A responsible source in the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced that anyone proven to have traveled to prohibited countries will be banned from traveling for three years. The official clarified that offenders will expose themselves to legal accountability and severe penalties upon their return, along with a travel ban for three years.
The Saudi Interior Ministry reiterated its warning against traveling to banned countries due to mutations of the novel coronavirus. The ministry affirmed that the travel ban remains in effect, whether directly or through other countries, to the declared countries and to any countries where the pandemic has not yet been controlled or where the mutated strain of the virus has been confirmed.
Additionally, citizens are urged to exercise caution and avoid areas characterized by instability or virus outbreaks, and to follow all precautionary measures regardless of their destination, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
#### Travel Ban to Specific Countries
On July 3rd, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced a ban on citizens traveling to several countries without obtaining prior permission from the relevant authorities. At that time, the decision was made to prevent direct or indirect travel by citizens to Ethiopia, the UAE, and Vietnam, while continuing the travel ban to previously announced countries.
It was also decided to suspend arrivals from all the aforementioned countries, in addition to Afghanistan, except for those who have spent 14 days outside those four countries, excluding citizens, alongside all previously announced countries. The ministry decided to halt air traffic with the countries from which travel is prohibited and to implement institutional quarantine for all arrivals from them, both citizens and others.
