Saudi Arabia to lift COVID travel restrictions for citizens after January 1, 2021

Saudi government will soon announce a plan to gradually resume Umrah

Dubai: Saudi Arabia will completely lift restrictions on citizens leaving and returning to the Kingdom, and allowing the opening of land, sea and airports after January 1, 2021, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.

The Saudi government will soon announce a plan to gradually resume Umrah based on COVID-19 developments.

The move is part of a slew of new measures to ease coronavirus-related restrictions, SPA quoted an official source at the Ministry of Interior as saying.

All citizens can leave and return to the country, while all entry ports will be reopen to allow the crossing of all transport modes through land, sea and air ports, after January 1, 2021, in accordance with procedures followed prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The exact date for lifting the suspension of travel and allowing the land, sea and air transport shall be announced 30 days before January 1, 2021. The Ministry of Health, if required, may demand the implementation of preventive health requirements for passengers and carriers, while travelling, as well as airport lounges, ports and terminals.

Exempted groups from the decision who will be allowed to enter and exit the Kingdom before January 1 include GCC citizens, non-Saudi visa holders, ill Saudis who need treatment abroad, Saudi students, diplomats and businessmen. However, they need to show a negative PCR test before boarding flights or entering the kingdom’s sea and land ports.