European Travel Restrictions Updated as of 03/03/2022
Updated: Mar 8, 2022
The Covid Travel Restrictions seem to be ever changing. But with Tourism season rapidly approaching, many European countries are updating their policies & procedures. As always, make sure to double check official government websites in the weeks before your departure to stay up to date & fully prepared.
Here's everything you need to know to be prepared to safely visit Europe in early 2022! Please note: The information listed here is not exhaustive. It serves as a reference and is subject to change at any time. All travelers to and within Europe, the EU and the Schengen Area are strongly advised to consult the official guidance and regulations of local, state and national authorities in the relevant countries.
Sources:
Germany:
Germany allows in all travellers, regardless of their country of origin, as its high-risk list is abolished from 3 March. anyone arriving in Germany — whether by airplane, car, train or ship — must present either a negative test result, proof of vaccination, or documentation proving their recovery from COVID-19.
Starting March 4, 2022 people who are vaccinated or have recently recovered from the coronavirus will be allowed into bars and hotels without a test, while unvaccinated people will be able to enter with a test. Clubs will once again open to those who are vaccinated or recently recovered and have either a booster or a negative test.
Most other restrictions will be scrapped on March 20, although masks will still be required.
Germany currently bars unvaccinated people from entering most non-essential businesses, including bars and restaurants. Access to such establishments is restricted to fully vaccinated people who have received a booster shot or can present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours. Certain safety precautions continue to apply in general, such as adherence to hygiene rules, keeping a minimum distance of 1.5 meters (5 feet) from others, and wearing a surgical face mask in enclosed, publicly accessible areas, as well as on public transport.
Switzerland:
The Swiss government eased almost all COVID-19 restrictions on February 17. This means that those entering the country no longer need to present proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test or complete an entry form. People no longer have to show a COVID-19 certificate to enter bars, restaurants, theaters, concert halls and other venues.
The government has also done away with an attendance limit on large gatherings. Masks are only mandatory on public transport and in healthcare facilities, and only until the end of March.
France:
Travelers may enter France if they can show proof of vaccination, recovery or a recent negative test result. Everyone must fill out an entry form stating that they don't have any COVID-19 symptoms. Since December 2021, non-EU arrivals are asked to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 or 48 hours depending on the country of origin, even if they have been vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals arriving from green list countries — currently all EU states in addition to Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and others — must present a negative PCR or antigen test, or proof of recovery from COVID-19.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals from scarlet red list countries (virus variant areas) may only enter France for a "compelling reason." They must take a COVID-19 test prior to and upon arrival, and quarantine for 10 days.
Belgium:
Upon arrival in Belgium, vaccinated travelers no longer need to test or quarantine. Unvaccinated travelers can only travel in exceptional circumstances with an essential travel certificate and must present a negative COVID-19 test. Shops, restaurants, and bars are open. A COVID Safe Ticket (CST) is increasingly required to enter public venues. A CST shows that the holder is either fully vaccinated, has had a recent negative PCR test, or has recovered from the COVID disease within the last six months.
COVID-19 Testing
Are PCR and/or antigen tests available for U.S. citizens in Belgium? Yes.
If so, are test results reliably available within one calendar day? Yes.
Italy:
Officials announced the COVID-19 state of emergency will not be extended past March 31, 2022.
Some rules for entry have also changed as the government hopes to encourage the arrival of tourists. As of March 1, Arrivals from the EU or Schengen zone must present a passenger locator form and proof of either full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 or a negative test. The same goes for non-EU arrivals; either a vaccination certificate, recovery certificate or negative test will be sufficient for entry into Italy. The test must be a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours of arrival or a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival. Using public transportation is permitted only for those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. Travelers wishing to board flights, trains and boats must fulfill one of these two requirements, or present a negative test result.
Netherlands:
All travelers to the Netherlands must present proof of full vaccination, recovery, or a negative result result. Individuals arriving by airplane must also complete a health form. Visitors remaining in the country for fewer than 12 hours are exempt.
Starting February 25, the Netherlands has reverted to pre-pandemic mode, with bars, restaurants, nightclubs, cinemas, theaters open and health passes no longer required. Social distancing and mask wearing are no longer be obligatory in most places.
