Saudi Arabia announces fresh COVID restrictions for travellers

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced fresh travel restrictions in the wake of Omicron variant, making it compulsory for travellers from the Kingdom to get a booster shot of COVID vaccine.

The travel restrictions will be enforced from February 09 (Wednesday) with travellers leaving the Kingdom directed to get a booster shot.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Saudi Arabia in its fresh guidelines directed airlines to ensure that Saudi citizens leaving the Kingdom should have received a booster shot after three months of the vaccination.

“Only the citizens below the age of 16 and those exempted in Tawakkalna App will be allowed to travel without booster shots,” it said.

For passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia, it said that they should carry a negative PCR or rapid antigen test report conducted 48 hours prior to the flight and vaccination record. “Children aged below eight years will be exempted from these restrictions,” the GACA said.

It further directed that Saudi citizens who test positive for COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated could travel to the Kingdom seven days after the test while those who had received only one dose of the vaccine will be allowed to travel after 10 days.

The GACA warned that strict action would be taken against travellers and airlines for violating the new restrictions.

Recently, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry for Hajj and Umrah announced a major restriction on Umrah visa for pilgrims visiting the Kingdom.

According to the announcement from the ministry, the Umrah visa has a duration of 30 days and there would be no extension in its duration.

It further shared that for collective prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah or for performing Umrah, the pilgrims would require to get a prior online permit.