The Ministry of Interior published statistics on citizens departing and their destinations during the first two days after allowing Saudis to travel by opening air, land, and sea routes, following a suspension that lasted for more than a year and four months. The statistics revealed that from 1 AM on Monday to 1 PM on Tuesday, approximately 18,675 citizens left through land and air ports, with 10,452 departures recorded within the first 24 hours until 1 AM on Tuesday.
By 1 PM on Tuesday, the most popular air destinations for Saudis were the UAE, with around 1,983 citizens departing there, followed by Egypt with approximately 1,545 citizens, Qatar with 299, the United States with 233 citizens, and the United Kingdom accommodating 165 citizens.
The King Fahd Bridge received the highest number of travelers through land ports, with 3,362 citizens, followed by the Al-Batha port with 689 citizens, the Al-Haditha port with 673 citizens, the Salwa port with 324 citizens, and the Khafji port with 270 citizens.
Saudi Arabia began allowing citizens to travel in the early hours of last Monday by reopening air, land, and sea routes after a suspension lasting more than a year and four months.
The Ministry of Interior defined the categories permitted to travel as vaccinated citizens who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as those who have received one dose, provided that at least 14 days have passed since their first vaccination, as shown in the Tawakkalna app. Additionally, citizens who have recovered from COVID-19, provided they have been less than six months since their infection, are allowed to travel as indicated in the Tawakkalna app. Citizens under 18 years old may also travel if they present a travel insurance policy approved by the Saudi Central Bank that covers COVID-19 risks outside the kingdom, per the relevant authorities' instructions. They are subject to a seven-day home quarantine upon returning to Saudi Arabia, with a PCR test required at the end of the quarantine period, while individuals under eight years old are exempt from the test, subject to adjustments according to the Ministry of Health's guidelines.
