JEDDAH, 11 December 2005 — It is a growing problem that is common at this time of year between Ramadan and Haj. Umrah pilgrims intentionally violate immigration rules and regulations and overstay until they are able to perform Haj and then go back home.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs rules state that all Umrah pilgrims leave the Kingdom after Ramadan. Those who decide to overstay are violating local law and will be deported if arrested.
This raises an ethical question. People sympathize with pilgrim overstayers because their main intention is to stay in the Kingdom to perform Haj, but due to financial hardships they may overstay, breaking the terms of their pilgrimage visa. The Passport Department warns citizens from giving aid and harboring them.
Recently, authorities arrested a Saudi citizen in Makkah giving aid to more than 45 pilgrims by renting them an apartment building. The Saudi citizen charged each pilgrim SR1,000. He promised the pilgrims safe stay until Haj.
In another case, the police arrested more than 275 overstayer pilgrims waiting to perform Haj. Pilgrims were promised safety from authorities until Haj season. The question is why do people give aid to overstayers from Umrah to perform Haj?
Many people sympathize with pilgrims that overstay past the deadline on their Umrah visas, and they are willing to violate the law so they can help them perform Haj. Some residents see no harm in harboring overstaying Umrah pilgrims whose intention is just to stay and make it for Haj and leave.
Mansour Al-Waadi, a Yemeni mechanic, said that he had relatives coming from Yemen to perform Umrah. “It’s too expensive to save money to perform Umrah separately. It would be much more expensive to save money and come for Haj because my relatives are considered middle-low class in terms of income. The authorities in this country should take into consideration the financial situation of poor people that want to perform Umrah and Haj. Perhaps the authorities should arrange for special visas that allow them to stay until Haj.”
Madinah resident Muhammad Fal Ali said that he is already broken the law by harboring overstaying Umrah pilgrims. Fal Ali is allowing relatives from his native country in Mauritania to stay in his house until Haj.
“Personally I do not see why they should leave if they could not afford to come back for Haj,” said Fal Ali. “I can afford to pay for their staying until Haj and that does not bother me. They cannot go outside all the time because of the fear of getting arrested by authorities. I do not want to break the law.”
