Vaccination for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims

Vaccination is required for all Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. On this page you’ll find an overview of why it’s important and what vaccines are available.

• Meningitis occurs in all countries, but it’s much more common in certain areas. The risk of getting meningitis can be higher in crowded conditions.
• Epidemics and outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis have been linked to both the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
• If you’ll be performing Hajj or Umrah, you should get vaccinated with MenACWY before you travel.
• Not all causes of meningitis are vaccine preventable, so it’s important to know the symptoms.

Why is it important to be vaccinated before Hajj and Umrah?

Mass gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah can be associated with increased risk of spreading infectious diseases such as meningitis.

Large epidemics of meningococcal disease have been linked to the Hajj pilgrimage in the past, at first due to group A meningococcal bacteria and then in 2000/2001 to group W meningococcal bacteria when pilgrims returned to their own countries.^1,2 More recently, in 2024, there have been cases of meningococcal infection associated with Umrah pilgrimages.³  

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family from meningitis. It also helps prevent the spread of the disease. 

What are the vaccines for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims?

MenACWY vaccination is a compulsory entry requirement into Saudi Arabia for pilgrims on Hajj. It protects against meningitis caused by four different strains of meningococcal bacteria: A, C, W and Y. 

It’s recommended that all pilgrims on Hajj or Umrah be vaccinated with MenACWY. Pilgrims on Hajj or Umrah aged one and above must present a certificate of MenACWY vaccination before they can gain entry into Saudi Arabia during Hajj season. The certificate must have been issued at least ten days before arrival. This also applies to seasonal workers in Hajj areas. 

It’s currently possible to perform Umrah without having had the vaccine. But it’s not recommended, due to the increased risk of meningitis associated with pilgrimages and past outbreaks resulting from them. Pilgrims can perform Umrah on a visitor visa, whereas performing Hajj requires a specific Hajj visa. It’s not possible to obtain a Hajj visa without proof of vaccination.

Every year, the Saudi Ministry of Health issues requirements for entry visas relevant to pilgrims. The rituals of Hajj are expected to start from the evening of 4 June 2025 and continue until the evening of 9 June 2025. The actual dates depend on the sighting of the moon of Dhul Hijjah.⁴ 

Read the requirements for entry to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj for 2025.

Read the requirements for entry to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah for 2025.

What vaccines are available to me?

Two types of vaccine are available. They are:
 

• Conjugate vaccines. These produce a long-lasting immune response and are effective in babies as young as two months of age.  
• Polysaccharide vaccines. Protection from these vaccines doesn’t last as long as protection from conjugate vaccines. Polysaccharide vaccines won’t provide protection to young children. 

It’s important to make sure that the name of the vaccine given is clearly recorded on your vaccination certificate. 

Certificates which state that a conjugate vaccine was received are valid for five years. Certificates which don’t state the name of the vaccine received, or which state that a polysaccharide vaccine was received, are only valid for travel three years after the date of immunisation.

Three conjugate MenACWY vaccines are available in the UK:
 

• Menveo®.
• Nimenrix®.
• MenQuadfi®.

Polysaccharide MenACWY vaccines are no longer available in the UK, but are available in some other countries.

If you live outside of the UK, check with your healthcare provider to find which MenACWY vaccines are available to you.

Are the vaccines safe?

Yes, the vaccines are safe. The ingredients of the three conjugate vaccines available in the UK have been in use for many years. Both Menveo® and Nimenrix® have been used as travel vaccines, and have routinely been used in the UK as teenage immunisations. 

You may experience minor side effects following vaccination. These symptoms are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days. They may include:
 

• Pain where the vaccine was injected.
• Headache.
• Nausea.

Author: Meningitis Research Foundation.
Reviewed by: Dr Ghulam Mustafa, Helping Hands Foundation.
Published: 28 March 2025.