COVID-19: Saudi Arabia allows nationals, workers to return to kingdom  

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has allowed its citizens and workers accompanying them, who remained stranded in countries affected from COVID-19, to return to the kingdom, ARY NEWS reported on Wednesday.

The notification regarding ease in COVID-19 travel restrictions has been issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia to the airlines operating in the Saudi airports.

The notification allowed entry of Saudi national family members and their accompanying workers who have been in the countries, where travel have been suspended.

However, it further read that preventive precautionary measures should be adopted by all travelers including a negative result of PCR test before traveling to the kingdom.

It is pertinent to mention here that on February 03, Saudi Arabia imposed a temporary ban on entry of passengers from 21 countries including Pakistan, however, Saudi citizens, diplomats, health practitioners and their families were exempted from the travel restrictions.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a written order to the airlines operating in Saudi Arabia which notified the temporary suspension of entry from 21 countries.

The countries include Pakistan, Argentina, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, United States of America (USA), Indonesia, Iceland, Italy, Brazil, Portugal, United Kingdom (UK), Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, India and Japan.

The temporary ban came into effect from February 3, 9:00 pm local time.

It stated that the travel restrictions will also be applied to those passengers who have passed through the aforementioned countries during 14 days preceding the request to enter Saudi Arabia.