Saudi Arabia lifts this rule for fully vaccinated Indians looking to return

Embassy is pleased to inform that Saudi Authorities have announced that Indian nationals who have travelled to India after receiving both doses of the vaccine in Saudi Arabia will be able to return to the Kingdom directly without need for quarantine in a third country.

— India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) August 24, 2021

In July, Saudi Arabia had stated that it would impose a three-year travel ban on citizens travelling to countries on the kingdom’s ‘red list’, which included India, under its efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus and its new variants.

Earlier this month, however, the kingdom relaxed its rules to allow fully-vaccinated pilgrims from abroad to the Islamic holy city of Mecca as part of the umrah pilgrimage. Vaccinated worshipers from countries that the Middle Eastern kingdom includes on its entry-ban list will have to undergo institutional quarantine upon arrival.

Meanwhile, news agency PTI reported that UAE has temporarily suspended the visa-on-arrival facility for passengers, who are arriving from or have been in India in the past 14 days, according to Etihad Airways.