Manama: Saudi Arabia is planning to lift Covid-19-related travel restrictions imposed since March, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The interior ministry will soon announce the exact date of lifting the ban on citizens traveling to and from the Kingdom, the SPA said.
The interior ministry announced on September 13 that it would end all restrictions on air, land and sea transport after January 1, 2021. And it revealed that the deadline for lifting the suspension would be announced 30 days before it happened, but it has yet to do so. On September 15, the Kingdom partially lifted a suspension of international flights, six months after travel restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The date for removing restrictions on international travel and allowing the opening of ports to all means of transport will be announced soon by the ministry, an interior ministry source said in a statement carried by SPA.
The ministry wishes to confirm the date for lifting restrictions on two-way travelling and allowing the opening of ports will be announced later.
The ministry was expected to make the final announcement, confirming the exact date for easing the travel restrictions, the source said.
The ministry had also indicated that the Ministry of Health may raise a request to set coronavirus protocols for travellers and airlines.
The flag carrier Saudia Airline resumed partial operation of international flights on September 15, exempting certain categories of Saudis and expatriates from the temporary travell ban. The airline has resumed its services to 33 international destinations since November.
