Polio Vaccination Process Before International Travel
As I continue sharing my Umrah journey, I want to talk about an important step that is necessary for international travelers—especially those going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah—from Pakistan: getting vaccinated for polio. This step is mandatory and must be completed before you travel. In this part of the blog, I’ll explain my personal experience of how I got the polio vaccine along with my family, and the process we followed step-by-step.
Why Polio Vaccination is Compulsory
The polio vaccine is not just a personal health measure—it’s an international requirement. Pakistan is still considered one of the countries at risk of spreading the poliovirus, so travelers must get vaccinated before leaving the country. This ensures that the disease doesn’t spread to polio-free countries and helps in the global effort to eradicate polio completely.
Getting Ready for the Vaccination
Since I was traveling for Umrah with my entire family, including siblings, an infant, and a child, we all had to go together to get vaccinated. It’s important to know that the whole group traveling together must be vaccinated together—you can’t go separately.
Before heading to the polio center, we prepared the required documents:
- Passport copy
- CNIC copy (for adults)
- CRC / Bayform copy (for children and minors who don’t have a CNIC yet)
All these documents must be photocopied on the same page—meaning, the passport copy and CNIC (or Bayform) copy are printed side by side on one sheet. This step is necessary because you need to submit these documents when receiving the polio drops.
At the Polio Center
We visited the nearest government-approved polio vaccination center. It was a smooth process overall:
- First, we gave them the combined copies of the required documents.
- Then, we received the oral polio drops one by one. Even infants are included in this step.
- Once done, the officials marked us as vaccinated in the official database.
We didn’t receive a physical certificate right away. Instead, the vaccination status gets updated online after some time, usually within a few hours or instantly.
How to Download the Polio Vaccination Certificate
After the status is updated, you can download your official polio vaccination certificate from the “NIMS” web portal or app, which is available on the Google Play Store.
Here is how you can do it:
- Download the App or visit the NIMS Portal (National Immunization Management System)
- Open the app and enter your CNIC number (or B-Form number for children).
- After confirming your details, you’ll see the vaccination status. If it says “Vaccinated for Polio,” you can proceed.
- Pay Rs 100 using JazzCash, Easypaisa, or any bank card directly through the app.
- Once payment is done, you can download your certificate in PDF format.
Make sure to print it out and keep it with your travel documents, because immigration authorities will ask for it during the airport check-in process.
A Tip for Families with Children
If you are traveling with siblings who only have the Bayform, don’t worry. The Bayform + Passport copy on one page is completely acceptable. Just make sure the form number and full name match exactly with the travel documents.
Final Thoughts
This part of the journey, though a bit formal, is extremely important and cannot be skipped. Getting vaccinated not only protects your own family, but also helps keep the world safe from polio. The entire process was quite simple and well-organized, especially if you have your documents ready in advance.
Stay tuned, and I hope this helps anyone planning their journey to Umrah soon.
