Saudi Arabia lifts ban from travellers arriving from 11 countries

Travellers from a list of 11 countries — which does not include Pakistan — will be allowed entry from Sunday

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Reuters
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A Saudi man checks the flight timings at the King Khalid International Airport, after Saudi authorities lifted the travel ban on its citizens after fourteen months due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 16, 2021. — Reuters/Ahmed Yosri

Saudi Arabia is lifting a ban on travellers arriving from 11 countries that it imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Saudi state news agency said on Saturday, but will still require quarantine procedures.

Travellers from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Japan, will be allowed entry from Sunday, SPA reported, quoting an Interior Ministry source.

The list does not contain Pakistan's name.

According to Arab News, the countries were taken off the travel ban list due to their "efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic".

International passengers coming in to Saudi Arabia are all required to undergo a seven-day mandatory quarantine period at their own expense, starting from the day of arrival, at one of the kingdom's quarantine facilities the publication reported.

On the seventh day, they must take a PCR test, after which they will be allowed to leave quarantine if its comes back negative.