Saudi Arabia requires MenACWY vaccination for every Umrah pilgrim, while proof rules and extra polio, yellow fever and COVID-19 requirements depend on age, health and country of origin. Check the latest rules before travel.
Booking online: Wego combines your flight, hotel stay and visa application in one flow. Vaccination certificates remain your responsibility, so complete the required shots before the travel dates you enter in the package search.
Mandatory Umrah Vaccine in 2026: MenACWY Meningitis
A meningococcal vaccine covering serogroups ACYW is compulsory for every Umrah pilgrim, from every country.
Saudi Arabia treats this as non-negotiable because crowded conditions during prayer and tawaf can spread meningococcal bacteria quickly.
You must take the vaccine at least 10 days before arriving in the Kingdom. A shot taken closer to your travel date does not satisfy the Saudi requirement.
Which MenACWY Type Is Valid and for How Long
Saudi MOH accepts three formulations, with different validity windows:
- Quadrivalent conjugate vaccine (ACYW): valid for 5 years from the date of vaccination
- Pentavalent conjugate vaccine (ACYWX): valid for 5 years from the date of vaccination
- Quadrivalent polysaccharide vaccine (ACYW): valid for 3 years from the date of vaccination
If your certificate does not clearly state the vaccine type, Saudi authorities default to the shorter 3-year validity. Ask your clinic to print the brand name and type on the certificate to avoid problems at the airport.
COVID-19 Vaccine: Required for Specific Groups
For Umrah in 2026, Saudi MOH requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination or immunity for travellers who are over 65, pregnant, or have specified chronic heart, respiratory, kidney, blood, immune, cancer or neurological conditions. Accepted proof includes at least one of the following:
- A single dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2025–2026 season
- Completion of a primary vaccination series (two or more doses received in 2021–2024)
- Laboratory-confirmed recovery from COVID-19 during 2025
If you are unsure whether your condition is covered, check the current Saudi MOH Umrah requirements or ask your doctor before travel.
Conditional Umrah Vaccines: Polio
Polio requirements depend on which country you are travelling from. Saudi MOH operates two separate lists with different vaccination rules.
Table 1 Countries: bOPV or IPV Required
Pilgrims arriving from the following countries must show at least one dose of either bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV):
- WPV1: Afghanistan, Pakistan
- cVDPV1: Mozambique, DR Congo
- cVDPV3: Guinea
Table 2 Countries: IPV Required
Pilgrims from this broader group must show at least one dose of IPV. If IPV is not available, a certificate for at least one dose of type 2 containing oral polio vaccine (including novel OPV2) is accepted:
- Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania
- Others: Indonesia, Palestine, Yemen
Recommended Timing
- IPV: recommended within the previous 12 months and at least 4 weeks before arrival
- OPV: recommended within the previous 6 months and at least 4 weeks before arrival
Saudi health authorities may take additional preventive measures at points of entry after a risk assessment.
Conditional Umrah Vaccines: Yellow Fever
Pilgrims older than nine months arriving from yellow fever risk countries must hold a valid International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP): the yellow card. The certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination and lasts for life with a single dose.
Risk countries requiring the yellow fever vaccine:
- Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda
- South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
If your route includes a layover in a yellow fever country, check with your airline whether that transit triggers the certificate requirement.
Strongly Recommended Vaccines and Health Advice
Beyond mandatory vaccines, Saudi MOH recommends keeping routine immunizations current and taking extra precautions in dense crowds.
Seasonal Influenza
Ask your doctor whether to take the current seasonal influenza vaccine before travel. It is especially worth discussing if you are pregnant, older, immunocompromised or living with a chronic illness.
Routine Vaccines to Update
Make sure these are current before you travel:
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap)
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Hepatitis A and B
MERS-CoV Awareness
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remains present in the Arabian Peninsula, with camels as the main animal reservoir. There is no vaccine. Saudi MOH advises pilgrims to:
- Avoid visits to camel farms, markets, and barns
- Skip raw camel milk, camel urine, and undercooked camel meat
- Wash hands thoroughly after any animal contact
If you develop a fever above 38°C, cough, or breathing difficulty within 14 days of returning home, see a doctor immediately and mention your Umrah travel.
Where to Get Your Umrah Vaccines and Costs
The MenACWY shot is widely available, but where you get it and how much it costs depends on your country.
