Saudi Arabia on Sunday opened its borders for fully vaccinated tourists after a really long time. The country closed its borders last year due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. And undoubtedly managed to curb the virus spread pretty well. The kingdom announced that on Sunday that it has finally reopened its borders for foreign tourists.
After 17 Long Months, Saudi Arabia Opens its Borders for Tourists
Saudi Arabia on Sunday opened its borders for foreign tourists after 17 long months of closure. The country closed its borders for tourism due to the fast-spreading Coronavirus pandemic on a global basis. However, the country’s ministry of tourism announced that the kingdom’s borders are now opened for visa holders starting from August 1. It is a relief for all those tourists who have waited a long time for a tour to the Arab country.
What are the Eligibility Criteria?
Although the borders are open for foreign tourists, not everyone is eligible. Saudi Arabia has restricted its tourism amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Those tourists who have received both the doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are only allowed to pay a visit. Moreover, these fully vaccinated tourists won’t even have to quarantine. The country’s tourism ministry also added that those who want a tourist visa can apply for it through the Spirit of Saudi website. Besides that, the travelers will require to show their vaccination certificate upon their arrival. Along with that, they also need to show their RT-PCR test report undertaken within 72 hours of their journey. The country has also introduced a new portal for tourists to submit their vaccination details. It is mandatory for them to submit the data in order to enter public places in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia Restricts Travels to Red List Countries
The country has opened its borders for tourists but not for everyone. Saudi Arabia has prepared a red list of countries. The country’s citizens will face a three-year travel ban if they travel to any of these red-listed countries. However, these red list countries are some of the worst-hit COVID-19 nations.
- India
- Libya
- Syria
- Lebanon
- Yemen
- Iran
- Turkey
- Armenia
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Afghanistan
- Congo
- Belarus
- Vietnam
- Venezuela, etc.
