The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will begin operating the first flights for Saudis starting first thing tomorrow, Monday, with the opening of air, land, and sea ports after a suspension lasting more than a year and four months.
**Allowed Travel Categories**
It is noted that the relevant authorities, according to what has been approved by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, have defined the categories allowed to travel. These include vaccinated citizens who have received the two complete 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 reflected in the Tawakkalna app. Additionally, citizens who have recovered from the coronavirus, as long as they have been less than six months since their infection with the virus, and this is also shown in the Tawakkalna app. Citizens under the age of 18 must present an approved insurance policy from the Saudi Central Bank covering the risks of (COVID-19) outside the Kingdom before traveling. They will also be subject to a 7-day home quarantine upon returning to the Kingdom, with a PCR test to be conducted at the end of the quarantine period. Exemptions from the test are granted to those under the age of 8, with this category subject to modifications according to the Ministry of Health's directives.
**King Fahd Causeway Updates**
The passport services at the King Fahd Causeway have completed all procedures to facilitate travelers following the decision to lift the travel ban for citizens and open all air, land, and sea ports starting from 1 AM tomorrow. They have also worked during the past period to finalize all preparations related to the border crossing between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Colonel Dhuwaihi Al-Sahli, Director of Passport Services at the King Fahd Causeway, stated that 10 new lanes have been added to the departure area, bringing the total number of lanes to 27 for processing travelers, in addition to 36 lanes in the arrival area, ensuring compliance with travel conditions via automated means, and coordinating with the Ministry of Health to ensure all necessary requirements and conditions.
**Tourism and Travel Agencies Revive**
Hani Al-Amiri, a member of the Saudi Association for Travel and Tourism, explained that the lifting of the travel ban for citizens and the full reopening of land, sea, and air ports starting from 1 AM tomorrow has revitalized travel and tourism agencies in Saudi Arabia by about 30%, following a downturn that lasted over a year. This includes business trips, visits to relatives, and honeymoon trips to certain permitted countries. He mentioned that there are more than 2,096 travel and tourism agencies in Saudi Arabia that have prepared in advance to receive bookings from citizens. Many looking to travel to most tourist countries are waiting to learn the entry conditions and requirements as well as to understand the health situation in the tourist country.
He added, "Many countries still have entry bans or stringent health requirements and precautionary measures, such as several days of quarantine or the need to provide comprehensive medical insurance, which causes delays in travel for some, especially those whose aim is tourism and leisure." Al-Amiri confirmed that the first destinations for Saudis with the lifting of travel restrictions might be the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, as well as Indonesia, Georgia, and Ukraine, with many preferring domestic tourism, where all components for attraction and entertainment are available.
**Duties and Taxes for Travelers**
The Saudi Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority urged travelers arriving in the Kingdom to declare any personal purchases or gifts exceeding 3,000 riyals or its equivalent in foreign currency, and to pay the applicable customs duties and taxes. The Authority encouraged travelers arriving in or leaving the Kingdom to declare if carrying currencies, jewelry, or valuable items reaching a value of 60,000 riyals or more, or its equivalent in foreign currencies.
The Authority emphasized the importance of declaration for those carrying any prohibited or restricted goods in the Kingdom, including tobacco products and cigarettes, electronically via the travelers' declaration application or the Authority's website. It also called on businesses subject to selective tax to submit their tax declarations for the months of March and April, with a deadline of 15 May.
The Authority urged all businesses to expedite submitting their declarations through the electronic site (gazt.gov.sa) to avoid fines for overdue declarations at a rate of 5% of the tax value that should have been declared for every 30 days of delay in submission. Businesses interested in obtaining more information regarding selective tax were encouraged to contact them through the unified number of the Zakat and Tax Call Center (19993), which operates 24 hours a day, or through the "Ask Zakat and Tax" account on Twitter (@Gazt_Care), or via email (info@gazt.gov.sa), or through live chat on the website (gazt.gov.sa). The selective tax is one of the tax regimes in the Kingdom that is imposed on goods with negative impacts on public health or the environment at varying rates, including soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened beverages, tobacco, and its derivatives.
