The Saudi Ministry of Tourism announced the opening of the Kingdom to tourists and the lifting of the suspension on the entry of holders of tourist visas starting on August 1, 2021. Fully vaccinated tourists can enter Saudi Arabia without the need for institutional quarantine, provided they present an official vaccination certificate upon arrival and bring proof of a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure.
Visitors to Saudi Arabia are required to register their vaccination details on a new online portal “https://muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home”, as well as register their information through the "Tawakkalna" application and present it to enter public places. Fully vaccinated individuals are those who have received two doses of one of the approved vaccines in the Kingdom, which are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or Moderna, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson. Those interested can apply for a tourist visa via the "Visit Saudi" website visitsaudi.com.
Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb stated: "We welcome tourists once again, and we are very happy to receive the Kingdom’s guests again after a period of suspension due to the impacts of the Corona pandemic." He added, "We focused our efforts during the halt on close cooperation with our partners in all sectors to ensure a safe return for visitors to explore the tourism treasures and important destinations and landmarks that the Kingdom has to offer and enjoy unique tourism experiences while experiencing the culture of generosity and hospitality characteristic of Saudi society."
The Kingdom had launched the tourist visa in September 2019, in a historic decision that opened Saudi Arabia's heart and doors to tourists from various countries of the world, achieving notable numbers at that time with the issuance of 400,000 visas in six months, before travel was suspended and borders were closed due to the Corona pandemic.
