The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has issued a stern warning to citizens planning to perform Hajj using visit visas. Officials clarified that undertaking the pilgrimage with such visas is illegal and exposes travelers to legal consequences in Saudi Arabia, including fines up to 10,000 Saudi Riyals and a decade-long ban from entering the country.
The Central Administration for the Supervision of Companies at the Ministry of Tourism, led by Samia Sami, head of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, emphasized to all travel agencies to refrain from organizing Hajj trips for those holding visit visas. This practice violates both Egyptian and Saudi laws.
Furthermore, the ministry stated that severe penalties, potentially leading to the cancellation of licenses, would be imposed on companies that flout these regulations.
The Egyptian Tourism Companies Chamber has echoed these sentiments, noting that using a visit visa for Hajj is against the law in both countries. They reiterated that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has outlined the sanctions for travel agencies that arrange Hajj programs for individuals with visit visas, which can include license revocation.
Ahmed El-Deri, a member of the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers, mentioned that the Dar Al-Ifta has affirmed that performing Hajj with a visit visa is impermissible and invalid. He stressed that all Egyptian travel companies refuse to organize Hajj programs for visit visa holders in compliance with the law and to ensure the safety of citizens, while also maintaining the integrity of the Hajj season.