MANILA, Philippines — Saudi Arabia is enforcing a temporary travel ban on foreign nationals, including Filipinos, with pilgrimage and tourist visas as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
The Department of Foreign Affairs announced late Wednesday that the travel restriction covers
umrah visa holders and tourist visa holders from countries “judged to pose a
particularly high risk” of spreading the potentially deadly virus.
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Saudi Arabia suspended Wednesday the
umrah pilgrimage, which attracts millions of Muslims globally each year.
Umrah refers to the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can
be undertaken
at any time of the year.
The announcement came days after the kingdom confirmed its first case of new coronavirus.
The Saudi government is also suspending indefinitely the issuance of tourist visas and entry visas for
the purpose of
umrah, visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
But Filipinos who have visas for employment, work visit, business visit and family visit
are still allowed to enter the oil-rich kingdom, DFA said.
Last year, Saudi Arabia offered tourist visas for the first time
in a bid to
kickstart tourism in the desert kingdom endowed with rich Bedouin heritage and archaeological sites.
The virus has spread to some 80 countries and infected more 95,000 people after first emerging in China late last year. The global death toll from the epidemic stood at 3,200 Tuesday. — with report from Agence France-Presse
Filipino nationals enroute to Saudi Arabia who will encounter any issues or problems on the travel restriction may the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh at (+966-11) 482-0507 or the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah at (+966-12) 667-0925 and (+966-12) 669-6303.