Islamabad: Saudi Arabia’s official health regulations for Umrah 1447H (2026) do not list seasonal influenza vaccination as a mandatory condition for pilgrims from Pakistan, yet Border Health Services is collecting Rs4,500 from travellers for three vaccines, including free polio drops and an influenza shot, officials and pilgrims said.
The Saudi document requires Pakistani Umrah pilgrims of all ages to have a valid meningococcal vaccine and at least one dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine or inactivated polio vaccine, while COVID 19 proof is required only for specified vulnerable groups.
The “Health Requirements and Recommendations for Travelers to Saudi Arabia for Umrah 1447H (2026)” document places meningococcal meningitis, polio, yellow fever and COVID 19 under mandatory requirements, but applies the yellow fever requirement only to travellers arriving from listed affected countries.
Pakistan is specifically named among countries from which all arrivals, regardless of age or previous vaccination status, must receive at least one dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine or inactivated polio vaccine before travelling to Saudi Arabia.
For meningococcal disease, all Umrah pilgrims from every country must have received either a quadrivalent ACYW conjugate vaccine within the previous five years or a quadrivalent ACYW polysaccharide vaccine within the previous three years. Both must be administered at least 10 days before arrival in the Kingdom.
The Saudi regulations also require proof of COVID 19 vaccination, prior primary vaccination or recovery from COVID 19 for Umrah pilgrims aged over 65 years, pregnant women and people with specified chronic illnesses, including heart and respiratory diseases, kidney failure, cancer and immune deficiencies.
However, seasonal influenza is not included among the mandatory Umrah vaccination requirements. The document mentions influenza under health recommendations and specifically states that all travellers intending to perform Hajj are advised to receive the updated seasonal influenza vaccine for the 2025-26 season before travelling to Saudi Arabia.
The distinction between a requirement and advice has become important for Pakistani Umrah pilgrims, with BHS officials reportedly charging Rs4,500 for three vaccines, including polio drops, meningococcal vaccine and influenza vaccine, along with a NADRA linked vaccination certificate.
Polio vaccine is supplied free of charge under Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation and national polio eradication initiative. Health officials said BHS and the health ministry should publicly explain the approved fee structure and clearly state whether the amount covers vaccination, certificate generation, service delivery or any other charge.
They said no traveller should be left with the impression that polio drops themselves carried a price, especially when the government provides them free through routine immunisation and polio campaigns.
When contacted, BHS official Murtaza Shah maintained that influenza vaccination was mandatory for Saudi bound pilgrims. Asked to identify the Saudi Umrah advisory provision making it compulsory, he could not substantiate the claim from the regulations.
He said influenza vaccination was being given to protect travellers from contracting influenza and to reduce the burden on tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. However, he did not provide data on the number of returning Umrah pilgrims admitted to hospitals with influenza or related complications.
Public health experts said encouraging influenza vaccination, especially among elderly pilgrims and people with diabetes, heart disease or chronic lung conditions, was medically sound. But they said preventive advice should not be converted into a compulsory travel condition unless there was a written requirement from Saudi authorities or a clearly notified policy of the Pakistani government.
They also called for disclosure of the manufacturer, regulatory approval, batch details and price of vaccines being offered to pilgrims. They said passengers must be given accurate information about which vaccines are mandatory for entry, which are recommended for their protection and what they are being charged for.
The issue comes amid wider concern over repeated changes in BHS leadership and questions over its policies for travellers. Health officials said the ministry should issue a public clarification on the Saudi Umrah requirements, the legal basis of the Rs4,500 charge and the availability of NADRA linked certificates without confusion or avoidable cost to pilgrims.
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