Saudi Arabia Mandates Meningitis Vaccine from February 2025
Starting February 1, 2025, Saudi Arabia will require all travelers and pilgrims—including children over one—to show proof of ACYW135 meningitis vaccination administered at least 10 days before arrival. Discover exemptions, compliance zones, and additional health rules for Hajj and Umrah visits.
Update: January 17, 2025, 11:00 CET
From February 1, 2025, Saudi Arabia will enforce a new health rule for all travelers entering the Kingdom, including pilgrims performing Umrah or Hajj. Proof of vaccination against meningitis will be mandatory for everyone aged one year and older.
The required vaccine is quadrivalent meningococcal (ACYW135), which must be administered at least 10 days prior to travel. This requirement is part of measures to curb infectious disease spread during large religious gatherings where transmission risks are high.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has issued an important circular to all airlines operating in the Kingdom, including private aviation.
Who Is Affected?
This new requirement primarily applies to travelers visiting Hajj or Umrah destinations in Saudi Arabia. Unlike previous regulations, visitors entering any holy site or Umrah area—regardless of visa type—are now included.
That means even a visitor traveling to Mecca for a non-pilgrimage visit must comply if they enter designated Umrah zones:
Mecca
Medina
Jeddah
Taif
Visiting Riyadh only—and staying exclusively outside the above cities—does not automatically trigger the mandate, though airline discretion may still apply.
Travel agencies and health authorities must move promptly to inform visitors. If you plan to travel to Saudi Arabia from February 1, 2025 onward, ensure you receive the ACYW135 meningococcal vaccine.
Compliance Checklist
Consult your primary care physician prior to travel.
Confirm vaccine availability in your country.
Obtain the required international certificate of vaccination.
Get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure.
This move highlights the critical role of health preparedness in international travel, especially during mass gatherings like Hajj and Umrah that draw millions annually. For further details on Saudi Arabia’s vaccination rules, see www.visasaudi.sa.com/article/vaccin-obligatoire-voyager-arabie-saoudite/.
Special Travel Requirements for Specific Countries
Meningitis Belt Countries: Travelers arriving from high-risk African nations will receive additional preventive treatment upon arrival.
Polio Vaccination: Citizens from Pakistan, Syria, and Yemen must present a certificate of oral polio vaccination administered six weeks before travel; an additional dose will be administered upon arrival.
For a complete list of mandatory and recommended vaccines, visit the Saudi Ministry of Health website.
