters or stays in Makkah city and the holy sites during the specified period, will face a fine of $26,661.00.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), stated that these penalties would be in effect from Dhul-Qi’dah 1 until the end of Dhul-Hijjah 14. Dhul-Qi’dah, the 11th month in the Islamic Hijri calendar, is considered a sacred month to ensure safe travel for Muslims undertaking Hajj in Dhul Hijjah. The estimated start date for Dhul Hajj in 2025 is May 28.

Individuals attempting to perform Hajj without a permit or visitors trying to enter or stay in Makkah during this period will face a fine of up to SAR 20,000 ($5,332 USD). The second fine of SAR 100,000 ($26,661.00 USD) is for anyone who applies for a visit visa for someone attempting to perform Hajj without a permit, or who has entered or stayed in Makkah and the holy sites during the specified period. This fine will multiply for each individual involved.

The ministry also specified that anyone who transports or attempts to transport visit visa holders to Makkah city and the holy sites during the specified period will be subject to the same fine. Those who provide shelter to visit visa holders in any accommodation, including hotels, apartments, private housing, shelters, or Hajj pilgrims’ housing sites, will also be fined. This includes concealing their presence or providing any assistance to facilitate their stay, with the fine multiplying for each individual sheltered or assisted.

Illegal infiltrators attempting to perform Hajj, whether residents or overstayers, will be deported to their countries and banned from entering the Kingdom for ten years. The relevant court will be requested to confiscate land vehicles used to transport visit visa holders to Makkah and the holy sites during the specified period if the vehicle is owned by the transporter, facilitator, or any accomplices.

Meanwhile, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has scheduled May 9 for the commencement of the airlift of Nigerian intending pilgrims, with 43,000 pilgrims having paid for the pilgrimage, according to Fatima Sanda Usara, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication.