Is the Umrah Vaccine Mandatory? The Meningitis Vaccine and Health Preparation

The Umrah vaccine is something everyone preparing for the journey to the Kaaba should deal with as early as their passport and visa, because the vaccination appointment, the document process and the visa application are all linked to one another. In this article, we explain what the Umrah vaccine is, the general framework of Saudi Arabia’s health requirements, where and when you can get vaccinated, what the vaccination card is for, and the practical precautions you can take to stay healthy throughout your Umrah. This content is for general information purposes and is not a substitute for medical advice; for every decision about vaccination and your state of health, we recommend that you consult your family doctor or the travel health centres of Türkiye’s Ministry of Health.

What Is the Umrah Vaccine?

When people speak of the “Umrah vaccine”, they usually mean the meningitis vaccine, that is, the vaccine against the meningococcal bacterium. During the Hajj and Umrah seasons, millions of people from all over the world gather in the same places, which increases the risk of infectious diseases spreading. For this reason, Saudi Arabia has for many years required Hajj and Umrah travellers to have received certain vaccines.

Apart from the meningitis vaccine, some vaccines, such as the seasonal flu vaccine, may also be recommended to travellers. Your doctor decides which vaccines are necessary or suitable for you, taking into account your age, your medical history and the vaccines you have had before.

Is the Umrah vaccine mandatory?

Saudi Arabia has long required Umrah and Hajj travellers to have certain vaccines, above all the meningitis vaccine. However, the scope of the requirement, the type of vaccine required, the period of validity and how the document is to be presented are updated from time to time. For this reason, you need to confirm the current conditions with official sources and your travel agency before travelling.

What is the Umrah vaccine and what does it protect against?

The meningitis vaccine, known as the Umrah vaccine, aims to provide protection against infections caused by certain groups of the meningococcal bacterium. You can get the most accurate information about the type of vaccine, the scope of its protection and who it is suitable for from the healthcare provider administering the vaccine and from your doctor.

Saudi Arabia’s Health Requirements

Every year, the Saudi Ministry of Health announces the health requirements for Hajj and Umrah travellers. These requirements generally cover mandatory vaccines, additional vaccines for those coming from certain countries and recommended protective measures. It has been seen that new requirements can be added to this list during epidemics, and that some requirements can be removed once an epidemic is over.

For travellers going from Türkiye, the requirement most often encountered is the meningitis vaccine. You may be asked to declare the vaccine during the visa application, to carry the vaccination document with you or to have it registered in electronic systems. For the other steps of the visa process, you can take a look at our article on how to get an Umrah visa.

Has the Umrah vaccination requirement been lifted?

News that the vaccination requirement has been lifted may circulate on the internet from time to time; such news sometimes concerns only a particular vaccine or a particular period. To find out the current status of the requirement for the meningitis vaccine, we recommend that you rely on the official announcements of the Saudi authorities, the travel health units of the Ministry of Health and your travel agency.

Where Can You Get the Umrah Vaccine?

In Türkiye, vaccines and vaccination documents for international travel are issued by the travel health centres of the Ministry of Health. These centres serve in large cities and at points of entry such as ports and airports. As demand increases during the Hajj and Umrah seasons, it is important to book your appointment early.

In some cases, the vaccine can also be obtained through family doctors or private healthcare providers; however, you need to ask the institution you apply to how a document with international validity will be issued. Do not forget to take your passport with you when you go for the vaccination; it is important that the details on the document match those in your passport.

For those travelling on a tour, coordinating the vaccination process with their organisation also makes things easier. Agencies often let travellers know at which stage and in what form the vaccination information is required for the visa application. Sharing your vaccination date and document details on time helps the application to be completed without delay. Planning the appointments of family members who will be going on the same journey together also saves time.

When should you get the Umrah vaccine?

Since it takes a certain amount of time for the vaccine’s protective effect to develop, the vaccine is required to be given sufficiently in advance of the journey. Be sure to ask the healthcare provider administering the vaccine how long this period should be and whether your vaccine covers your travel dates. A vaccination left until the last week can adversely affect both the visa process and your protection.

Do you have to pay for the Umrah vaccine?

Whether the vaccine is charged for, and how much it costs, can vary according to the type of vaccine, the institution providing it and the period, so we do not give a figure here. When booking your appointment, you can find out from the healthcare provider you apply to how the vaccination and document procedures are charged.

Do those who have been vaccinated before need to be vaccinated again?

For those who have previously been vaccinated for Hajj or Umrah, whether the vaccine is still valid depends on the type of vaccine given and how much time has passed since then. You can find out whether you need to be vaccinated again by showing your old vaccination card or your e-Nabız records (Türkiye’s personal health record system) to your doctor.

The Vaccination Card and Health Documents

The international vaccination certificate issued after vaccination is popularly known as the “vaccination card” or the “yellow card”. This document shows, in an internationally valid format, on what date and at which institution the vaccine was given. The safest course is to keep your vaccination card together with your passport and to carry it with you throughout the journey.

What is the Umrah vaccination card and what is it for?

The Umrah vaccination card is the international certificate that documents that the vaccines required for travel, such as the meningitis vaccine, have been given. It may be requested during the visa application, at the airport or during health checks in Saudi Arabia. Keeping a photocopy of the card and a photo of it on your phone makes things easier for you if the document is lost.

What should you do if you lose your vaccination card?

A traveller who loses their vaccination card needs to apply to the healthcare provider where the vaccine was given and request that the document be reissued on the basis of the records. As this process can take time, it is important to notice the loss before the journey and to keep a digital copy of the card.

