Travel vaccinations for Saudi Arabia

The meningitis ACWY vaccine is a visa requirement for Umrah and Hajj, given at least 10 days before you arrive and within the last five years for the conjugate vaccine we use in the UK. Beyond that, TravelHealthPro recommends a tetanus booster (the combined diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccine) for most travellers, with hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies depending on your plans, and routine vaccinations such as MMR up to date. Saudi Arabia also recommends a seasonal flu vaccine for pilgrims because of the crowds.

Yes. Saudi Arabia requires proof of meningococcal ACWY vaccination from all Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and seasonal workers as a condition of the visa, and the certificate is checked on arrival. It must show your full name, the vaccine name and type, the date and the clinic’s stamp. The requirement exists for good reason: outbreaks of meningococcal disease have followed previous pilgrimages, including cases in travellers returning to the UK from Umrah in 2024 and 2025. We give the vaccine and issue the certificate in one appointment.

At least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia. The conjugate ACWY vaccine is accepted for five years from the date it was given, so if you had one for a previous pilgrimage within that time, bring the certificate and you may not need another. If the certificate does not state the vaccine type it is treated as valid for three years. It is a single injection, so booking two to three weeks before you fly leaves a comfortable margin.

Not if you fly direct from the UK. Saudi Arabia asks Hajj and Umrah pilgrims arriving from a country where polio is still circulating for a polio certificate, and travellers arriving from a yellow fever risk country for a yellow fever certificate. Either can apply if your journey goes through such a country first, for example combining Pakistan with Umrah, so tell us your full route and we can issue the right certificate.

Ideally four to six weeks before you travel. Some courses, such as rabies and hepatitis B, are given over a few weeks, so the earlier you book the better. If your trip is sooner than that, come in anyway, as there is usually still something we can do to protect you.

It depends on where you are going, what you will be doing and how long you are staying. At your consultation we check your itinerary against the latest TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) recommendations and talk through exactly what is advised for your trip.

Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination before they will let you enter. We are a registered Yellow Fever centre, so we can arrange your vaccination and issue your certificate. We will confirm at your consultation whether your destination needs one.

Vaccines are priced per dose, and some need more than one dose for the full course, so we always show you the total before we start. You can see current prices on our travel vaccination price list. Some vaccines, such as hepatitis A and typhoid, may be free at your GP, though same-day appointments are available with no GP referral needed.

Malaria is prevented with antimalarial tablets, not a vaccine. Whether you need them depends on the region you are visiting and the time of year. We advise on this at your consultation and can prescribe the right tablets for your trip. You can read more on our malaria page.

No. A vaccine can be recommended to protect your health even where no certificate is needed for entry. Some countries do have certificate requirements linked to where you have travelled or transited, so check both the health advice and the entry rules before you depart. Your route and personal circumstances matter to both.

Share your full route, including stopovers and onward travel. Vaccination advice and malaria prevention can differ between countries, and between regions within a country, so we look at every stop when we plan with you.

Yes. Our country guides cover the destinations we are asked about most, but every consultation covers your exact itinerary. Contact the clinic with your destination, departure date and travel plans and we will discuss the next step.

Yes. Advice can change, and a new trip may involve different regions, activities or lengths of stay. Bring your previous vaccination records when you discuss the journey so we can see what is still covered.

Use the TravelHealthPro country information for current health guidance and GOV.UK foreign travel advice for entry rules and travel information. Check again closer to departure, and bring anything you are unsure about to your consultation.