Saudi Arabia reopens borders, resumes international flights from January 3

Saudi Arabia will resume international flights and entry through its land and sea ports starting 11am on Sunday, January 3, officials have confirmed.

The original entry ban came into effect on December 20, 2020, for a week, over growing concerns on the spread of a new coronavirus strain in parts of the world. The ban was then extended for another week.

Read: Saudi suspends all international flights, closes land and sea ports over new virus strain

Foreign passengers coming into the kingdom from countries such as the UK and South Africa, or those specified by the Ministry of Health, in which the new coronavirus variant has spread, need to spend 14 days outside the country impacted by the new mutation before entering Saudi Arabia, Saudi Press Agency reported, citing an official source at the Ministry of Interior. These passengers must also take a PCR test after the expiration of the period, to confirm that they are Covid-19 free.

Citizens who enter the kingdom for humanitarian and urgent cases from countries where the new strain of the virus has spread must be quarantined in their houses for 14 days and must undertake two PCR tests – one which should be carried out after arrival and within 48 hours, while the second must be taken before ending the quarantine period on the 13th day.

Those coming in from countries in which cases of the new mutated virus were registered, shall be quarantined in their homes for seven days, with PCR examination, before the end of the isolation period on the sixth day.

With regards to the rest of the countries, the existing procedures will be adhered to, that include a maximum seven-day quarantine or a minimum three-day one, and a PCR test.