Saudi Bahrain Causeway closed due to Corona

Yes, in the morning it was unclear and they were turning back Iqama holders.  However, since the last 30-40 minutes, Iqama holders are crossing into Saudi without issue.

thank you for the quick reply. please so update if you have further confirmations.

So far people are going through - Iqama holders.

That means people returning are going thru
Correct

Yes but it closes at 1155 tonight. And you can go through before that if you are a gcc national or have an iqama.

How long is it closing for?

No idea. They said till further notice. So could be a few weeks to a few months - who knows.

Hi guys, real situation if anyone can help. Since the causeway was closed at midnight of Saturday, I flew from Bahrain to Riyadh on Sunday morning via Gulf Air. Today morning, the flights to/from Bahrain are suspended. My return flight is on coming Thursday but I got a message from Gulf Air that it has been cancelled. I booked Oman Air today (for Wednesday morning) to travel to Bahrain via Muscat, but just got the news that Oman is also added to the list, and Oman Air will operate its last 2-3 flights, which are of course full. So I have to cancel that ticket also.

I am a Bahrain resident, and in Saudi on Business visa. How can I return back to Bahrain? Any options/suggestions?

From Saudi side, are they allowing Bahrain residents to return back to Bahrain via causeway? Or is it closed from Saudi side as well?

Well as far as I know, till midnight today, the causeway is open ONLY to go back to Bahrain. They didn't announce it but few of our contractors went through.

Barring that, there are no options nearby until the situation changes.  Noticing from your profile, you can fly back to Pakistan and then go from there to Bahrain - if you have Bahrain residency (otherwise problems entering).

Thank you for your quick reply. I will explore the PK option if nothing works out. It’s a fluid situation changing every hour. Not sure when PK flights also get suspended. Pakistan is already in the list in health declaration form that they make you sign at arrival in KSA. Just a matter of time.

Just wanted to check the reliable causeway situation because thats the quickest and easiest option.

Yeah it keeps changing. I suggest to try and go to the causeway NOW as they announced 72 hour deadline for Saudi nationals to return to Saudi from Bahrain. That means booths will be manned and they may not have issue with people leaving especially if they don't have Iqamas.

Good idea. I just found a contact at work place whose friend’s father is the Head of Revenue (toll) collection at Saudi side. Will check with him tomorrow morning and then leave from Riyadh. Any reliable contact in Riyadh who can drop me off to the causeway? The other dilemma is that since I flew in this week so I don’t have my car with me. No driver with Saudi Iqama will be able to cross from Saudi side, and no Bahraini car can come to Saudi side to pick me up. And I cannot cross by foot. Really a tricky situation.

That is the problem.  Maybe a friend with a bahrain number plate car can lend you their car to drive across.

did anyone (expat) cross the causeway after the closure?

It was opened from Bahrain side for only Saudi Nationals and residents to cross, for 3 days only. From Saudi side it is still closed.

Quick update. Gulf Air has just announced that they will operate 12 special flights between KSA and Bahrain, from 12th March to 15th March. The outbound flight from Bahrain to KSA will only be open for Saudi nationals and residents. The return flight from KSA to Bahrain will be only be open for non-Saudis.

Yep.  The only thing that is not clear yet is if they will allow expats holding Iqamas to go back to Bahrain - as they have banned travel for residents and citizens outside of Saudi.  A friend of mine is trying his luck this weekend and will post back when I find out more.

Hi XTang, I took the special flight on 12th March at 6:00pm (GF168). No issues in departing from Riyadh and arriving in Bahrain. They have some thermal scanners installed at BAH, and also you have to fill a declaration form before immigration. However, if you are arriving from one of the affected countries (the list was of 12 countries I guess, on the form), then it might be a different story.

Good news on managing to get out .

Hi does anyone know when the causeway will open as my car is stuck in Bahrain and I need to get it back into saudi

No clarity yet.  But it seems that it is not going to open anytime soon.  Worst case, you can have it shipped via a truck - those are still operating.

Dear`s
Do anyone have an idea when the causeway will be open or at least the requirements as the only answer i am getting is till further notice
who will take care about or flats and rentals and electric bills due
it isn't fair to be in Bahrain paying and not allowed to enter since  march 7 companies aren't going to pay double housing as enough what they are suffering.
there must be a way to return back especially when i have my wife and she having visit family visa  so where we go .
ministry replied we can extend your exit re-entry visa by email that is all !

we are ready to be checked home isolated but not staying in Bahrain over a month
we need answers or help!

i hope that someone can advice or help

If you read the thread below, I shared my experience of entering Bahrain from Saudi via causeway on the 25th of March:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=889955

But you must have Bahrain residence stamped in your passport to be even able to try.  Forget about it if you don't have residence visa in Bahrain.

A friend of mine with Saudi Iqama did it the other way round as well a week before me but as I mention, it will depend on your convincing skills to be able to cross.   And it will be a one-way trip. And most probably, they won't let visit visa holders enter.

i Have saudi residence and i extended my visit visa at Bahrain as it was only for 15 days based on the situation

Same is my case. I have done my first extenions for two weeks in Bahrain. There is one more extension for usual cases. but in this situation I hope Bahrain will be ready to extend more than twice.

sherief Ismaiel wrote:

i Have saudi residence and i extended my visit visa at Bahrain as it was only for 15 days based on the situation

Already answered the question you sent me in private message.   You can try your luck by going to the causeway - more chance for you being iqama holder to cross and less chance for your wife.  It all depends on your convincing skills.

As I mentioned, I crossed into Bahrain from Saudi via causeway on 25th while it was closed and a friend, the other way few days before. But both of us had residency for both Saudi and Bahrain and even then it was a one way trip.

Does anyone have any information on the causeway opening anytime soon? I know with the rising corona cases in Saudi, the situation hasn't changed favorably.. still if any updates?

Nope.  All rumours.  Some say that they may open in a few weeks to allow people stuck on either side without family to go through on a one way trip.  Others say not before Sep.   The thing is that NO ONE knows.....I was hearing a few weeks more than 1.5 months ago .

I guess we will know more once Saudi announces the conditions for the period after June 21.  Should happen this weekend.

i have posted a new question
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 50#4919489

like to know if anyone has renewed their Iqamas while outside the kingdom during this period of covid travel restrictions.

i am still in bahrain and my iqama expires in 30 days. they did extend my exi re entry visas but the iqama not yet probably as its valid till now.

want to know if the employer can renew the iqama online while am outside the kingdom,

thanks

If I have Saudi Iqama with Electrical Technician profession and exit entry can I travel to Bahrain via causeway in my car ?

Yes YOu can

I have posted about this many times on different threads.

Nowadays, even if you are eligible for visa on arrival in Bahrain, Saudi immigration will NOT let you exit without a Bahrain visa/passport/residency.  If you don't have one, they will either turn you back or ask you to go into a room where you will need to convince the senior officer of your reason for going to Bahrain.....and depends on your luck.  To be clear, it is not a Bahrain issue....if you somehow manage to get to Bahrain side, they will issue you a visa on arrival.

I have both Saudi and Bahrain residency but every single time I exit from Saudi, they ask to see my Bahrain CPR before they let me exit.