Today: 8 May 2025
21 June 2022
2 mins read

Saudi lifts travel curbs to 4 countries including India

Saudi Arabia has lifted Covid-19 travel restrictions on its citizens, the Ministry of Interior announced on Monday…reports Asian Lite News



Travel curbs were lifted on the following destinations: Turkey, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and India, Al Arabiya reported.

The move comes a week after the Kingdom dropped some precautionary Covid-19 measures, including wearing face masks indoors and providing proof of vaccination in order to enter most public places.

Despite the relaxation of Covid-19 measures, the Ministry of Interior said last week that people will still be required to wear masks in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, places regulated by the Saudi Public Health Authority Weqaya, and places and events that impose their own mask mandates.

The vaccination time frame for Saudi Arabian citizens who want to travel abroad has also been extended, Al Arabiya reported.

Travelers were previously required to have received their third Covid booster dose within three months of the second, but that time frame has now been extended to eight months.

Coronavirus restrictions in the Kingdom were loosened earlier this year in March when outdoor mask mandates, social distancing measures, PCR tests for inbound travelers, and quarantine-on-arrival rules were dropped.

Meanwhile, first batch of Haj pilgrims from Indian state of Telangana left for the pilgrimage from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on Monday.

A total of 373 pilgrims left for Jeddah by a special flight of Saudi Airlines at 5.55 a.m., an official of Telangana State Haj Committee said.

Earlier, around midnight the buses carrying the pilgrims were flagged off by state home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and State Haj Committee chairman Mohammed Saleem at Haj House in the city.

The pilgrims began their journey with enthusiasm amid chanting of ‘Talbiyah’, a special prayer invoked during the Haj. Emotional scenes were witnessed at Haj House as scores of relatives, friends and well-wishers bid adieu to the pilgrims.

ALSO READ:DP World, Saudi Ports Authority announce partnership

The first flight had 211 pilgrims from Hyderabad and the remaining were from seven other districts.

This is after a gap of two years that pilgrims from India are performing Haj. Saudi Arabia had not allowed pilgrims from other countries in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

About 80,000 Indian pilgrims will be performing Haj this year. The Haj quota this year has been reduced in view of Covid protocol.

Previous Story

Aster DM Healthcare to launch advanced healthcare facility in Kerala

Next Story

H.E Touq meets with WIPO, UNCTAD & WEF officials at MC12

Latest from -Top News

India Strikes Terror Bases in Pakistan

‘Justice is served’, says Indian Army as Operation Sindoor unfolds In a significant military response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives, the Indian Army on Wednesday

UAE Reopens Doors to Lebanon

The prime minister expressed Lebanon’s “utmost gratitude and appreciation to the UAE” and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan….reports Asian Lite News Lebanon welcomed the decision by the United Arab Emirates

SYRIA RAIDS: Arab League Slams Israel

The Arab League condemned the airstrikes and called on the international community and the United Nations to confront what it described as “repeated violations committed by Israel against the Syrian state.” The

India Rises, Africa Watches 

While struggling economies in Africa engulf themselves in ideological battles and take sides in the tariff battles, nations like India are placing their national interest first and navigating Global Trade challenges in

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Bomb-laden drone falls on school in Asir

The incident was the latest of the frequent attacks launched

Oman Sultan due in Saudi Arabia

The two-day visit is Haitham bin Tariq’s first foreign visit