Saudi Arabia to lift travel ban for arrivals from Vietnam

By Hoang Phong November 28, 2021 | 11:10 pm PT

Travelers walk at Riyadh International Airport in Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Ahmed Yosri

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior announced it will lift an entry ban on fully vaccinated expats from six countries including Vietnam from Dec. 1.

In addition to Vietnam, expatriates from Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt, and India would be allowed direct entry without the need to spend 14 days in transit outside their countries before entering the kingdom, Arab News reported.

They must spend five days in quarantine regardless of their vaccination status.

The ministry added expatriates hoping to return to the kingdom should undergo full health screening to ensure they are free from Covid infection.

Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and from Vietnam on July 3, after it recorded cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Vietnam has been facing its most challenging Covid outbreak since late April that has infected over 1.2 million people.

Over 49 million people in Vietnam have been fully vaccinated.