Following a large number of questions from the KAUST community, this announcement aims to assist in summarizing important information for those who may be travelling out of Kingdom during the coming months. Please note that situations can change fast and you should always keep up to date with local authority guidance – both from within Kingdom and at your point of destination.
Before you leave
Do your research
Vaccine requirements:
With international travel opening up, airlines and/or destinations will likely require travelers to produce evidence of their vaccine status before flying and/or upon arrival. We recommend checking with your airline and your destination country for specific requirements.
Quarantine & testing:
Each country has its own level of testing and quarantine requirements. We suggest checking official government sources of your destination country and familiarize yourself with their testing and quarantine requirements so that you are prepared before you arrive.
Recommended travel documents
We recommend printing a paper copy and taking screenshots of the following documents for each person travelling:
- Pre-departure PCR test – many airlines and countries require a PCR test within 48-72 hours of departure. It is advised to have a hard copy of the PCR results with you as this may be checked prior to travel.
- Sehhaty app vaccine certificate – If you received your vaccine in Kingdom, you have access via the Sehhaty app to a medical report, which you can download and print for travel as proof of vaccination. The report includes the vaccine batch number, brand and dates of both 1st and 2nd doses as applicable.
- Tawakkalna app - Tawakkalna is the main app used in Kingdom to show evidence of an individual's COVID-19 vaccine status. Before you board your plane, airlines may ask to see your status on Tawakkalna. The app is now accessible in 75 countries outside the Kingdom. However, in case of technical difficulties we advise you to take a screenshot of your COVID-19 vaccine status on Tawakkalna before you leave the Kingdom.
- It is also recommended to keep a printed copy of your National ID/Iqama with you as well.
Important to know:
- If you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 6 months, you need to provide evidence to MoH in order to have your Tawakkalna updated. You can do this by emailing proof of the positive test along with a copy of your passport, Iqama and mobile number to 937@moh.gov.sa. Once this information has been received and authenticated by MoH and updated in their systems, you will receive the green status 'immune by infection' on the Tawakkalna app.
- If you have received both doses of a Kingdom approved two dose vaccine or one dose the Janssen vaccine outside the Kingdom, you can update this information in the MOH system. You can do this via https://eservices.moh.gov.sa/CoronaVaccineRegistration/. Please follow the instructions on the link and upload the relevant information. Once this information has been received and authenticated by MoH and updated in their systems, your Tawakkalna app will be updated to the green status as 'immune'.
Keeping informed
The situation is dynamic, so you should always check with your airline and government before and during travel for the latest information. Please reach out to your line manager and advise them of any impact new travel and/or quarantine restrictions may have upon your return to KAUST.
See below for a list of important contacts:
Current return to KSA requirements
It is important to familiarize yourself with the current Kingdom travel, testing and quarantine requirements before and during your travels. For the latest updates, please visit the Travel and Quarantine page on the HSE website.
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