Ethiopian passport · checked 2026-09-19

Hajj for Ethiopians: national quota and registration

Ethiopians get Hajj places through Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC). Who runs it, how to register, the quota, and the Umrah route for the same passport.

Umrah visa routeLicensed Umrah operator files it

Apply online yourself?No, a licensed operator files it

Hajj routeNational Hajj mission or quota body

Hajj authorityEthiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC)

Hajj 2026 quota43,000 pilgrims

Vaccination documentsMeningococcal ACYW, polio and yellow fever

Saudi missions in EthiopiaAddis Ababa

Saudia nonstop fromAddis Ababa

Guides in your languageالعربية · English

Hajj for Ethiopians: National Hajj mission or quota body

EIASC runs registration with licensed agencies handling logistics. For 2026 the Saudi Ministry asked Ethiopia to complete registration and data entry by 26 January 2026, including medical certificates; EIASC cut the dollar-priced service component through open tenders and set the fee in birr. Applicants need a valid passport with enough validity for the trip and a resident ID.

How Ethiopians register for Hajj

Register with Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council during its announced window; most countries open registration many months before Hajj and some run multi-year queues.
If applications exceed the quota, wait for the lottery or queue result; keep your registration current each year if the system requires renewal.
Choose between the government package and a licensed private operator's package where both exist, and pay only through the channels the authority names.
Complete the medical examination and vaccinations in time for the visa file; the national mission submits your details to the Saudi Ministry and receives your visa and Nusuk card.
Attend the pre-departure training and travel with your group on the scheduled flights.

Read the full Nusuk Hajj registration guide and Hajj from Ethiopia.

Vaccines and health documents for Hajj and Umrah from Ethiopia

These are the Saudi Ministry of Health requirements for Umrah travellers in the 1447 H (2026) edition, read for Ethiopia specifically. The Hajj list is issued separately each season and is normally the same or stricter. Certificates are checked at the airport of departure and on arrival.

Requirement	What applies to travellers from Ethiopia
Meningococcal (ACYW) vaccine	Required for every pilgrim from every country: conjugate vaccine within 5 years, or polysaccharide within 3 years, given at least 10 days before arrival. Travellers from Ethiopia must carry a certificate that names the vaccine and the date; if the type is missing it is treated as valid for 3 years only.
Polio	Required. Travellers from Ethiopia need at least one dose of IPV regardless of age; if IPV is not available, a certificate showing a type 2 containing oral polio vaccine (including novel OPV2) is accepted.
Yellow fever	Required. Ethiopia is on the yellow fever list: everyone older than 9 months must hold a yellow fever certificate, which is valid for life from 10 days after vaccination.
COVID-19	Required only for higher-risk groups (over 65, pregnant, chronic heart, lung or kidney disease, blood disorders, immunodeficiency, cancer, chronic neurological disease): an updated 2025-2026 dose, a completed 2021-2024 primary series, or confirmed infection in 2025.
Recommended	Seasonal influenza vaccine; routine immunisations up to date; carry medication in original packaging with a doctor's note.

Source: Saudi Ministry of Health, Health Requirements for Travelers to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, 1447H. The 1448 H edition may move countries between lists; check the MoH page before you vaccinate.

Saudi embassy and consulates in Ethiopia

The Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia is in Addis Ababa. Umrah visas are filed electronically by your licensed operator, so most pilgrims never visit. The embassy matters for document attestation, family-visit visas and problems with an application. Opening hours and services are on each mission's page at mofa.gov.sa.

Flying to Jeddah or Madinah from Ethiopia

Saudia lists scheduled passenger flights from Addis Ababa. Jeddah (King Abdulaziz International) is the gateway for Makkah; Madinah (Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International) suits pilgrims starting in Madinah. Gulf carriers, flynas, flyadeal and national airlines also serve these markets, often at lower fares with one stop.

Route list compiled from Saudia's published destinations on 2026-09-19; schedules change by season.

