Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia extends deadline for returning citizens until April 14

The deadline for receiving requests from citizens to return to Saudi Arabia will be extended until April 14, according to Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry.

“The decision is an extension of the directives of King Salman and the Crown Prince to facilitate the return of Saudi citizens who wish to return from abroad,” the foreign ministry statement read.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued directives for the foreign minister to work on procedures that will allow Saudi citizens to return to the Kingdom following the suspension of flights around the world amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"The deadline for receiving requests to return to the Kingdom has been extended until next Tuesday, April 14, 2020, at 5:00 PM local time," the Foreign Ministry said in a tweet.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all parties involved in implementing the program for the return of citizens abroad continue to work around the clock to make the return of citizens safe and to facilitate procedures in light of the exceptional circumstances experienced by most of the world," the foreign ministry quoted FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah as saying.

Earlier, authorities said that in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, citizens returning to Saudi Arabia will be subjected to 14 days of isolation as a precautionary measure. Authorities added that 11,000 hotel rooms are being prepared to accommodate the returning citizens from abroad.

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