RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced
that the competent health authorities in the country are closely following the
developments of the spread of the new the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the
ministry affirms the keenness of the Kingdom's government through those
authorities to implement the approved international standards and support the
efforts of countries and international organizations, especially the World
Health Organization, to stop the spread of the virus, control it and eliminate
it.

In completion of the efforts taken to provide the utmost
protection to the safety of citizens and residents and everyone who intends to
come to the territory of the Kingdom to perform umrah or visit the Prophet’s
Mosque (PBUH) or for the purpose of tourism, and based on the recommendations
of the competent health authorities to apply the highest precautionary
standards, and take proactive preventive measures to prevent the arrival of
COVID-19 to the Kingdom and its spread, the Kingdom's government has decided to
take the following precautions:

1- Suspending entry to the Kingdom for the purpose of umrah
and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque temporarily.

2- Suspending entry into the Kingdom with tourist visas for
those coming from countries in which the spread of the new coronavirus is a
danger, according to the criteria determined by the competent health
authorities in the Kingdom.

3- Suspending the use by Saudi nationals and citizens of
Gulf Cooperation Council states of the national identity card to travel to and
from the Kingdom, except for Saudis who are abroad if their exit from the
Kingdom is with the national identity card, and citizens of the Gulf
Cooperation Council countries currently inside the Kingdom, and wish to return
from it to their countries, in case that their entry was with the national
identity card, in order for the concerned authorities at the entry points to
verify from which countries visitors came before their arrival to the kingdom,
and apply health precautions to deal with those coming from those countries.

The Kingdom affirmed that these procedures are temporary,
and is subject to continuous evaluation by the competent authorities. - SPA