GACA

Saudi Lifts Quarantine Requirement for Vaccinated Travellers

Saudi Lifts Quarantine Requirement for Vaccinated Travellers

International tourists arriving by air from most countries will no longer need to be quarantined if they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, Saudi Arabia reported on Sunday (May 16).

READ ALSO: [LOOK] Saudi Gov’t Launches Free COVID-19 Vaccination Drive for Public

Visitors from 20 other nations, including the United States, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United Arab Emirates, are also barred from entering the kingdom as part of anti-coronavirus initiatives.

Saudi Lifts Quarantine Requirement for Vaccinated Travellers

Quarantine No Longer Required for Vaccinated Travellers in Saudi Arabia

Non-Saudi tourists arriving in the kingdom by air from qualifying countries who are completely vaccinated or who have had COVID-19 and recovered will no longer be required to stay in government-approved hotels for seven days as long as they present an official vaccination certificate upon arrival, according to the civil aviation authority (GACA), the Al-Arabiya reported.

Currently, all travelers entering the kingdom must be quarantined for seven to fourteen days, depending on their origin countries, and provide negative PCR checks.

As of May 20, anyone over the age of eight who has not been vaccinated must quarantine for seven days at their own expense upon arrival in Saudi Arabia and have a negative PCR test on the sixth day of their arrival, according to GACA.

They must also present a valid health insurance policy that covers COVID-19 risks. They’ll also need to show proof of a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before flying to the kingdom.

Separately, the Saudi ministry of interior reported that due to COVID-19 threats, Saudi citizens are still prohibited from flying directly or indirectly to 13 countries without prior permission from authorities.

Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Belarus, and India are the countries involved.

To help combat the spread of the coronavirus, the kingdom suspended entry from 20 countries in February, with the exception of ambassadors, Saudi residents, medical professionals, and their relatives.

READ NEXT: Saudi to Reopen Borders Starting May 17

Travelers from These Countries Will Soon be Allowed Visa-Free Entry in KSA

Travelers from These Countries Will Soon be Allowed Visa-Free Entry in this GCC Nation

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia has announced that its national air carriers will now allow entry into the Kingdom for those who hold UK, US and Schengen visas.

According to the announcement, the directive applies to tourist and business visa holders irrespective of nationality, as long as they fulfill two conditions.

Travelers from These Countries Will Soon be Allowed Visa-Free Entry in this GCC Nation
Credits: Saudi Gazette

Saudi Arabia to Allow Visa-Free Entry to Travelers from Schengen Nations, UK and US

According to a report shared by the Saudi Gazette, the visa must be valid for use in Saudi Arabia from the time of entry to exit. The visa holder’s passport must also be stamped with an entry visa at least once from the country that granted it.

Last year, the GACA had earlier issued a notice instructing national air carriers to receive holders of Schengen and American visas if they want to visit the Kingdom at any time, as long as the conditions set by the authority are met.

Furthermore, the GACA also confirmed the continuation of the trial period at the new Arar Airport. The first Saudi Arabian Airlines flights to and from Riyadh operated successfully from the new terminal on Wednesday (January 1).

The successful start of the trial operation was an exceptional event in the Northern Border Region. It comes as an extension to achieve the objectives of GACA in developing infrastructure and raising the level of services provided to travelers around the Kingdom’s airports. This is one of the methods of contributing to the development process of the region.

Moreover, this can also be taken as a step toward achieving the strategic goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and keeping with the great development witnessed in the region in all sectors. The new airport will accommodate the increasing growth in demand for air travel by the residents of the region and it will be able to provide complete services for travelers according to the highest international standards.

As a result, the airport will be able to serve many city centers and small towns in the Northern Border Region. The new airport is a qualitative shift in the field of air transport for the region, as it will provide the best technologies and services that will, in turn, contribute to improving the traveler experience, which is in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 that aims at achieving economic development in all regions around the Kingdom.

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