Polio Vaccination Card for Pakistani Travellers to Saudi Arabia (2026)

Saudi Arabia requires every Pakistani traveller to show proof of a recent polio vaccination booster on arrival at Jeddah or Madinah immigration. This requirement applies to ALL Pakistani nationals regardless of visa type (Umrah, Hajj, Tourist, Work, Family). Without the yellow vaccination card, you can be denied entry or detained at the airport. This guide explains everything about getting the booster correctly.

Why polio vaccination is mandatory

Pakistan is one of only two countries (along with Afghanistan) where wild poliovirus is still considered endemic by the WHO. To protect global pilgrim populations — Saudi Arabia hosts over 2 million Hajj and 6+ million Umrah pilgrims annually — Saudi MoFA has required polio vaccination for Pakistani travellers since 2014. The rule is strictly enforced at airport immigration.

Critical timing rule

The polio booster MUST be administered:

• Minimum 28 days before your scheduled arrival in Saudi Arabia (so the immune response has time to develop)
• Maximum 12 months before your scheduled arrival (otherwise it's considered expired)

If you get the booster less than 28 days before flight, Saudi immigration will reject the card as invalid. If you got one more than 12 months ago, you need a fresh one.

Where to get the booster in Pakistan (FREE)

The polio booster is FREE for all Pakistani citizens at any government EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) centre. Major centres:

Punjab

• District Health Office in every city + town
• Government hospitals (Mayo, Services, Holy Family, Allied, DHQ in each district)
• Designated EPI centres in every Tehsil

Sindh

• Civil Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Sindh Government Hospitals (Karachi)
• Liaquat University Hospital (Hyderabad)
• Chandka Medical College Hospital (Larkana)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• Khyber Teaching Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital (Peshawar)
• District Headquarters Hospitals in every district

Balochistan

• Civil Hospital Quetta, Bolan Medical Complex

ICT (Islamabad / Rawalpindi)

• Polyclinic Hospital Islamabad, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, all District Health Offices

What to bring

• Original CNIC (or B-Form for minors)
• Original passport (so the vaccination card matches your passport name)
• Photocopy of CNIC and passport bio page

What the yellow card looks like

The official polio vaccination certificate is a small yellow booklet (or sometimes a single yellow card) issued by the EPI clinic. It contains:

• Your full name (matching passport)
• Passport number
• Date of vaccination
• Vaccine batch number
• Vaccinator's signature + clinic stamp
• WHO official stamp

Keep the original card with your passport. Photocopies are NOT accepted at Saudi immigration.

What if you lose your yellow card?

You cannot replace it — you'll need to get the booster again at any EPI centre and receive a new card. This is why we recommend keeping the card in your passport sleeve from the day you receive it.

Children's vaccinations

Children under 5 should already have their full polio series under Pakistan's EPI schedule. They still need the additional travel booster (OPV or IPV) within the 28-day to 12-month window before Saudi travel. The same yellow card applies.

Other vaccines to consider

While polio is the only one strictly enforced for all Pakistani travellers, Saudi also requires:

• Meningococcal ACWY: Required for ALL Hajj and Umrah pilgrims globally (not just Pakistanis). Valid for 3 years. NOT free — PKR 4,000-6,500 at private hospitals.
• Seasonal flu vaccine: Recommended but not mandatory.
• Yellow fever: Only required if you've recently visited a yellow-fever endemic country.

Al Bari Travel coordinates vaccination scheduling as part of our standard Umrah and Hajj support. We give every pilgrim a printable vaccination timeline 60+ days before departure so the polio booster timing works correctly.