Entry to GCC countries resume after temporary closure

Our Correspondent

After a two-week entry ban over fears of a new coronavirus variant, Saudi Arabia resumed entry to the kingdom by sea, land and air on January 3 at 11 am, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

In a statement, the Ministry of Interior said that non-citizens entering from the UK, South Africa or any other countries where the new variant spread, will require to stay at least 14 days out of these countries before entering the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, citizens with “humanitarian and urgent cases” will be allowed to enter Saudi but will be required to quarantine in their homes for 14 days and undergo PCR testing.

Travellers coming from countries in which some cases of the strain were registered will require to quarantine in their homes under observance for seven days, with a PCR test taken before the end of the quarantine period on day six.

All travellers arriving from the rest of the world are given a choice of undergoing a seven-day home quarantine or a three-day home quarantine with a mandatory PCR test.
Oman: The Sultanate reopened its land, air and sea borders on December 29, according to a government Twitter account.

A negative COVID-19 polymerase test within 72 hours of entry is required for people from all countries and another test will be taken by those arriving from abroad at any of Oman’s airports, it said.

Oman shut its borders on December 21 after a new, more infectious Covid strain began spreading across Europe.
Kuwait: The Gulf country resumed flight operations from the Kuwait International Airport on January 2, 2021 at 4pm, according to the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The continuation of this decision will be reviewed in light of new developments, with the exception of cargo and shipping operations, according to government officials.