RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday that academic faculty members and teachers of universities, colleges, schools, and vocational and technical institutes from countries facing travel ban will be allowed direct entry into the Kingdom. Scholarship students from these countries are also included in the categories of those permitted direct entry. They need not spend 14 days in a third country during the period between departure from their countries and arrival in the Kingdom. Those, who have not taken any doses of vaccine against coronavirus from Saudi Arabia, shall remain in institutional quarantine upon arrival in the Kingdom and they should take vaccination during their quarantine period, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting an official source at the ministry. Currently, there are 10 countries that are facing travel ban. They are India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Brazil, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Lebanon. The ministry's decisions include the following categories of foreigners from the travel banned countries: 1- Faculty members and the like in universities, colleges and institutes. 2- Teachers in general education. 3- Training Authority at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and training institutes. 4- Scholarship students. Those who have received one dose of vaccine or have completed receiving doses of the vaccine inside the Kingdom are exempted from the institutional quarantine. This also applies to the companions of these categories of expatriates and their families, as well as employees in the public and private sectors. The ministry also lifted the suspension of travel for Saudi citizens under the age of 18 to Bahrain, with the application of the previously announced requirements for the travel of citizens. "The new measures were taken in light of the great efforts made by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to stem the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), and based on what was submitted by the competent health authorities in the Kingdom," the source said. The source also stressed the need for everyone to adhere to the precautionary measures and preventive protocols, and not to be lenient in the application of health requirements. "All precautionary and preventive measures for travel are subject to continuous evaluation by the Public Health Authority (Weqaya) in accordance with the latest developments in the pandemic situation," the source added. Earlier, the Ministry of Interior issued orders to allow direct entry of expatriates who have taken two doses of vaccine against coronavirus from Saudi Arabia to enter the Kingdom. The authorities had already allowed direct entry to Saudi citizens, as well as to foreign diplomats, health practitioners and their families from the countries facing travel ban. All other segments had required to spend 14-day quarantine in a third country before their entry into the Kingdom.
