Saudi Arabia: Polio vaccination must for all Pakistani passengers

Polio vaccination has been made mandatory for all Pakistani travellers before heading to Saudi Arabia, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel.  

According Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson, passengers must get vaccinated at least four weeks before their departure. The vaccination dose should not be older than six months. This requirement applies to Umrah pilgrims, tourist visa holders, and residency visa holders. However, passengers with a transit stay of less than 12 hours are exempt from the vaccination requirement.

The spokesperson further stated that the polio vaccination certificate must bear an official stamp from a government or private hospital. Passengers are advised to carry their vaccination certificates when arriving at the airport to avoid any travel disruptions. In the light of the new instructions from the Saudi government, passengers were facing problems at the airports for the past several days. 

PIA spokesperson advised all passengers who intend to travel to Saudi Arabia are requested to bring the vaccination certificate before coming to the airport in any case, because passengers will not be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia without the certificate. These instructions apply to all airports and travel by all airlines from Pakistan.