Apart from the vaccination card, the health documents that are useful to have with you are as follows:

• A list showing the active ingredient names of the medicines you take
• If you have a chronic illness, an up-to-date medical report from your doctor
• Copies of the prescriptions for your prescription medicines
• A card showing your blood group, allergy information and the person to contact in an emergency
• The details of your health insurance policy

You can find the other items that should go into your suitcase along with your documents in our Umrah packing list.

Other Vaccines That May Be Recommended

Apart from the meningitis vaccine, some vaccines may also be recommended depending on the traveller’s age and state of health. Since respiratory infections spread easily in crowded settings, the seasonal flu vaccine is one of the vaccines that frequently comes up. For elderly travellers and those with chronic illnesses, the doctor may also consider other vaccines.

It is also useful for families travelling with children to have their children’s routine vaccination schedule checked before the journey to see whether it is up to date. Since which travel vaccines are suitable for children varies with age, it is necessary to get the opinion of a paediatrician on this matter.

What are the Umrah vaccines?

The best-known vaccine for Umrah travellers is the meningitis vaccine; in addition, the seasonal flu vaccine and other vaccines recommended by the doctor according to the person’s situation may also come up. Which vaccines are suitable for you should be decided by your family doctor, who knows your medical history, or by the doctor at the travel health centre.

Who Should Definitely Consult a Doctor?

Every traveller is advised to prepare for vaccination and health together with a doctor; however, for some groups this consultation is especially important:

1. Pregnant or breastfeeding women
2. Those with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and lung disease
3. Those who have an illness that affects the immune system or who take medication that does so
4. Those who have previously had an allergic reaction to any vaccine
5. Families travelling with babies and young children
6. Elderly travellers

We have touched on other matters relating to travel plans for pregnant travellers in our Umrah guide for women.

How should those with chronic illnesses carry their medicines?

Travellers who take medication regularly are advised to carry their medicines in their original boxes, in a quantity that will last longer than the journey, and in their hand luggage. Since a prescription or medical report may be requested when bringing some medicines into Saudi Arabia, it is important, especially for controlled medicines, to find out the current rules before travelling and to obtain the necessary documents from your doctor.

Does the Umrah vaccine have side effects?

As with every vaccine, some people may experience various effects after the meningitis vaccine. Ask the healthcare staff administering the vaccine about the reactions you may experience after the vaccination and when you should go to a healthcare provider; in the event of anything unexpected, contact your doctor without delay.

Preparing to Stay Healthy During Umrah

Vaccination is only one part of health preparation. The hot climate of Makkah and Madinah, long walks, crowded settings and a changing sleep pattern can put a strain on the body. The table below summarises health preparation by dividing it into stages, from before the journey until your return:

In the hot months, important precautions include not staying outdoors for long periods in the middle of the day, wearing light-coloured and breathable clothing, using a sun umbrella, and drinking Zamzam and water regularly throughout the day. We have explained which season may suit you best in our article on the best time to go for Umrah.

Important: Saudi Arabia’s vaccination requirements, vaccine types and periods of validity may change. This article is not medical advice; consult your family doctor or the Ministry of Health’s travel health centres on every matter relating to your vaccination and health preparation, and confirm the current requirements with official sources and your travel agency before travelling.

Health Issues to Watch Out for During Umrah

A significant proportion of the health problems Umrah travellers face are situations that can be reduced with simple precautions. The long walks of tawaf and sa’i can cause blisters and friction sores on the feet; for this reason, comfortable slippers and shoes that you have already broken in should be chosen, and small wounds should be kept clean. Travellers with diabetes need to take particular care of the health of their feet.

Changes in eating habits and food sold in the open can cause digestive problems. Eating in reliable places, washing your hands often and drinking sealed bottled water reduce this risk. If you experience any health problem during the journey, letting your guide know makes it easier for you to reach the nearest healthcare facility when necessary.

How can you protect yourself from heatstroke?

In the hot months, the basic ways to protect yourself are not staying in the sun for long periods around midday, using an umbrella, drinking water at regular intervals and planning your acts of worship for the cooler hours. If dizziness, nausea, weakness or confusion is noticed, the person should be moved to a cool place immediately and help should be sought from healthcare staff without delay.

The “Umrah Cough” and Health After Your Return

The “Umrah cough”, much talked about among those returning from Umrah, is a popular expression used for respiratory complaints that arise because of crowded settings, sudden transitions between air-conditioned spaces and the hot outdoors, and fatigue. Wearing a mask in crowds, washing your hands often or using hand sanitiser, resting in places where the air conditioning does not blow directly on you and getting enough sleep can help reduce the risk of such complaints.

Getting enough rest during the journey is directly related to choosing a programme length that suits your state of health. To assess how many days of programme would suit you, you can take a look at our article on how many days Umrah takes.

Is it normal to get ill after returning from Umrah?

Mild complaints may occur on your return because of the tiredness of travel and crowded settings; however, no symptom should be dismissed as “normal”. In the case of complaints such as fever, shortness of breath, a severe headache or a prolonged cough, go to a healthcare facility without delay and be sure to tell your doctor that you have recently returned from Umrah.

Completing your Umrah journey in good health is also the foundation of being able to perform your worship in peace. At RotaNur, on our Umrah tours, we inform our travellers about the vaccination and document process before they set off, and we provide the necessary guidance for their health throughout the journey. For your questions about your preparations, you can reach us via our contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions