The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has issued a cautionary advisory to Hajj pilgrims, urging vigilance against unauthorized operators and counterfeit websites. The emphasis is on utilizing officially approved channels for arranging pilgrimage plans to ensure pilgrim rights are safeguarded and to enable a genuine opportunity to perform Hajj.

The ministry has underscored the significance of dealing exclusively with recognized channels, highlighting its official website, LOCALHAJ.HAJ.GOV.SA, and the “Nesk” app for domestic pilgrims as the primary approved platforms for organizing Hajj.

For international pilgrims, the "Nusk-Hajj" platform caters to those from Europe, the Americas, Australia, and select Asian and African countries, in addition to official Hajj missions and companies.

This warning comes in the wake of the ministry's recent announcement detailing specific health requirements for this year's Hajj pilgrims. All pilgrims within the Kingdom must have their vaccinations recorded in the "Sehaty" application, including one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, one dose of the 2024 influenza vaccine, and one dose of the meningitis vaccine administered within the last five years.

International pilgrims are mandated to receive the Neisseria meningitis vaccine no less than 10 days and no more than five years before arriving in Saudi Arabia, with confirmation from their home country health authorities. Moreover, all pilgrims must receive at least one dose of either bivalent oral polio vaccine or inactivated polio vaccine.