Saudi Arabia lifts entry and exit restrictions for its citizens … and exceptions for cases of illness

An official source from the Saudi Interior Ministry said that all restrictions on its citizens entering or leaving the Kingdom after January 1 have been lifted, according to the procedures followed before the Corona pandemic.

The official stressed that in light of the continuing high rates of the epidemic in several countries, some of which are currently facing a second wave of the pandemic, and in light of the possibility that a safe vaccine is not available and effective to prevent this disease that covers the whole world, before the end of 2020 DC, and in the interest of the safety of citizens. And their health, and that they do not face difficulties during their stay outside the Kingdom to obtain adequate medical care until the health risks associated with the pandemic pass and the appropriate vaccines for the Coronavirus appear, the Ministry of Health will establish preventive health requirements for travelers and carriers, while traveling, and in the corridors of airports, ports and stations.

He added that there is an exception for some categories of citizens to travel outside the Kingdom and return to it according to certain controls and requirements, and they are: government employees – civilian and military – assigned to official missions, workers in Saudi diplomatic and consular missions. and attachés abroad, workers in regional and international organizations, their families and colleagues, and those who work in jobs. Permanent, in public, private or non-profit facilities outside the Kingdom, and those who have working qualities in companies or commercial establishments outside the Kingdom, entrepreneurs whose working conditions require travel to finish their commercial and industrial work, and export managers, marketing and sales, whose job requires visiting your customers, and patients. Those whose treatment requires them to travel outside the Kingdom, based on medical reports, especially cancer patients and patients in need of organ transplantation, and scholarship students and students who are self-employed and trained in medical scholarship programs, whose studies or training require travel to the countries in which they are studying or training and their companions.

According to the government official, the exceptions included family reunification for a citizen or citizenship with their resident relatives outside the Kingdom and in the event of the death of a husband or wife or one of the parents or one of the children outside the Kingdom, and the who reside outside the Kingdom and their companions, who have proof of their residence outside the Kingdom, and those who participate in the events. Official regional and international sports, including players and members of the technical and administrative staff, that allow entry and exit from the Kingdom for citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states, as well as entry for non-Saudis holding visas; Departure and return, work, residence or visit, provided that the entry of citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and non-Saudis into the Kingdom is carried out in accordance with the preventive health controls and procedures established by the committee in charge of taking measures to prevent the spread of the Corona virus in the Kingdom, and that controls include not allowing anyone to enter. The territory of the Kingdom, unless evidence is presented that it is free from contagion with the emerging coronavirus, based on a recent analysis carried out by a reliable authority outside the Kingdom, the date of its completion no more than 48 hours, the moment when he arrived at the port.

Added comment is partially loaded; On international flights to and from the Kingdom, and the opening of land, sea and air ports to allow the entry and exit of the Kingdom of groups of excluded citizens and other people, provided that the work begins with the implementation of the exceptions mentioned; Since the morning after tomorrow.

The official confirmed that a plan to re-enable Umrah will be announced gradually, based on what is subsequently decided on it independently, in light of developments related to the pandemic.