India
The MenACWY vaccine is available at private hospitals, travel clinics, and certified pharmacies across major cities. Cost typically ranges from INR 4,000 to INR 6,000 per dose.
India is not currently on the Saudi MOH polio-affected list, so most Indian pilgrims will not need a polio certificate: but check the latest requirements before departure as the list is updated periodically.
Pakistan
From 14 September 2026, Pakistan’s Airport Health Department / Border Health Services, under the federal health ministry, requires Hajj and Umrah travellers departing Karachi for Saudi Arabia across airlines to carry valid NADRA-integrated digital vaccination proof or they will not be permitted to travel. Airblue is one carrier that communicated the rule. The directive identifies the Federal Government Civil Dispensary as the authorised vaccination centre; airport vaccination and online registration facilities are planned, and passengers using them should report six hours before departure. Expansion to Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore is reported as planned but is not confirmed active.
Pakistani pilgrims must show both polio and meningococcal vaccination due to Pakistan’s WPV1 status. Polio vaccination is widely available free of cost at government centres.
UAE and GCC
Residents in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman can get the MenACWY vaccine at government health centres, private hospitals, and many pharmacies. In the UAE, prices vary by clinic but typically run AED 200 to AED 400.
Indonesia and Malaysia
Vaccination is administered through certified port health offices and registered Umrah travel agencies. Note that Indonesia is on Saudi MOH’s Table 2 polio list, so Indonesian pilgrims must also show an IPV certificate.
Speak to your travel agent before booking to make sure your vaccination is scheduled with enough buffer time.
UK and Europe
In the UK, MenACWY is available free on the NHS for anyone under 25 who missed it at school, but most GP surgeries do not offer it as a travel vaccine. Most adult pilgrims will need a private travel clinic, where the vaccine typically costs around £45 to £80 per dose with the certificate issued the same day.
What to Carry, When to Time It, and Health Tips for Pilgrimage
Vaccines are only useful if your paperwork holds up at check-in and at the Saudi border. Here is how to keep things smooth.
Documents to Carry
- MenACWY certificate with vaccine type, date, and your full passport name
- COVID-19 vaccination proof if applicable to your group
- Polio vaccination proof if applicable to your origin country
- Yellow fever ICVP “yellow card” if applicable
- Printed and digital copies of every certificate, plus your passport
- Personal medication list with generic names, dosages, and prescriptions in original packaging
Timing Your Vaccinations
Plan your shots at least 4 to 6 weeks before departure. This gives you time to handle any side effects, satisfy the 10-day rule for MenACWY and yellow fever, and follow the recommended 4-week buffer for polio dosing. Last-minute MenACWY or yellow fever vaccination may fall outside the required timing.
Pilgrimage Health Essentials
The combination of crowds, heat, and physical exertion means even fully vaccinated pilgrims face real health risks. Saudi MOH highlights these areas to watch:
- Hydration: drink water and electrolyte fluids regularly, especially between Tawaf and Sa’i
- Heat protection: wear light, breathable fabrics and use the umbrellas and water mist stations provided at holy sites
- Respiratory hygiene: cover coughs and sneezes, wash hands often, and avoid sharing personal items
- Foot care: wear properly fitted footwear to prevent blisters and falls in crowded areas
- Medication management: if you have diabetes, hypertension, or heart conditions, see your doctor before you travel and adjust schedules for time-zone changes
Emergency Numbers in Saudi Arabia
- 937: MOH Call Centre (English and Arabic)
- 997: Saudi Red Crescent ambulance
- 911: Unified emergency number across the Kingdom
The Sehhaty app, available on iOS and Android, gives access to MOH services and your digital health record while in Saudi Arabia.
Sources
- Saudi Ministry of Health: Health Requirements and Recommendations for Travelers to Saudi Arabia for Umrah 1447H (2026)
- Nusuk: Hajj and Umrah Health Guidelines
- Saudi MOH: Pilgrim Health Portal
- CDC Yellow Book 2026: Saudi Arabia: Hajj and Umrah Pilgrimages
- CDC Travelers’ Health: Saudi Arabia
- World Health Organization: Poliomyelitis
- WHO EMRO: Umrah and Hajj Health Messages
- Saudi Council of Health Insurance: Pilgrims Policy
- Saudia Airlines: Hajj and Umrah Health Requirements
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
