JEDDAH (Web Desk) – Saudis and expatriates who help those on Umrah to overstay their visas will be jailed for six months, fined SR 100,000 and deported if they are expatriates, the Saudi Directorate General of Passports (Jawazat) warned on Wednesday.
The directorate urged all Umrah pilgrims to leave the Kingdom before the expiry of their visas.
“If any one of them overstays their visas, they will be jailed for six months and fined SR 50,000,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Jawazat called on Saudis and expatriates not to provide transportation, jobs, shelter or any other assistance to those overstaying their Umrah visas. Penalties will be multiplied with the number of illegal pilgrims whom they helped, the Directorate said.
The Directorate urged companies providing Umrah packages to inform the concerned agencies about delays in the departure of any pilgrim entering the country through them. Failure to do so will result in fines amounting to SR 100,000 for each illegal pilgrim, it added.
It also warned owners of firms not to employ any Umrah overstayer. If any firm violated the regulation, it will be fined SR 100,000. Any firm found guilty of such an offence will also be slapped with a five-year recruitment ban and its concerned manager will be jailed for one year jail and deported if he is an expatriate.
