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Reviewed November 2023
As the Hajj season approaches in 2024, pilgrims are diligently preparing themselves for the upcoming pilgrimage. To be able to partake in this sacred journey, fulfilling certain health-related requirements is imperative for every pilgrim.
Keep reading to know what these requirements are and how you can become eligible for Hajj in 2024.

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Hajj 2024 vaccination requirements
As the official guidelines have yet to be released, please note that some of these requirements and rules were observed during this year’s Hajj season and may not apply to Hajj 2024.
According to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, pilgrims must receive their vaccinations at least 10 days before the start of the Hajj season in order to be eligible to perform the Hajj rituals. It is mandatory for pilgrims to complete all required vaccinations before a Hajj permit can be issued.
COVID-19 vaccine
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that all pilgrims must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with any of the approved vaccines and a dose of a COVID-19 booster. Below is the list of the COVID-19 vaccines approved by Saudi Arabia:
- Pfizer/BioNTech. 2 doses
- Oxford/AstraZeneca: 2 doses
- Janssen. 1 dose
- Moderna. 2 doses
- Sinopharm. 2 doses
- Sinovac. 2 doses
- Covaxin. 2 doses
- Sputnik V. 2 doses
- Nuvaxovid. 2 doses
- Covovax. 2 doses
Source: Approved Vaccines (moh.gov.sa)
Yellow fever vaccine
According to the International Health Regulations 2005, pilgrims arriving from countries or areas at risk of yellow fever must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate showing that the person was vaccinated at least ten days and ten years before arrival border.
In the case of the absence of such a certificate, the pilgrim will be placed under strict surveillance for six days from the date of vaccination or the last date of potential exposure to infection, whichever is earlier.
Here’s the list of the yellow fever risk countries:
Africa
- Angola
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Congo
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Equatorial Guinea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Togo
- Visitors arriving for Umrah, Hajj, or seasonal work must submit a vaccination certificate from Uganda
Central and South America
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Venezuela
Meningococcal Meningitis vaccine
Hajj pilgrims need to submit a vaccination certificate against meningitis with the quadrivalent (ACYW135) vaccine issued no more than three years and no less than ten days before arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Polio vaccine
All pilgrims from polio-endemic countries and re-established transmission countries need proof of polio vaccination at least six weeks before departure to apply for an entry visa for Saudi Arabia. They must have received one dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), regardless of their age and vaccination status.
In addition, pilgrims from such countries under the age of 15 will also receive one dose of OPV at border points on arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Below is the list of polio-endemic countries:
- Afghanistan
- DR Congo
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Pakistan
- Republic of the Congo
- Yemen
Flu shot
The Saudi Ministry of Health recommends that international pilgrims be vaccinated against seasonal influenza before arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, particularly those at increased risk of severe influenza diseases. This includes pregnant women, children under five years, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, asthma, and chronic heart or lung diseases.
Seasonal influenza vaccination, however, is mandatory for local pilgrims, particularly those at risk described above, and all healthcare workers on the Hajj premises. They have to complete all the required vaccinations no less than 10 days before the beginning of the Hajj season.