RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announcedthat the competent health authorities in the country are closely following thedevelopments of the spread of the new the coronavirus (COVID-19) and theministry affirms the keenness of the Kingdom's government through thoseauthorities to implement the approved international standards and support theefforts of countries and international organizations, especially the WorldHealth Organization, to stop the spread of the virus, control it and eliminateit.
In completion of the efforts taken to provide the utmostprotection to the safety of citizens and residents and everyone who intends tocome to the territory of the Kingdom to perform umrah or visit the Prophet’sMosque (PBUH) or for the purpose of tourism, and based on the recommendationsof the competent health authorities to apply the highest precautionarystandards, and take proactive preventive measures to prevent the arrival ofCOVID-19 to the Kingdom and its spread, the Kingdom's government has decided totake the following precautions:
1- Suspending entry to the Kingdom for the purpose of umrahand visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily.
2- Suspending entry into the Kingdom with tourist visas forthose coming from countries in which the spread of the new coronavirus is adanger, according to the criteria determined by the competent healthauthorities in the Kingdom.
3- Suspending the use by Saudi nationals and citizens ofGulf Cooperation Council states of the national identity card to travel to andfrom the Kingdom, except for Saudis who are abroad if their exit from theKingdom is with the national identity card, and citizens of the GulfCooperation Council countries currently inside the Kingdom, and wish to returnfrom it to their countries, in case that their entry was with the nationalidentity card, in order for the concerned authorities at the entry points toverify from which countries visitors came before their arrival to the kingdom,and apply health precautions to deal with those coming from those countries.
The Kingdom affirmed that these procedures are temporary,and is subject to continuous evaluation by the competent authorities. - SPA