Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Saudi Arabia will allow direct entry to travellers from Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, Vietnam, Egypt and India from Dec. 1, lifting a requirement that they first spend two weeks outside the six countries, state news agency SPA said on Thursday.

Citing an interior ministry official, the agency said travellers would have to quarantine for five days in government-approved accommodation after arriving, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

An official source in the Saudi Ministry of Interior stated that it is a reference to what was previously announced regarding the temporary suspension of direct entry from some countries to the Kingdom, which requires spending 14 days outside it before entering, for reasons related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The source stressed, according to what was reported by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the importance of adhering to the application of all precautionary and preventive measures adopted.

He explained that all procedures and measures are subject to continuous evaluation by the competent health authorities in the Kingdom, according to the developments in the epidemiological situation globally.