Saudi Arabia threatening years-long travel bans for trips to ‘red list’ countries

Saudi Arabia will enforce a three-year travel ban on anyone traveling to the country’s “red list” in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, the state news agency SPA said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. 

The travel ban includes several countries such as Afghanistan, Argentina and Brazil.

“Anyone who is proven to be involved will be subject to legal accountability and heavy penalties upon their return, and will be banned from travel for three years,” the official said. 

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health reported 1,252 cases of the coronavirus in the county, bringing the total cases to 519,395.

Citizens were initially allowed to travel abroad without permission from authorities after the pandemic took hold.