Vaccines required in Saudi Arabia

Hello everybody,

When living or moving abroad, and in particular in Saudi Arabia, vaccination against certain diseases is often required to enter the country or to avoid risks.

We would like to ask you a few questions to help future expats there.

What is your relationship to vaccines in general?

Did you get vaccinated before moving to Saudi Arabia?
Were these vaccinations compulsory or recommended?

Did you refuse to get any vaccine that was recommended for Saudi Arabia? If so, why?

If you are an expatriate in Saudi Arabia, are you encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Do you have access to the vaccine and do you plan to get it?

Is this vaccine required for entering the country now?

Many thanks,

Diksha,
Expat.com team

until now COVID-19 vaccine is recommended by all the countries but im pretty sure it is will be as a health passport we will not be able to travel without it

Yes,  You are right. Vaccination certificate is required for children to get admission in school. For elderly people, No such requirements posted.
Saudi Arabia is currently giving free vaccine to all citizens and residences for free and its your choice to accept it. However , keep in mind that corona Vaccination certificate  might be necessary for future travel in & out.

vaccination is mandatory before any one enter into saudi arabia, with out this employment visa is not endorsed which is one time and there is no question of refusal to vaccine if we are willing to work in KSA

for Covid-19 vaccination are in progress with scheduled priorites from older to younger but with individuals wish.
in future health ministry and aviation sector could come to and agreement where vaccination would be manadatory , until its confirmed that available vaccines is suitable for all mutant version of covid

Covid 19 vaccine not mandatory to enter Saudi Arabia.
The are no particular vaccine to come to Saudi Arabia but you have to pass some medical lab tests before coming here depending on your country like Virus C lab test.

Until now Covid-19 vaccine is optional in Saudi Arabia. Currently, Saudi Arabia bans non-Saudis to enter Saudi Arabia temporarily from 20 countries he UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey, as well as the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Japan.

You have to have PCR covid test done 3  days before your travel  to the country,  and a book of all updated vaccines as an adult and preferably your child hood vaccination book if you had one.

I already received vaccines in Saudi Arabia for free,
Just make an appointment my first dosed done last January,
and my second dosed done  last February

It depends on the visa and where you are travelling from .. I had a work visit visa and it turns out that I didn't need any because I was from the UK. However, if I was getting an iqama, I would have needed some.. I got the meningitis vaccine, and the three in one that includes polio.  No one checked my vaccination status for the work visit visa or on entry to Saudi Arabia.

If I had been travelling from a yellow fever area, I would have been required to have that.

I left as coronavirus hit in May so I don't know about that vaccine.  Hope that helps

Hello there,

Entering  Saudi Arabia u need to hv PCR test done wt a validity of 48 hours and hand carry the results wt u.  Once u arrive in the kingdom u can hv covid19 vaccine for free once u make an appointment.
Good luck!

yes.  before entering Saudi Arabia ,you must go through some tests like vision and blood test .

For entering Saudi Arabia you must have certificate of corona test .

Diksha wrote:

Hello everybody,

When living or moving abroad, and in particular in Saudi Arabia, vaccination against certain diseases is often required to enter the country or to avoid risks.

We would like to ask you a few questions to help future expats there.

What is your relationship to vaccines in general?

Did you get vaccinated before moving to Saudi Arabia?
Were these vaccinations compulsory or recommended?

Did you refuse to get any vaccine that was recommended for Saudi Arabia? If so, why?

If you are an expatriate in Saudi Arabia, are you encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine? Do you have access to the vaccine and do you plan to get it?

Is this vaccine required for entering the country now?

Many thanks,

Diksha,
Expat.com team


Yes during this pandemic all the people coming from abroad need to carry out covid test and ensure it is negative. Unless and until this being negative you are not allowed to enter in the Saudi.

