REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin has written to the Saudi government to clarify its policy of imposing visa application fees on hajj and umroh pilgrims, including those from Indonesia.

The Religious Affairs Ministry is awaiting a reply from the Saudi government in this regard, Director General of Hajj and Umroh Affairs at the Religious Affairs Ministry, Abdul Djamil, said here on Wednesday.

Under the policy, any Indonesian nationals including hajj and umroh pilgrims coming to Saudi Arabia for the second time are required to pay a visa application fee amounting to Rp7 million.

Djamil stated that the policy, applicable to all non-Saudi nationals, came into effect this month. The policy will no doubt lead to a hike in hajj pilgrimage costs since more than three thousand hajj officers will have to pay the visa application fee every year, he explained.

Also read: Saudi Arabia implements new umrah visas tariff

Most hajj officers have traveled to Saudi Arabia more than once, he added. "So far, we have been sending hajj officers with an experience in serving hajj pilgrims. With this new policy, such hajj officers who have traveled to Saudi Arabia this year will be required to pay visa application fees if they are sent to the country next year," he noted.

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