Face masks remain mandatory only on public transport and at airports.
Croatia:
To enter Croatia, arrivals from EU countries and the Schengen zone must present the EU Digital COVID Certificate. Alternatively, they may produce a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result, an official certificate showing they have received two doses of an EU-endorsed vaccine, or a certificate confirming that they have recovered from COVID-19 and have received one dose of a vaccine. Children under the age of twelve are exempt from presenting proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test result.
Third-country nationals may enter Croatia only if they have pressing grounds for doing so.
Upon entry, travelers must register their contact details and where they will be staying in Croatia. The Croatian Ministry of the Interior recommends that contact and residence data be submitted online in advance to avoid wait times upon entry.
Cafes, bars, restaurants and bakeries are open. Individuals must wear masks indoors and outdoors. Cinemas, museums, theaters and other such venues are operating with limited capacity and shorter opening hours. There is also a ban on the sale of alcohol at night.
Austria:
While travel to Austria is possible, entry requirements have now become far more strict. Fully vaccinated arrivals, or those who have recovered from COVID-19, must also produce proof of a recent booster jab or negative PCR test. Failure to show either results in a ten-day quarantine.
Those who are not vaccinated, and those who have not recovered from COVID-19, must likewise quarantine for ten days after first completing an entry form. They can end isolation with a negative test after five days at the earliest.
Austria has relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, no longer demanding proof of vaccination or recent recovery as a requirement to enter shops and museums. People in the country can now enter these public places as long as they are wearing FFP2 masks.
Curbs on the number of people attending public events have also been eased. However, spectators will have to wear face masks at events such as football matches. People in Austria will be allowed back into restaurants and other places that were previously only for vaccinated or recovered people, starting February 19, if they have tested negative. This rule applies to tourists as well. Previously, only those vaccinated or recovered were allowed to dine out.
Restrictions will be further eased on March 5, when the hospitality sector won't have to shut doors at midnight anymore and events can take place without restrictions. It will not be required to show the country's so-called green pass, which provides evidence of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19. The requirement to wear a mask will remain in certain establishments, such as retail stores or hospitals.
Czech Republic:
The completion of a digital entry form is mandatory for everyone upon arrival to the Czech Republic. All arrivals must now also show a negative PCR test result. This applies even for those who are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months. Persons who have received a third booster shot are, however, exempt.
Many EU states, among them Belgium, Denmark, Croatia, Finland and France, fall into the dark red, high-risk category. Persons from these places must register and take an additional PCR COVID-19 test five to seven days after arrival. FFP2 masks are compulsory in all indoor areas outside the home, even on public transport.
Access to restaurants, hotels, sporting events or visits to museums or monuments, for example, is only granted to those who have been fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19. Bars, restaurants, nightclubs, discotheques and casinos are closed from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. At restaurants a maximum of four people or only people from one household may sit at a table. A maximum of ten people are allowed to gather indoors and outdoors.
United Kingdom:
All travelers to Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the British overseas territories must fill out a passenger locator form. This can be done at the earliest 48 hours before entry. Vaccinated travelers may enter the UK without presenting a negative test.
Unvaccinated travelers, however, need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR tests on day two after arriving. This ten-day domestic quarantine can be ended on the fifth day after testing negative. This does not apply to Scotland.
Great Britain has abolished the multilevel traffic light system; instead, there is only a classification into high-risk regions (red) and safe regions (not red). Much stricter rules apply to entrants from "red" countries. They must, for example, enter a hotel quarantine at their own expense after arrival.
Most recently, the omicron variant spread throughout the UK, initially resulting in new rules coming into effect at the end of 2021, which have since been lifted. As of February 24 there are no more coronavirus restrictions as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "Living with COVID" plan. Free mass testing will stop April 1, 2022.
Currently, face masks are no longer required to be worn by law, although they may be required by individual organizations or venues.
Spain:
Travelers heading to Spain by plane or ship must fill in a health form ahead of their trip. To curb the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, Spain has created a list of risk countries — which is updated regularly — where arrivals from these areas must show either a certificate of full vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19 and a negative PCR or antigen test result. Most EU/EEA countries — such as France, Germany and Sweden — are currently deemed by Spain to pose an infection risk. Arrivals from these areas must show either a certificate of full vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19 and a negative PCR or antigen test result.
