Saudi Arabia conditionally allows entry of travellers vaccinated with Sinovac, Sinopharm

Saudi Arabia has conditionally allowed travellers who have completed two doses of the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines only after they receive an additional dose of one of the four approved vaccines.

The guidelines were issued by the Saudi Arabian e-visa portal for the travellers after reopening the entry of vaccinated international visitors from August 1.

The Saudi authorities directed the guests, who have received two doses of the Chinese vaccines including Sinovac and Sinopharm, to get a booster shot of one of the four approved vaccines including Oxford/Astra Zeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna or Johnson and Johnson.

It read, “All visitors arriving in the country with a valid tourism visa must provide evidence of a full course of one the four vaccines currently recognized: two doses of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or a single dose of the vaccine produced by Johnson and Johnson.”

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Moreover, the kingdom opened a web portal to facilitate the international visitors to register their vaccination status, whereas, the travellers will be required to provide a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure and an approved paper vaccination certificate, certified by the official health authorities in the issuing country.

The guidelines stated that vaccinated travellers will not require to quarantine. However, the visitors who are entering on a previously issued tourism visa will be required to pay an additional fee of SAR 40 at the airport of their arrival to cover insurance for any COVID-19 related medical expenses.

The country had announced last week to open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift off the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1, 2021.