First: The following requirements must be met before obtaining Hajj and Umrah visas:

1) influenza and H1N1 (Swine Flu):

A) It is highly recommended that those who suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and patients with congenital immunodeficiency, HIV, Metabolic Syndrome, pregnant women, refrain from performing Hajj or Umrah for this year (1430H).

B) It is also highly recommended that those aged under 12 and 65 years old also defer performing Hajj or Umrah for this year (1430H)

2) Yellow Fever:

A) Those performing Umrah and Hajj from countries infected by the Yellow Fever (listed bellow) must provide a valid internationally recognized vaccination certificate stating that the person has been vaccinated at least 10 days before applying for a visa.

B) In accordance with the International Health Immunisation regulations, all aeroplanes, ships and other means of transportation coming from countries infected by Yellow Fever must provide a valid disinfection certificate.

List of Countries plagued by Yellow Fever:

Angola – Benin – Sudan – Senegal – Burkina Faso - Central African Republic – Cameroon – Burundi – Chad – Uganda – Congo – Ivory Coast – Sierra leone – Somalia – Ethiopia – Democratic Republic of Congo – Gabon – Gambia – Ghana – Guinea – Equatotial Guinea - Guinea Bissau - Togo – Kenya – Liberia - São Tomé and Principe – Mauritania - Niger - Nigeria – Rwanda – Tanzania - Mali – Ecuador – French Guiana - Guyana – Brazil - Bolivia – Suriname – Peru - Panama - Trinidad and Tobago – Venezuela – Colombia - Argentina - Paraguay.

3) Bubonic Plague in Libya

The Libyan authorities have been requested to ensure that all necessary measures have been taken to combat the spread of this disease by its vector by ensuring that the necessary Measures have been taken and by applying all heath requirements on board transport arriving from Libya.

4) Meningococcal Meningitis

A) – Arrivals from worldwide countries:

All those performing Hajj or Umrah or undertaking seasonal work during the Hajj season are required to have a valid certificate of against Meningococcal Meningitis stating that the traveller is vaccinated at least 10 days prior to their arrival to the Kingdom and not more than 3 years before. The health authorities of the travellers home country must check that the correct procedure of vaccination has been followed for adults and children from the age of 2 years and that a single dose of tetravalent vaccine (against A, C, Y, W135) has been administered.

B) – Incoming travellers from the African Belt countries:

These include: Sudan – Mali – Burkina Faso - Guinea - Guinea Bissau - Nigeria - Ethiopia - Ivory Coast - Niger – Benin - Cameroon – Chad – Aritria – Gambia – Senegal - Central African Republic.

In additoin to the tetravalent vaccine (against A, C, Y, W135) given in their above mentioned countries of origin, the Saudi Health Authority will also vaccinate all arrivals from African Belt countries with a single preventative dose of 500 mg, of ciprofloxacin drug which will reduce the rate of transmission of the microbe among the travellers.

5) Poliomyelitis:-

A) – Incoming travellers from countries where the Polio has not been eradicated such as (Uganda – Kenya – Benin - Angola – Togo – Niger – Burkina Faso – Mali - Central African Republic – Chad – Ivory Coast – Ghana - Democratic Republic of Congo – Ethiopia – Nepol,) are requested to vaccinate children under (15) years with Oral Polio vaccine six weeks prior to their arrival in the Kingdom and to produce a valid vaccination certificate. An additional dose of Oral Polio Vaccine will be given on arrival in the Kingdom.

B) - Incoming travellers of all ages, from countries infected by Poliomyelitis i.e.: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are required to produce a valid vaccination certificate showing that they have been vaccinated with Oral Polio Vaccine at least six weeks prior to their arrival in the Kingdom.

Second: Health Awareness