Conditions for the Performance of Hajj and Umrah

Conditions for a Hajj and Umrah Traveler

All the pilgrims traveling with Hajj, Umrah, and visit visas from different countries ought to follow the Saudi Government's following instructions.

• King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
• King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
• Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah
• Prince Abdul Mohsin Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Yanbu

Hajj Traveler

The pilgrims holding the Hajj visa should arrive and depart from the following International Airports only and not any regular SV terminals.

• King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh
• King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah

The Hajj visa holders will have to travel on the scheduled flights to their destinations from the Hajj terminal only and not any regular SV terminal.

The Hajj passengers must have a valid passport and a valid Hajj visa attached to the passport. To avoid any inconvenience at the airport, the Hajj visa holders must read the fare notes and make sure that they have purchased the valid ones. The super saver fare is not valid for the Hajj visa holders. The Saudi government reserves all rights to charge the pilgrims the fare difference between the purchased fare and the Hajj fare plus the applicable change fee at the airport before the pilgrims board the flight.

If you are issuing the tickets or boarding pass from Jeddah to Madinah, you need to ensure that the fare is according to the Hajj prices. It is also crucial to ensure that the time distance between the arrival of the international flight and the takeoff of the flight to the sacred land is not less than 5 hours, especially during the concluding days of arrival.

The pilgrims must get a Hajj permit, especially for the pilgrims from GCC countries during the Hajj period. And whosoever performs the Ihram during the flight to Mecca for Hajj without the Hajj permit will be returned to their home country as formulated in the Saudi government's guidelines.

Health Requirements

Every individual who is up for performing Hajj and Umrah should meet the health requirements established by the Ministry of Health. Only when the individuals meet the requirements will they get their entry visa for Hajj and Umrah.

The following are the health requirements that should be met.

• Yellow fever: All the travelers arriving form the countries or areas at the risk of yellow fever ought to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate that shows the individual was vaccinated at least ten days and at most ten years before the arrival at the border. At the entry point, the health offices hold the responsibility to notify the Director-General of Health affairs in the region of your temporary residence purpose in the kingdom. In the absence of any such report, the individual will be placed under strict watch for around six days.
• Meningococcal Meningitis: All the visitors from different countries arriving in Saudia Arabia to perform Hajj or Umrah will have to submit the vaccination certificate with the quadrivalent (ACYW135) vaccine against meningitis no more than three years and no less than ten days before arriving in Saudi Arabia.
• Poliomyelitis: All the travelers arriving from the polio-epidemic countries and the re-established transmission countries should receive one dose of oral polio vaccine regardless of their age and vaccination status. All the visitors under the age of 15 traveling to Saudi Arabia from other countries should be vaccinated against the OPV's poliomyelitis. They will also be receiving a dose of OPV at the border points.
• Seasonal Influenza: All the international pilgrims are recommended to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza by the Saudi Ministry of Health. The vaccination is also for the internal pilgrims, especially those at the increased risk of severe influenza diseases, pregnant women, children under five years, elderly individuals with the underlying health conditions like chronic disease, lung disease, HIV/AIDS.
• Seasonal Influenza: All the international pilgrims are recommended to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza by the Saudi Ministry of Health. The vaccination is also for the internal pilgrims, especially those at the increased risk of severe influenza diseases, pregnant women, children under five years, elderly individuals with the underlying health conditions like chronic disease, lung disease, HIV/AIDS.

Other Restrictions

The individuals traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj and Umrah are not allowed to bring the fresh foods into Saudi Arabia. Only the appropriately sealed and canned food with easy access for inspection is allowed that too in small quantities.

With all the requirements mentioned above met, performing the pilgrimage and especially traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage might seem to be a daunting task. Still, with Sara International Travel, you make the most of your visit, and we help you make the most of it with our determined team of professionals experienced in Hajj and Umrah services.

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