Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Indonesia is discussing making the Makkah Route a reciprocal program, allowing Indonesian immigration officers to conduct passport checks for Hajj pilgrims at Saudi airports before they return home, Minister of Immigration and Corrections Agus Andrianto said on Friday (30/5/2025).

“We’re in talks to make this program reciprocal so Indonesian immigration officers can carry out checks at Saudi airports for pilgrims returning to Indonesia,” he said, as quoted by antara news.com.

The Makkah Route, a collaboration between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, currently streamlines outbound immigration checks at three Indonesian airports—Soekarno-Hatta, Juanda, and Adi Soemarmo—helping pilgrims focus on worship upon arrival. This year, it served over 97,000 of Indonesia’s 221,000 Hajj pilgrims.

Minister Agus emphasized the government’s commitment to providing responsive immigration services, while Acting Immigration Director General Yuldi Yusman expressed hope the program would expand to all Hajj embarkation points in Indonesia.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)