Saudi Arabia has relaxed travel rules for fully vaccinated Indians living in the Islamic kingdom, allowing them to travel to India and return without taking a detour.
The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia took to Twitter to announce, “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.”
It added, “Further details on implementation of the above decision are awaited.”
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
The decision comes as a huge relief for Indians living in Saudi since the kingdom had recently announced that it would impose a three-year travel ban on those travelling to its red list countries. India was among its red list countries.
According to news agency PTI, the UAE has imposed a temporary ban on visa on arrival for those coming from India.
Earlier, the United Kingdom had lifted its travel ban for Indians after Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited London to persuade the British government to move India out of its list of red countries. This meant that Indians legally allowed to reside in the UK or British citizens returning from India are no longer required to spend 10 days in quarantine in a government-approved hotel.
Staying in government-approved quarantine was an emotionally draining exercise and a hugely expensive affair as each adult is expected to fork out more than £2,200. They are now required to spend 10 days home isolation after arriving in the UK.