Jakarta. Indonesia’s Hajj waiting list has stretched to as long as 26 years for the regular pilgrimage program, with demand far outpacing the annual quota allocated by Saudi Arabia, a senior official said on Thursday.

The country receives a yearly quota of 220,000 pilgrims from Saudi authorities — making Indonesia the largest recipient of Hajj slots globally — but currently has around 5.7 million registered applicants across its provinces, according to Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak.

The lengthy queue is partly driven by Indonesia’s financing system, which allows prospective pilgrims to secure a place on the waiting list with an initial deposit, even as available slots remain limited.

Dahnil said the government is exploring ways to introduce a more flexible system that could allow some pilgrims to perform Hajj without waiting, similar to a direct booking model based on available quotas.

“For example, if we are given a quota of 200,000, we set a price, and those who can immediately book and pay would be able to depart without waiting,” he said.

However, he stressed that pilgrims already on the waiting list would remain the government’s top priority under any future scheme.

Dahnil noted that the proposal remains at an early stage, with no formal policy decision yet taken.

Separately, the ministry is working with the National Police to establish a dedicated Hajj and Umrah task force aimed at strengthening pilgrim protection and cracking down on illegal travel practices.

Authorities have reported a growing number of unlicensed travel agencies offering pilgrimage packages, often resulting in pilgrims being denied entry to Saudi Arabia due to improper documentation.

“Preventive measures will be carried out at airports by police and immigration authorities,” Dahnil said. Last year, around 1,200 Indonesian pilgrims were prevented from departing after failing to present valid Hajj visas, a key requirement set by Saudi authorities.

National Police Deputy Chief Commissioner General Dedi Prasetyo said law enforcement has handled dozens of fraud cases related to Hajj and Umrah travel in 2026, involving significant financial losses.

“There have been 42 cases of fraud affecting pilgrims, with estimated losses of around Rp 92.64 billion ($5.4 million),” Dedi said.

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