The preceding period’s decision by the Kingdom to suspend flights and shut down the borders
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in neighboring countries, the Saudi government has been focused on implementing the most stringent and rapid preemptive measures to protect citizens, and residents’ health, the most visible of these was the shutdown of airports and the prohibition of travel except in extreme circumstances, which demonstrated a clear concern for the safety and health of all individuals inside the Kingdom, this decision without a doubt reflected favorably on citizens’ awareness.
At this time, we noticed the Saudi society’s commitment to health precautions and adherence to state rules in order to mitigate the impact of the epidemic, as evidenced by the interest in the search for “countries authorized to travel” on the Google platform in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is jumped by 100 percent on the day the Ministry of Interior announced the adoption to implement the decision, indicating a growing interest in the best health-stable nations that the Kingdom allows to travel to.
Categories that are permitted to travel
In order to secure everyone’s safety, the Ministry of Interior stated only three categories of travelers who are authorized to travel, with a strong emphasis on travlers’ commitment to preventative measures and health standards, as well as taking precautions when deciding to travel to countries where the virus is spreading rapidly, based on its confidence in people’ awareness after this experience.
Categories who are permitted to travel include the following:
- People who received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
- People who have recovered from the virus, as long as it has been six months since they were infected.
- Children and people under the age of 18 as long as they have travel insurance covering Covid-19 treatment.
According to the Henley Passport Index, the Saudi passport is placed 66th among the most powerful global passports for the year 2021, thanks to strong diplomatic ties that allow holders of the Saudi passport to travel to 79 countries across the world without getting a visa, which gives Saudis multiple travel options with simple terms.
Currently, after intensive monitoring of the infection rates around the world to determine the safest countries for travel and which have declared their willingness to receive tourists, a huge number of interested people and workers in the field of travel and tourism shared on social media the most important countries to visit in the case of planning to travel outside the Kingdom for tourism at this time, as well as the most important conditions for visiting published by the governments of these countries, with a focus on the importance of reviewing the most recent updates issued by the Kingdom’s embassies in the countries to be visited, especially because global health conditions are constantly changing.
Important guidelines for traveling during a Covid-19 emergency
- Stick to a direct itinerary
- Keep track of the health situation of the country you want to visit
- Choose a location where you will not be cut off from medical care
- Check the passport’s validity (+3 months for Arab countries, +6 months for others)
- Check the country’s health regulations before traveling
- Issue the required travel documents
- Get mandatory travel insurance that covers the risks of Covid-19 that might be encountered outside the Kingdom.
- Organize your budget ahead because some countries might impose a 3- to 8-day quarantine period at the expense of the traveler
Insurance solutions
International travel insurance
If you want to travel with peace of mind and safety while avoiding unpleasant surprises, you should consider insurance, as it is the first line of defense, particularly in cases of flight delays and cancellations, as well as the loss of luggage, which has become a typical occurrence during travel and transportation.
It’s difficult to predict the insurance amount which would be spent without giving all the details because it takes into account the traveler’s age, trip period, and destination, but in general, the insurance period lasts from the day of departure until the return date or the expiration of the policy’s given date.
Compulsory travel insurance (Covid-19) for citizens
In order to ensure quick treatment for Saudis abroad and to provide health care and full medical coverage for cases infected with Covid-19 The Saudi Central Bank and Council of Cooperative Health Insurance announced benefits that cover the risks of infection with Covid-19, which citizens can apply for insurance through the “Tawakalna” app.
The Compulsory travel insurance for citizens covers them not only in the event of lost luggage or its delayed arrival but also in the cases of personal accidents.., as well as the infection’s risks of the Covid-19 outside the Kingdom.
The most noticeable distinctions
The Insurance policies required from non-Saudis (visitors from abroad)
After the Saudi Central Bank and the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance updated the insurance policies for those coming from abroad for the purposes of tourism, visit, and Umrah by adding coverage for risks related to Covid-19 infection. Indicating that the insurance policy will include:
- Cost of treatment
- Cost of quarantine procedures If the test result is positive,
- Emergency evacuation
It should be noted that the Covid-19 examination is not covered by insurance.
IHC wishes you safe travels!
