Umrah Vaccine Exemption Ends; Karachi Airport Reopens 24-Hour Vaccination Centre
The temporary exemption that allowed Umrah pilgrims to travel without vaccination expired on Saturday, prompting Border Health Services to resume Umrah vaccination services for pilgrims and other international travellers at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The International Traveller Vaccination Centre, run by Border Health Services, has been activated at the Civil Dispensary near the airport’s Star Gate at Jinnah Terminal. The centre will offer round-the-clock vaccination services to travellers who need polio, meningitis, yellow fever and other applicable vaccines. With the exemption over, Umrah vaccination has again become compulsory for pilgrims before they fly to Saudi Arabia.
The enforcement deadline for mandatory meningitis and polio vaccination for Umrah pilgrims, as well as yellow fever vaccination for travellers to certain destinations in Africa and North America, had been extended twice between September 5 and October 10. The extensions were meant to give travellers more time to complete the required vaccinations. The rules are now in force.
Umrah vaccination requirements and fees
Officials said Pakistani passport holders travelling abroad must receive the vaccines required for their destinations, transit points and travel itineraries. Travellers have been advised to complete all applicable vaccination requirements before departure and to get their vaccination certificates verified. Pilgrims heading for Hajj face a similar set of mandatory jabs (Hajj Vaccination Made Mandatory).
Dr Ghulam Murtaza Shah, focal person for Border Health, told The Express Tribune that arrangements had been made at the airport centre to provide vaccinations and issue certificates.
The prescribed fee for the meningitis vaccine at Karachi airport is Rs2,785, while the influenza vaccine costs Rs1,720. Payments can be made through NADRA’s Pak ID application. Dr Shah attributed some of the overcrowding at the health centre to people arriving without paying the prescribed fee in advance. No fee for the polio vaccine was announced.
How long the vaccines stay effective
The influenza vaccine remains effective for one year, while the meningitis vaccine protects for three years. Travellers whose certificates are still valid within these periods do not need another dose before departure.
Saudi Arabia requires meningococcal vaccination because the large gatherings of pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah create conditions in which meningitis can spread quickly from person to person. The certificate system helps health authorities in both countries keep track of who is protected.
Centres planned for Larkana and Hyderabad
In the next phase, vaccination centres will be activated in Larkana and Hyderabad so residents of rural Sindh can obtain the required vaccinations and certificates without travelling to Karachi, Dr Shah said.
Pilgrims planning repeat visits this year can also check the multiple-entry Umrah visa option. Those already registered for the Hajj 2027 season can review registration conditions and the second installment payment dates.
Do Umrah pilgrims need vaccination now?
Yes. The exemption expired on October 10 and meningitis and polio vaccination are mandatory again for Umrah pilgrims, enforced through the vaccination centre at Karachi airport.
How much does the meningitis vaccine cost at Karachi airport?
The prescribed fee is Rs2,785. The influenza vaccine costs Rs1,720. Fees can be paid through NADRA’s Pak ID application.
Where can residents of rural Sindh get vaccinated?
Centres in Larkana and Hyderabad will be activated in the next phase so residents can get the required vaccinations and certificates without travelling to Karachi.
