Saudi Arabia Announces Stringent Health Rules for Hajj 2026; Unfit Pilgrims to be Denied Entry or Deported

Riyad: Saudi Arabia has announced tough new medical rules for Hajj 2026 by making it amply clear that ailing or medically unfit pilgrims will not be permitted to perform Hajj and might even face deportation if found unfit upon their arrival. The new policy has been enforced with immediate effect.

According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, a pilgrim not passing the mandatory health screening will be sent back home, and all expenses for the return journey are to be paid by the pilgrim himself. The government also warned that immediate, strict action would be taken against the doctors who issue false or incorrect fitness certificates.

Also Read: Expansion of Metro Rail delayed in rapidly expanding North Hyderabad, raises questions over future development.

Among these, the Saudi Ministry of Health has released a detailed list of medical conditions that make an individual ineligible for Hajj 2026. These include kidney diseases, dialysis patients, severe heart conditions that limit physical activity, lung and liver diseases, serious neurological or psychiatric disorders, memory loss, dementia, severe disabilities, extreme old age, Alzheimer’s disease, tremors, pregnancy, whooping cough, tuberculosis, viral hemorrhagic fever, and cancer.

They made it clear that different country medical officers will also be authorized to restrict pilgrims that are unfit to travel before their actual departure. Special monitoring teams from Saudi Arabia will also confirm the validity of such fitness certificates; only healthy and qualified persons shall undertake the journey. Saudi officials explained that this measure was necessary because pilgrims need protection from the extreme heat, large crowds of people, and the physical hardship of Hajj.