•The press conference in session… on Wednesday in Jeddah. Photo: Garba Muhammad/News Express.
By Garba Muhammad in Jeddah
Saudi authorities have discovered some 300 forged visas during the first phase of the 2019 Hajj operations.
Director General, Directorate of Passport, Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Abdullazeez Alyahya, disclosed this at the press conference in Jeddah on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 1,838,339 pilgrims were admitted into Saudi Arabia for the 2019 exercise as at 12 noon Wednesday.
According to the DG, only one person with a valid visa was caught with fake passport.
He said that biometric captures of pilgrims entering KSA takes only between 15-20 seconds, adding that flights that come a little late are usually due to technical faults.
He praised the Crown Prince for his efforts to make pilgrims comfortable and for the success of the first phase of the pilgrimage for this year.
Brig.-Gen. Alyahya also commended the ministry of interior, health, customs, airport, police, military, Hajj and Umrah who have provided services for the success of the operation.
He said that one of the major successes recorded this year is that pilgrims do not have to wait for their luggage upon arrival at the airport, the luggage are delivered to pilgrims at their accommodation. (News Express)