Regions can institute individual coronavirus safety rules, such as a maximum capacity for certain venues and establishments and limits on social gatherings. Spain has lifted the requirement to wear face coverings outdoors but the indoor mask mandate is likely to stay in place until at least the summer.
Portugal:
Since February 7, travelers from EU countries no longer need to present a negative corona test if they are either fully vaccinated or have recovered in the last six months. The corresponding EU certificate serves as proof.
Those who do not have this proof or are unvaccinated must present a negative rapid antigen test that is no more than 24 hours old or a negative PCR test that is no more than 72 hours old.
Those arriving by air must also complete a passenger locator form. In addition, the body temperature of each airplane passenger is measured. Should it be above 38 degrees Celsius, it is likely that quarantine will be required.
Arrivals from high-risk countries — defined as countries with 500 cases or more per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 14 days — are required to isolate for two weeks. Those on essential business or staying in Portugal for less than 48 hours are exempt.
Different entry requirements apply to the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores. Those wishing to visit Madeira must complete a health declaration 48 to 12 hours before departure and upload any relevant documents.
Seventy-two hours before visiting the Azores, travelers must complete an online questionnaire — unless they have the EU's COVID vaccination pass. Those who have neither been vaccinated nor recovered can still take a PCR test when entering the Azores. Until receiving the test result, it is necessary to stay in self-isolation at the hotel.
Wearing a face mask is mandatory in enclosed spaces. Proof of vaccination or recovery from the coronavirus must be shown to enter restaurants, cinemas and hotels. Alternatively, a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours or a rapid antigen test no older than 24 hours will suffice. The latter is required when visiting discos, bars and large events, even for those who have been vaccinated. Only people whose booster vaccination was at least 14 days ago are exempt from this requirement.
The Azores and Madeira have different regulations regarding curfews and restrictions. More information is available from the regional governments of the Azores and Madeira.
Greece:
Greece is battling a surge in the highly contagious omicron variant. Currently fully vaccinated travelers no longer have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter Greece. Anyone unvaccinated wishing to enter the country must take a COVID-19 test prior to arrival. Acceptable tests include either a negative molecular PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival or an antigen test taken within 24 hours of arrival. Entry to Greece is mainly restricted to those who can also show proof of recovery or proof of vaccination. At least 14 days must have passed since the second dose of the vaccine was administered.
All arrivals to Greece must fill out a digital passenger locator form the day before arrival. A QR-code will be part of the document generated by the form, which you have to show at border control. Failing to produce the QR-code may result in a refusal to enter the country and a fine.
Strict rules apply for those who are unvaccinated. Many indoor spaces such as banks, public offices, retail outlets and shopping malls are now inaccessible to anyone who is not fully vaccinated. Restaurants and bars are open with restricted hours. Masks are mandatory both indoors and outdoors.
Under Greek law, local municipalities are also allowed to introduce mini-lockdowns with short notice if infection numbers rise rapidly. This chiefly means introducing nighttime curfews and banning live music.
Denmark:
Denmark has become the first EU country to lift nearly all COVID restrictions. Persons from EU/Schengen countries may the enter provided they are fully vaccinated, or have recently recovered from COVID-19.
Unvaccinated arrivals must take a pre-departure test or a test within 24 hours of arriving in Denmark. Those entering from designated high-risk countries must only present a negative test if they have not been vaccinated or have not recently recovered from COVID-19.
All other travelers coming from high-risk countries must then self-isolate and take a test after 24 hours. The quarantine may be ended with a negative PCR test result on day six after entry.
While cases remain high in Denmark, the government has said the country's high vaccination rate means COVID-19 is no longer a "critical threat." As of February 1, there are no domestic COVID-19 restrictions in Denmark. Yet authorities encourage mask wearing and ask that only those with COVID passes enter hospitals and elderly care facilities. It is also still possible for cultural institutions and private businesses, for example, to limit entry to those who have either been recently vaccinated or have recovered from coronavirus, so be sure to have the required documents with you at all times.
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