Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry repeats call to leave Middle East crisis zones

Given the ongoing regional escalation in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms its recommendation to immediately leave the crisis zones using the still available commercial flights or via safe land routes, the ministry said on April 3.

While commercial flights from the international airport in Kuwaits’ capital have been suspended, departure from the country can currently be carried out by land route through Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Ministry said.

Civil flights operate from there.

“To organise land travel, we recommend establishing direct contact with local carriers operating international bus transport,” the ministry said.

It is also necessary to obtain a visa (Visit Visa) for Saudi Arabia (apply via  https://visa.visitsaudi.com/Registration/Verify  with a passport with a minimum validity of six months after the date of travel).

Flights from airports in Saudi Arabia are operated by:

Kuwait Airlines ( https://www.kuwaitairways.com/en ), operating from Dammam Airport. Pre-registration is required through the company’s office in the Al Khiran Mall shopping center (exact address is available here )  in Kuwait. From the specified location, bus transportation is organized to the airport in Saudi Arabia. The registration procedure begins 24 hours before the scheduled departure. Passengers traveling by private vehicles must collect their boarding pass from the same office before proceeding independently to Dammam Airport; 

Al Jazeera Airways ( https://www.jazeeraairways.com/en-kw/flights-aqi-faq ), operating from Al Qaisumah Airport in Hafr Al Batin. Check-in and organized bus transportation are available from Hall 8 of the Kuwait International Fair Mishrif; and

From the international airport in the capital Riyadh, several flight options are available to European destinations that allow a connection to Bulgaria.

Given the significant risks, while still in Kuwait, Bulgarian citizens should stock up on sufficient food, water, medicine and other essential goods, exercise vigilance and follow the instructions of local authorities.

In the event of an air raid alert, they should seek safety in their homes, other safe buildings or in shelters equipped by the authorities (information is available at:  https://www.moi.gov.kw/main/eservices/civildefence/shelters) .