Saudi Arabia Issues Detailed Mechanisms And Procedures For Institutional Quarantine

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia on Monday announced new procedures for the entry of all non-Saudi citizens and exempted travelers to the Kingdom.

This was in reference to the Ministry of Interior statement regarding institutional quarantine procedures for all arrivals to the Kingdom from countries that entry from it is not suspended.

The circular stipulates the application of the institutional quarantine to non-Saudi citizens and the exempted travelers, unvaccinated groups who come from countries from which their arrival has not been suspended at their own expense.

The cost will be included in the ticket price with a valid health insurance policy to cover the risks that may result from infection with the Coronavirus (COVID 19).

GACA stressed on the air carriers the need to carry all travelers who are not Saudi citizens and the exempted travelers, immunized and unvaccinated groups the health certificates approved in the Kingdom (Coronavirus examination certificates PCR) not exceeding 72 hours from the flight time for those over 8 years or older.

while non-citizen immunized persons are allowed entry, and the exempted groups who received full doses of one of the vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health, to enter the Kingdom without the need for a quarantine period, provided they present an official vaccination certificate before and upon their arrival.

GACA obligated air carriers to contract with shelters and accommodation facilities approved by the Ministry of Tourism to accommodate travelers who are not Saudi citizens and excluded groups who meet the conditions of institutional quarantine for a period of seven days, provided that a swab is done on the sixth day and the result is negative.

GACA confirmed that these procedures will start on Thursday May 20, 2021.

It is worth noting, that GACA applies all precautionary and preventive measures at the Kingdom’s airports with the aim of providing an integrated health environment for the visitors of the terminals in the Saudi airports, and the measures taken by GACA include obliging the concerned authorities and the air transport companies operating in the Kingdom’s airports to comply with all health safety requirements and precautionary and preventive measures.