Hello Mumbai International Desk

The Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued this document to indicate health requirements and recommendations for individuals planning to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, visit either or both Holy Mosques, or visit Umrah areas¹ during 1446H (2025).

• Required vaccines:

The Ministry of Health require providing document(s) indicating receiving the following vaccine(s):

• Recommended vaccines:

The Ministry of Health recommend that Umrah pilgrims and visitors to receive the following vaccines:

• Preventive health measures taken at points of entry in Saudi Arabia by health authorities:

• General health recommendations:

4.1.     Physical and mental ability:

The Ministry of Health recommends that the countries from which the Umrah pilgrim comes to take into account that Umrah pilgrims are free of illnesses or disabilities that limit the minimally required level of physical and mental ability, including conditions that would restrict the Umrah pilgrim from performing Umrah rituals, and they are as follows:

• Advanced kidney failure that requires hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
• Advanced heart failure with symptoms appear at rest or with minimal physical exertion.
• Chronic lung diseases that require intermittent or continuous use of oxygen.
• Advanced cirrhosis accompanied by signs of liver failure such as ascites, variceal bleeding, and episodes of decreased or loss of consciousness.
• Severe neurological and psychological diseases that impair cognition or are accompanied by severe motor disabilities.
• Advanced age accompanied by dementia.
• The last two months of pregnancy, and high-risk pregnancy at all stages of pregnancy.
• Active infectious diseases that have public health implications in mass gatherings (such as open pulmonary tuberculosis and hemorrhagic fevers).
• Patients with active cancer receiving chemotherapy.

4.2.     Chronic diseases:

The Ministry of Health recommends that Umrah pilgrims with chronic diseases visit health care providers before traveling for Umrah, and bring with them documents of their health condition and a sufficient quantity of the medications they are taking in their original packaging.

4.3.     Respiratory infections and vector-, food-, and water-borne diseases:

Umrah pilgrims and visitors are advised to adhere to the following health instructions:

• Wash hands with soap and water or use disinfectants especially after coughing and sneezing, after using the toilet, before preparing and eating food, and after touching animals.
• Use tissues when coughing or sneezing and dispose them properly in trash bins.
• Wear mask while performing Umrah rituals and in crowded places. Masks should be changed with dry ones when they get wet.
• Avoid direct contact with people who show symptoms of disease, and avoid sharing their personal tools.
• Avoid direct contact with camels on farms, markets, or barns; and avoid drinking unpasteurized milk or eating raw meat or animal products that have not been cooked well.
• Cook food well, keep food at safe temperatures, and do not eat uncovered cooked foods or those stored outside the refrigerator.
• Do not sleep outdoors, and use mosquito repellent products when needed.

• Responding to international health events:

In the case of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) or any event subject to notification under the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Umrah traveler’s country of origin, the Ministry of Health will undertake all additional necessary measures in consultation with international organizations.

Appendix 1:

Table 1: States reporting cases of WPV1 or cVDPV1 as the date of issuance of this document:

WP1: Afghanistan and Pakistan cVDPV1: Mozambique, DR Congo and Yemen

Table 2: States reporting cVDPV2 positive Human Sources samples or Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) cases and from which travelers are required to provide proof of vaccination as the date of issuance of this document:

Africa: Nigeria, Kenya, Mali, Chad, South Sudan, DR Congo, Guinea, Somalia, Benin, Niger, Angola, Cameron, Ethiopia and Liberia.

Others: Indonesia, Palestine and Yemen

 Table 3:  States reporting positive Environmental Sources samples of cVDPV2 and from which travelers are recommended to be vaccinated as the date of issuance of this document:

Africa: Algeria, Angola, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia,

South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Others: Palestine, Spain and Yemen

Appendix 2:

Countries/areas at risk of Yellow Fever transmission, as per the WHO International Travel and Health Guidelines as the date of issuance of this document:

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, Togo and Uganda

Americas: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru

Surinam, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago

Appendix 3:

Countries/areas with frequent epidemics of meningococcal meningitis and countries at risk for meningitis epidemics as the date of issuance of this document:

Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo,

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger,, Nigeria, South Sudan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda

Appendix 4:

Countries affected with Zika and/or Dengue as the date of issuance of this document:

Africa: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire,

Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, Uganda and Sudan

Americas: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Europa, AL Bahama, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire,

Dominica, Dominican Republic, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Caiman Islands,

Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and

Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala,

Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Isla de Pasqua – Chelsea, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua,

Saint Vincent and the Grindins, Saint Martin, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands and Venezuela

Asia: Bangladesh, Fiji, Vietnam, India, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines,

Maldives, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Micronesia, Solomon Islands,

Cambodia, New Caledonia, Tonga, Cook Islands, Palau, Vanuatu and Sri Lanka

Gasa Circular

To: All airlines operating in the airports of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including Private Aviation.
Subject: Ensuring that holders of Umrah visas, or those intending to perform Umrah regardless of visa type, have received the required vaccination.
Reference:
1. Article No. (23) of Civil Aviation Law.
Instructions:
1. All airlines must inform passengers coming to the Kingdom holders of Umrah visas, or those intending to perform Umrah or visit regardless of visa type, about the health requirements mentioned in the Ministry of Health link below to ensure that passengers have received the necessary vaccinations, including the Neisseria meningitis vaccine:
https://www.moh.gov.sa/HealthAwareness/pilgrims Health/Pages/default.aspx
2. Airlines must ensure that passengers in this category are vaccinated with the Quadrivalent Neisseria meningitis vaccine, either with a polysaccharide or conjugated type. Passengers must hold a vaccination certificate issued at least (10) days prior to arrival and not more than (3) years for the polysaccharide type, or (5) years for the conjugated type.
3. Children under the age of (1) are exempt from the meningococcal vaccine.
4. Airlines shall take necessary precautions at the point of embarkation to ensure that persons are in possession of the documents prescribed by the States of transit and destination.
5. Failure to comply with circulars issued by GACA is an explicit violation of the government’s orders. Violators shall be held responsible, and legal procedures shall be initiated against them.