Travel restrictions expanded to more countries

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The Saudi government has placed restrictions on travel from additional countries to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

What does the change mean? Nationals of Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates will not be permitted to enter Saudi Arabia. Other foreign nationals who have been in any of these countries or Italy or South Korea in the past 14 days will not be permitted to enter Saudi Arabia. Air and sea travel between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, South Korea, and Syria has been suspended.

• Implementation time frame: Immediately.
• Who is affected: Nationals of/travelers from the countries listed above.
• Business impact: The restrictions will affect travel from the target locations, including travel for business.
• Next steps: The restrictions will remain in place until further notice. Employers who have employees in the target countries can expect they will not be allowed entry into Saudi Arabia. Additional restrictions are possible in the near future.

Analysis & Comments: The new restrictions are now in place and follow earlier restrictions on tourist and religious travel. The COVID-19 outbreak is an emerging situation that is changing rapidly. Deloitte will provide additional updates as information becomes available.

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