Pilgrims’ Belongings Exempt from Import Duties and Taxes

JAKARTA – Good news for Indonesian hajj pilgrims. The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Finance (Kemenkeu), has officially provided facilities for the exemption of import duties and taxes on items brought back or shipped from the Holy Land by Hajj pilgrims. This exemption applies to all returning pilgrims starting from early Thursday, June 12.

On the first day of return alone, around 1,800 notifications were recorded for pilgrims’ goods that qualified for this exemption. The total estimated value of these goods was US$149,000, or approximately IDR 2.4 billion, assuming an exchange rate of IDR 16,270 per US dollar.

Deputy Minister of Finance Anggito Abimanyu explained that the exemption applies to goods carried by passengers as well as items sent separately. Pilgrims, therefore, need not worry about bringing large quantities of souvenirs such as dates or prayer rugs.

“We do not levy or impose import-related taxes (PDRI), including import duties and taxes. So pilgrims need not worry if they bring back large quantities of items like dates or prayer rugs,” he stated during a press conference at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Wednesday, June 11, as quoted by kontan.co.id.

The return process for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims is scheduled to continue for the next 30 days, starting from the arrival of the first group around 2:00 a.m. WIB.

Head of the Soekarno-Hatta Main Customs Office, Gatot Sugeng Wibowo, added that neither the pilgrims nor their baggage would be picked up at the airport. Instead, all pilgrims and their belongings will be directly transported to designated debarkation sites.

These debarkation sites include several locations, such as Pondok Gede (East Jakarta), Bekasi, and Cipondoh (Tangerang).

“This baggage (belongings of Hajj pilgrims) will be taken directly to the debarkation point. The same goes for the passengers—they will all be picked up there, not at Soekarno-Hatta Airport,” Gatot clarified.

The legal basis of the policy is grounded in two new regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance: PMK No. 4 of 2025, which amends provisions on the import and export of consigned goods, and PMK No. 34 of 2025, which revises PMK No. 203/PMK.04/2017 concerning the export and import of goods carried by passengers and crew members. (KEN)