Saudi Arabia requires meningitis vaccine from February 2025

** Updated January 17, 2025 at 11 a.m. **

From February 1, 2025, Saudi Arabia will impose a new health rule for all travelers entering its territory, including pilgrims performing Umrah or Hajj. This measure makes it compulsory for all adults and children aged one and over to present a certificate of vaccination against meningitis..

The required vaccine is meningococcal tetravalent (ACYW135), which must be administered at least 10 days before your trip to Saudi Arabia. This decision is aimed at preventing the spread of infectious diseases, particularly at large religious gatherings where the risk of transmission is high.

Saudi Arabia's General Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) has issued an important circular for all airlines operating in the Kingdom, including private aviation.

All travelers? Not exactly

This new requirement applies primarily to people making the Hajj or Omra pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The difference with the previous situation is that other reasons for visiting are also concerned (“regardless of visa type") provided they are in a holy place or in an Omra zone.

In other words, a visitor to Mecca for a simple visit will have to comply with this constraint.

The list of Umrah zones is as follows:

  • Mecca
  • Medina
  • Djeddah
  • Taif

If this update is anything to go by, just visiting Riyadh should "avoid" having to go through the vaccine procedureBut it's up to the airline to decide whether or not to take you on board...

Travel agencies and health authorities in the countries concerned must adapt quickly to inform and prepare travelers. If you're planning a trip to Saudi Arabia after February 1, 2025, you'll need to find out about vaccination against meningococcal disease.

Recommendations

  1. Consult your GP before travelling.
  2. Check the availability of the vaccine in your country.
  3. Obtain the required international vaccination certificate.
  4. Plan your vaccination at least 10 days before departure.

This measure underlines the importance of health preparation for international travel, particularly for pilgrimages which attract millions of people every year. You can read our article https://www.visasaudi.sa.com/article/vaccin-obligatoire-voyager-arabie-saoudite/Click here to find out more about the vaccines recommended for travel to Saudi Arabia.

Specific measures for certain countries

  • Meningitis circle" countries Travelers from high-risk African countries will receive additional preventive treatment on arrival.
  • Polio vaccination Nationals of certain countries (Pakistan, Syria, Yemen) must present a certificate of oral polio vaccination, carried out six weeks prior to travel. An additional dose will be administered on arrival.

You can consult the list of compulsory and recommended vaccines from the Saudi Ministry of Health on their website: https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/.

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As a customer relations officer, my role is to manage and monitor visa applications. I keep abreast of new travel formalities and the specific features of new visas.

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