COVID-19 Precautionary Measures in Saudi Arabia (22 July Update)

Can a resident enter the country?

• Yes

• Citizens, residents, their families, and their domestic workers are allowed to enter.

Can a foreigner enter the country?

• Yes with exceptions

• Entry to Saudi Arabia is suspended for all travellers arriving from or having transited through Argentina, Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, Lebanon, Egypt, India, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and Vietnam in the last 14 days prior to entering Saudi Arabia. Saudi citizens and their families and accompanying workers, diplomats, health practitioners and their families are exempt from the suspension subject to meeting other entry requirements.

• Non-Saudi citizens who are family members (husband, wife or children) or home workers (driver or domestic worker) of Saudi Citizens are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia directly if travelling with the Saudi Citizen. Travellers in this category are not required to spend at least 14 days outside a restricted country (countries recording transmission of the new strain of COVID-19 ) but will still need to provide a negative PCR test certificate issued from a verified laboratory within the last 72-hours prior to departure for Saudi Arabia.

• Non-Saudi nationals holding tourist visas are not allowed to enter the Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Travelling with an ID has been suspended for GCC citizens.

• The government has suspended the issuance of tourist and most other categories of visas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is transit allowed through the country?

• No

• Transiting through Saudi Arabia is not allowed at this time.

Is a test required on arrival?

• Yes

• All inbound travellers, except passengers under the age of 8 years, must undergo two PCR tests, one performed within 24 hours of arrival and the second on the 5th day of arrival.

Is a test certificate accepted?

• Yes

• Test certificates issued by verified laboratories outside of Saudi Arabia are accepted.

Test certificate required?

• Yes with exceptions

• All arriving passengers, including diplomats and their families (except Saudi citizens and children below 8 years of age) must provide a certificate for a negative PCR test issued from a verified laboratory within 72 hours (from the time the test is performed) before departure to Saudi Arabia. Travellers failing to provide the certificate will be prohibited from boarding the airplane.

Is quarantine required on arrival?

• Yes with exceptions

• All international travellers arriving in Saudi Arabia must complete a 7-day institutional quarantine at their own expense starting from the time of arrival at the quarantine facility. All travellers must have a PCR test on the 5th day of arrival. If the result is negative, they are permitted to leave quarantine on the 8th day. The following categories of travellers are exempted from institutional quarantine:

• Saudi citizens, citizen spouses, citizen’s children and domestic workers accompanying any of these categories arriving from non-restricted countries. Non-vaccinated travellers, in this category, shall comply with home quarantine for a period of 7 days, and be allowed to take the COVID 19 PCR test starting on the 5th day of quarantine);

• Non-vaccinated domestic workers accompanying an immune resident. Non-vaccinated travellers shall comply with home quarantine for a period of 7 days and be allowed to take the COVID 19 PCR test starting on the 5h day of quarantine;

• Vaccinated travellers accompanying citizens and residents and their companions, resident's wives and resident’s children, those who are under the age of (18) who are not accompanied by their parents. Non-vaccinated guests, shall comply with home quarantine for 7 days and take a PCR test on the 5th day of quarantine.

• Those holding a diplomatic visa, diplomats and their residing families, and their domestic workers (on the basis that they adhere to the quarantine procedures by staying in their homes in accordance with the Ministry of Health (MOH) approved regulations);

• Cabin crews;

• Those involved in health supply chains, according to MOH.

• Health practitioners working in government sectors and their families and companions who are under the age of 18 must comply with home quarantine for 7 days with 2 PCR tests, one within 24 hours and another on the 5th day.

• Institutional/home quarantine procedures for travellers coming from the restricted countries are given below:

• All travellers, including Saudi citizens and residents arriving from UAE, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Ethiopia, will be required to enter institutional quarantine for 14 days

• Non-vaccinated Saudi citizens arriving from other countries must comply with home quarantine for 7 days and be tested on the 5th day.

• Vaccinated Saudi citizens arriving from other countries may be exempted from quarantine on arrival.

• Vaccinated non-citizens arriving from other countries may be exempted from quarantine on arrival.

• Non-vaccinated diplomats and their families and companions who are under age 18 must comply with home quarantine for 7 days and be tested on the 5th day.

• Non-vaccinated health practitioners and their families: Those working in government sectors must comply with home quarantine for 7 days with 2 PCR tests, one within 24 hours and another on the 5th day. Workers in private sectors must comply with an institutional quarantine for 7 days with two PCR tests, one within 24 hours and another on the 5th day.

• More information on institutional quarantine packages is available at this site.

• Based on the above restrictions, the traveller will be either exempted or required to spend between 7 days and 14 days in quarantine.

Entry form required?

• Yes

• All inbound passengers must complete and sign a Health Disclaimer Form and present it to the health control centre authorities upon arrival at the airport. The form is available here.

• Foreign nationals & their companions (except Saudi citizens and children under the age of 18) must complete a Registration Immunization Information Form 72 hours before travelling to the Kingdom through the Muqeem Portal. Travellers failing to comply with this requirement may be denied permission to enter Saudi Arabia.

