Indonesian Citizens Can Enter Saudi Arabia Without Booster Vaccines, But Must Follow The Health Protocols

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas met with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Islamic Affairs, Da'wah and Counseling Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, said that the government of Saudi Arabia had lifted the rules for suspending international travel for several countries, including not requiring a three-dose vaccine (booster) so that Indonesian citizens could enter the Holy Land.

"There is no longer a booster requirement, but we still have to comply with health protocols", said Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in a written statement received in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Friday, November 26.

Saudi Arabian authorities previously only recognized Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines as a condition for entry into the Holy Land.

Meanwhile, countries using the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines are required to receive an additional or booster dose of the four vaccines recognized by the Saudi Arabian Government.

Now that the regulation has been revoked, it's just that foreign nationals or Umrah pilgrims must undergo a five-day quarantine upon arrival in the Holy Land.

"But they still have to comply with the health protocol by undergoing an institutional quarantine for five days. This must be obeyed and is a common concern", he said.

Previously, the Saudi Arabian aviation authority had updated its international flight rules. Starting December 1, 2021, flights from Indonesia can go directly to Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of Religion welcomed the new rules issued by the Saudi Arabian aviation authority, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) dated November 25, 2021.

"Alhamdulillah, before returning from a working visit from Saudi Arabia, I received official information that starting at one o'clock in the morning, on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Indonesian citizens was allowed to enter Saudi Arabia without having to go through a third country for 14 days", he said.