Saudi Arabia’s Vaccine Rules Complicate Umrah Pilgrimage for Moroccan Sinopharm Recipients

To do this, they must complete their vaccination schedule with a third dose of the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines, recognized and approved by Saudi Arabia, reports Le360, citing Khalid Benzazzouz, president of the National Federation of Travel Agencies in Morocco.

As for those who have not yet been vaccinated, and who still wish to go to Saudi Arabia, they only need to apply for a visa for that country, present a negative PCR test that was carried out 48 hours before their trip, and then undergo a 10-day health quarantine in one of the hotels designated by the Saudi government. An option that remains expensive, the same sources point out.

Faced with the situation, the agencies have noted a drop in requests for the current year compared to the pre-pandemic period. The reason is that these citizens are now afraid of finding themselves facing a new lockdown decreed in Morocco or Saudi Arabia.

As for pilgrims residing abroad, they are required to present a vaccination certificate, certified by their country of origin, among the documents required to perform the Umrah, provided that the vaccine received is approved and recognized by Saudi Arabia, namely Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, it is specified.