Mistakes Ethiopians make most often

Registering through a sub-agent who is not on the national authority's approved list.
Missing the payment deadline after selection; unpaid places are reallocated and several countries report thousands of missed visas each year.
Expecting to book Hajj on Nusuk directly. Ethiopia is not on the Nusuk serviced-countries list, so the national mission is the only route.
Leaving the medical file and vaccinations to the last month.

Umrah visa for Ethiopians

Not on their own. Ethiopia is not on the Saudi eVisa list, so Ethiopians apply through a licensed Umrah company with a Nusuk booking. Three health documents matter: the Saudi Ministry of Health lists Ethiopia among countries that must present a meningococcal vaccination certificate naming the vaccine and date, among countries that must show at least one IPV dose, and among yellow fever countries. Saudia and Ethiopian Airlines both fly nonstop from Addis Ababa.

Step by step for Ethiopians

Choose an operator in Ethiopia that is authorised on Nusuk: ask for its Nusuk Masar partner name and check the contract QR code before paying a deposit.
Give the operator a passport with six months' validity, a photo, and your vaccination record. The operator files the visa together with a Nusuk hotel and transport booking; a visa cannot be issued without those bookings.
Ask for the visa only when your dates are fixed: it must be used to enter within 30 days of issue.
Get the meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before departure, plus any polio or yellow fever certificate listed in the health table below.
Install the Nusuk app and book your Umrah permit (and a Rawdah slot for Madinah) before you land. The operator can do this for the group.
Keep copies of the visa, the Nusuk booking reference and the operator's contract; you will be asked for the booking at check-in.

What drives the cost

The visa fee and the compulsory insurance are set by the Saudi government and shown on the portal at the time you apply; we do not quote them here because they change. On top of that come the Nusuk hotel nights (distance from the Haram is the biggest lever), ground transport, flights from Ethiopia and, on the operator route, the operator's service fee. Use the cost calculator for a range, then compare quotes line by line.

Rules that apply to every nationality this season

Umrah visa entry window. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cut the window to enter the Kingdom to 30 days from issue in late 2025; the stay after arrival can still be up to 90 days. The Ministry's own FAQ has shown older values, so read the dates printed on your visa.
No booking, no visa. An Umrah visa is issued only against a Nusuk hotel and transport booking made by you or your operator.
Umrah on other visas. The Ministry allows Umrah on tourist, personal-visit, family-visit, business and transit visas outside the Hajj season, with the same Nusuk permit.
Multiple-entry Umrah visa. On 20 July 2026 the Ministry launched a 365-day multiple-entry Umrah visa with a cumulative stay of up to 90 days; each visit needs a Nusuk service package and a permit, and it is not valid during the Hajj season.
Permits. Umrah permits and Rawdah permits are issued only in the Nusuk app.
Hajj. No Hajj on an Umrah or tourist visa. Hajj visas come only through Nusuk Hajj (for serviced countries) or your national Hajj mission.

Verified 2026-09-19 against the Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Nusuk Hajj serviced-countries list. Rules change between seasons: confirm on nusuk.sa, visa.visitsaudi.com or your nearest Saudi embassy before you pay.

Questions pilgrims ask

Can Ethiopians register for Hajj on Nusuk directly?

No. Ethiopia is not on the Nusuk direct list. Hajj places for Ethiopians come through Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC).

How many Hajj places does Ethiopia have?

43,000 for 2026, as reported by the sources on this page. Quotas are renegotiated each year.

Can Ethiopians do Umrah while waiting for Hajj?

Yes, through a licensed Umrah operator with a Nusuk booking; Umrah has no quota.

Which vaccines do Ethiopians need?

Meningococcal ACYW, polio and yellow fever. The health table above gives the 1447 H rule for Ethiopia; the Hajj list is issued separately each season.

Confirm before you pay. This page was checked on 2026-09-19 against the sources below, but visa rules, fees, quotas and vaccination lists change between seasons. Confirm the current rule on Nusuk, the Saudi visa platform or the Saudi embassy in Ethiopia before you book. Spotted an error? Tell us.