Saudi Arabia has issued fresh guidelines for pilgrims entering the country for 1444 (2023) holy pilgrimage and has shared tips on prohibited items and customs rules.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said pilgrims carrying more than SR60,000 ($16,000) in cash or jewellery must declare their items to authorities.
A message from the Ministry on social media said: “Please avoid bringing large amounts of cash and valuable items with you when travelling to the kingdom.
“This will help to make the process faster and easier for you”.
The ministry also said it was essential for pilgrims to fill out customs declarations when carrying local or foreign currencies worth more than SR60,000 and when carrying gold bars or jewellery worth more than SR60,000.
They are also expected to make a declaration when carrying goods in commercial quantities with a value of more than SR3,000, when carrying items that are prohibited from being imported or exported, such as antiquities and when carrying items subject to Excise Tax.
“Failure to fill in customs declarations can expose pilgrims to legal accountability,” the ministry said.
In a separate social media post, the ministry also identified prohibited luggage for Hajj travellers.
In a separate social media post, it identified prohibited luggage for plane passengers as unwrapped and tied luggage, fabric-wrapped luggage, plastic bags and excess weight.
The NewsZenith reports that Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a holy journey that every adult Muslim must make at least once in his/her lifetime if they have the means.
Saudi Arabia confirmed earlier this year that it will no longer impose age and travel limitations and that the number of visiting pilgrims will return to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2019, an estimated 2.5 million Muslims performed Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
