Saudi GACA updates entry rules for visitors, residents; shortens quarantine period

Logo of the General Authority of Civil Aviation

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued today, Sept. 13, instructions to all airlines operating in Saudi Arabia to update the mechanism and procedures for residents and visitors entering the Kingdom from the permitted list of countries and to reduce the period of institutional quarantine.

In a statement, the authority stated the below:

First: Any unvaccinated person, who has received one dose of the Kingdom’s approved vaccines, needs to submit a negative PCR report of a sample taken within 72 hours before arrival to the Kingdom at the latest.

Second: Any person, who has completed one of the vaccines not approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kingdom, or has completed one of the vaccines approved by WHO and not approved in the Kingdom, needs to submit a negative PCR report of a sample taken within 72 hours before arrival to the Kingdom at the latest.

In both cases, institutional quarantine procedures will be applied for five days and a COVID-19 test needs to be done within 24 hours of arrival, in addition to another one on the fifth day after arrival. (The person must abide by the corona examination’s time based on Tawakkalna application in the chronological service).

The period of institutional quarantine will end with a negative result.

GACA stated that dependents who are allowed to enter with their relatives who are immune, according to the following:

First: Unvaccinated dependents under the age of 18 are subject to home quarantine procedures for five days, provided that a corona examination (for those who are eight years and above) is conducted on the fifth day. They are committed to applying all precautionary measures determined by the Ministry of Health.

Second: Unvaccinated dependents, who have completed 18 years or more, will be subject to institutional quarantine procedures.

GACA indicated that this will be effective as of Sept. 23 at 12 pm.

The authority stressed that residents must complete the vaccine doses available in the Kingdom after the end of the institutional quarantine period. In addition, anyone who has taken one of the vaccines approved by WHO and not approved in the Kingdom (currently Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines) should obtain a booster dose from one of the vaccines available in the Kingdom after arrival.

Arriving passengers must register on the “Quddum” platform before arrival in the Kingdom.

Isolation procedures will be applied according to the Ministry of Health’s protocols for those who test positive during the institutional quarantine period, the statement noted.

Recovery from COVID-19 is not considered a valid justification for not applying institutional quarantine procedures.

GACA noted that it amended home quarantine procedures for citizens, to ensure they apply to the non-vaccinated persons. The updated procedures include home quarantine for five days, followed by a COVID-19 test on the fifth day, in accordance with the precautionary measures determined by the Ministry of Health.

People who have not been inoculated against coronavirus with a vaccine approved in the Kingdom will not be allowed entry to activities, events, and government and private facilities, or be permitted on public transport, the statement said.