Recommended Border App

• Yes

• All inbound travellers must download and register on Tatamman and Tawakkalna applications. The apps can be downloaded for both android and iPhone from the following links. The Tatamman app is available here: Tatamman Android and iPhone. The Tawakkalna app is available here: Tawakkalna Android and iPhone.

• All travellers must enter their contact details, including their addresses, through the Tatamman app within 8 hours upon arrival. All inbound travellers must complete a daily health assessment in the Tatamman app.

Is a vaccination required?

• Yes

• All foreigners must have a vaccination certificate for COVID-19 for entry into Saudi Arabia. The arrivals should be vaccinated with the following vaccines only:

• 2 doses of Pfizer BioNTech

• 2 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca

• 2 doses of Moderna

• 1 dose of Johnson and Johnson Janssen.

• 2 doses of Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccine

• Travellers who have received two doses of the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccine are permitted to enter Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway from Bahrain if they have also received a booster shot that has been approved by the Saudi authorities (Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer Biotech).

• Vaccine certificates are required to be certified by official health authorities from the country that provided the vaccination for incoming passengers. The last dose (the second dose of a two-dose vaccine or the first dose of a single dose vaccine) should have been received at least 14 days before travelling to Saudi Arabia. Travellers must carry their vaccine certificates at all times during their stay in Saudi Arabia (or proof of health status through applications and accredited programs in Saudi Arabia).

• The country has launched a digital health passport, which is available in the Health Ministry's Tawakkalna app. The digital health passport service will contain a registry of an individual’s vaccination against the COVID-19 and confirmation that the individual is immune to the virus.

• Saudi citizens & non-Saudi residents (holding Iqama for residents), who are currently outside Saudi Arabia and have received one of the vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia, can register via the link in order to get the approval of their vaccination certificates and update their immunization status.

Insurance required?

• Yes with exceptions

• All travellers who intend to visit Saudi Arabia (excluding citizens, residents, and GCC citizens) must have medical insurance that covers the costs of COVID-19 treatment in outpatient clinics, emergencies, and hospitals, including the institutional quarantine for a period of 14 days.

Airline restrictions

• Moderate

• International commercial flights are operating at a limited capacity.

• Domestic flights are operating.

Border restrictions

• Moderate

• Anyone entering from a country where the new COVID-19 variant is in transmission must spend 14 days outside the affected country prior to their arrival to Saudi Arabia.

• Saudi nationals will be allowed to travel abroad if they meet the following criteria:

• a) Saudi citizens should have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, or have received one dose on the condition that 14 fourteen days have passed from the day of their first vaccine dose which matches the status on the Tawakkalna app.

• b) Saudi citizens who have recovered from COVID-19 on the condition that six months have not passed from their infection which matches the status on Tawakkalna APP.

• c) Saudi citizens who are younger than the age of eighteen years on the condition that they provide an insurance policy approved by the Saudi Central Bank which covers the treatments of COVID-19 abroad according to the instructions as established by the concerned entities.

Curfew restrictions

• Minimal

• There is no nationwide curfew currently in place. Local jurisdictions may impose their own restrictions based on the COVID-19 cases.

Social restrictions

• Moderate

• Face masks are required in public places.

• General gatherings are limited to a maximum of 20 people.

• A 1.5-meter social distance must be maintained between individuals.

• From 1 August, people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 will be allowed to enter public and private establishments. Others will be denied entry.

Internal travel restrictions

• Minimal

• All modes of public transport are operating.

Non-essential shops open?

• No with exceptions

• Some non-essential shops are operational.

• All retail establishments and public buildings throughout the country require that individuals use the Tawakkalna app to be admitted into the establishment.

Accommodations open?

• Yes

• Hotels and private rentals are open and available for bookings.

Restaurants open?

• Yes

• Restaurants are allowed to resume indoor dining.

Bars and cafes open?

• Yes

• Cafes are allowed to resume indoor dining.

Personal care services open?

• Yes

• Personal care services are open.

Places of worship open?

• Yes

• Performing Umrah and prayer in Grand Mosque are restricted only to those who have passed 14 days after taking the first dose of a vaccine approved in the Kingdom

• Mosques are allowed to resume prayers subject to specific health and precautionary safety measures.

• Mecca’s Grand Mosque has re-opened to residents and citizens for prayer.

*Events allowed? *

• No

• Events including weddings and corporate events are banned.

Masks required in public?

• Yes

• Face masks that cover the nose and mouth are compulsory in all enclosed public spaces and on all public transport.

Other Restrictions

• All retail establishments and public buildings throughout the country require that individuals use the Tawakkalna app to be admitted into the establishment.

• Saudi Arabian authorities re-opened shopping malls, cinema theatres, gyms, gaming venues, and sports centres.

• Banquet halls and independent wedding halls or conference halls within hotels remain closed until further notice.

The COVID-19 epidemic is constantly changing worldwide. Travel and border restrictions may change with little or no notice. Airlines may have their own requirements for testing, masking, and distancing. It is recommended that travellers carry a supply of face masks since the requirement can vary by location. It is recommended that travellers practise social distancing, maintain a 6-foot distance from other individuals and avoid crowded areas. Check with your airline, booking agent, or country's embassy for information on your specific travel plans.