No vaccine- not even COVID - was made a prerequisite for my entering and residing Saudi Arabia as at January when I became resident for the second time nor was it required a few years ago when I was here the first time.
Like other posters said, one will have to do mandatory medical tests : Hep, HIV, TB, X-rays and of course COVID PCR not Antigen or Antibody tests. You will not be allowed to enter if you test positive for COVID and Hep B and any residual Hep B antibodies showing up up in tests after treatment must be explained in detail including the specific treatment you were given, medication you were/are on and clean bill of health must be given before you are granted entry.   

I have never refused a vaccine.

Actually Yellow Fever vaccination is not a requirement for Saudi. I do come from such a 'Yellow Fever risk country'  but no vaccine was required of me for my Iqama.

Hi, Until may 17 no travel, will see when time comes, heard there is new vaccine nasal type is under research, no idea  . what will happen, lets see where the things go.

Dear Diksha,

When I moved to Saudi Arabia No vaccination was required. I am an Engineer and working in Pharmaceuticals for the last 24 years. I came to Saudi Arabia in 2015 in a Bio -Pharmaceutical Company and our core business was manufacturing and Packaging of Vaccines.
Normally, in Saudi Arabia vaccination was mandatory for the pilgrims as millions of pilgrims from around the world visit the Holy places throughout the year and very large gatherings are held for the prayers in Makkah and Medina, the two holy cities for the Muslims.

During my service in the Company we used to have Influenza vaccine every year as we were in Makkah and influenza could spread speedily due to mass gatherings.

The experience of having the vaccine is good. I never had any side effects even the slightest fever after the vaccination. I reckon that the vaccination is an excellent  tool against infectious diseases. Now, when COVID 19 is threatening every one the Corona vaccine is mandatory for every one especially the  senior citizens, diabetic patients and the patients of other chronic diseases. The Saudi Government is very keen in providing vaccine to every citizen and the residents in Saudi Arabia free of cost.

Sir
Good time
All those previous vaccines or anti was clinically trialed with given time and researches. Now for covid vaccines like hot cakes from oven. So generally people are not in full confident
If you go for a universal survey may be 40% will say NO to vaccine since they believe in their natural immunity. Now there are reports those who took two dose covid vaccine had covid positive.  However it's early stage to judge

Hi Diksha,

As for your questions, I'll answer them o ne by one:

What is your relationship to vaccines in general?
- I generally hate vaccines.


Did you get vaccinated before moving to Saudi Arabia?
- No


If you are an expatriate in Saudi Arabia, are you encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
- Well, yes. In fact everyone is encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Do you have access to the vaccine and do you plan to get it?
- Yes. Saudi Arabia grants free access to the vaccine for all citizens as well as expats.
    But I hope I won't have to get it.

Is this vaccine required for entering the country now?
No, not required yet.
Regards

Vaccine still not mandatory in this country but slowly it will become a passport for travelers in the near future

Yes i was vaccinated in January 2021 with both doses of Pfizer ... btw i cant see questions so sorry on memory. hadno problems... Saudi Arabia did amazing organization and went smooth. I believe that any assistance in boosting immunity is helping all the world to fight the virus. Doing nothing is neglectful to yourself, your family and the world.
I have been also wearing a medical mask since January and feel thats also doing your part. not getting sick means not spreading... playing on luck and chance is putting all at risk.
Thanks to the Saudis that took a firm stand to fight the virus ...my son in California is still jobless, at home and waiting for family to even have chance to get vaccinated. i feel blessed to have been here ... the fight is not over yet 😷

AOA... From where did u get Pfizer vaccine I want to do also plz reply me....

I dont know if you live in Saudi Arabia but Saudi Arabia gave Pfizer vaccine free thru from Jan till March to all persons citizens and non-citizens above 45 years old. I got mine in January. They now have Astra Zenaca for non-citizens and reserved the Pfizer for citizens as high demand. You need to be a resident in Saudi Arabia to get it and download the application called Tawakalna to phone (designed by Ministry of Health here). After that you can make Covit test appointments and vacine appointment. It also acts a a health passport with barcode to indicate you have been vaccinated and it must be on at all times you leave your house. It tracks persons by capacity in businesses, social gatherings etc . If there has been an exposure at certain place, they know you were there and will notify you to test and possibly quarentine. Very good intervention.