International travel has resumed, although entry is still banned from 13 countries: Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Somalia, Democratic Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus, and India.
Travellers will not be allowed entry even if they visit one of the banned nations indirectly through a third country without prior permission from the pertinent authorities. This is due to various reasons, including security and instability in a number of countries, as well as the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic and the spread of new variant strains of the virus.
The ban will also extend to any other country that is yet to control the pandemic or is proven to have an outbreak of a variant strain of the virus.
The ban will also extend to any other country that is yet to control the pandemic
It was back in early February that the Kingdom imposed a ban on 20 countries, taking in the UAE, US, UK, Germany, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. However, travel to most of these countries will now be permitted.
Travellers have been urged to avoid spots of instability or those witnessing the virus outbreak and to abide by all precautionary measures, regardless of their destinations.
The Kingdom has also announced that all non-citizens who have not received the Covid-19 vaccine and arrive in Saudi Arabia starting Thursday, 20 May, will be subject to seven days of mandatory paid institutional quarantine.