Saudi Arabia: Vaccinated Foreign Tourists Allowed To Enter Kingdom

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has allowed tourists from other countries to enter the country who have completed their vaccinations.

The Ministry of Tourism announced on Thursday that tourists would not have to be quarantined but would only have to provide a vaccination certificate.

According to the announcement, tourists from several countries, who meet the conditions, will be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia from August 1, 2021.

It should be noted that foreign tourists have been allowed to enter Saudi Arabia after 17 months due to the Corona epidemic.

A statement from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism stated that “immunized” people who receive two doses of Saudi-approved vaccines, including Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna, will be considered “immunized”.

People coming to Saudi Arabia for the purpose of tourism will have to enter the data regarding their vaccination in the new electronic portal and at the same time, this information will also be entered through the ‘Tawakkalna’ application.

This information must also be displayed at the time of entering each public place.

The religious pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah was also adversely affected due to COVID-19. Umrah pilgrims visit the Saudi city of Mecca throughout the year, earning Saudi Arabia about ً 12 billion a year. Foreigners are still banned from performing Hajj and Umrah, and the government has not yet decided to lift restrictions on Umrah.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has stepped up its vaccination campaign against Covid and so far about 26 million people have been vaccinated.

The government has announced that from August 1, only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed to visit any government or private institution.

Saudi Arabia To Impose 3-Year Travel Ban For Citizens Who Visit ‘Red List’ States

Saudi Arabia will impose a three-year travel ban on citizens travelling to countries on the kingdom’s ‘red list’ under efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and its new variants, state news agency SPA quoted as saying on Tuesday.

It cited an unnamed interior ministry official as saying some Saudi citizens, who in May were allowed to travel abroad without prior permission from authorities for the first time since March 2020, had violated travel regulations.

“Anyone who is proven to be involved will be subject to legal accountability and heavy penalties upon their return, and will be banned from travel for three years,” the official said.

Saudi Arabia has banned travel to or transit at a number of countries including Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

“The Ministry of Interior stresses that citizens are still banned from travelling directly or via another country to these states or any other that has yet to control the pandemic or where the new strains have spread,” the official said.