Two steps forward one step back: Europe is tightening up for American travelers

Starting from August 30, the European Union authorities removed the US from the safe travel list. This led to various EU countries increasing the travel restrictions for US travelers. 

Being fully vaccinated is not enough anymore if you want to visit Europe in some cases. In Italy, it is now required to do a COVID test, regardless of your vaccination status (effective since September 1st). Or in the cases of Croatia and Austria, if your vaccines are over 8 months old, you need to have a booster shot.

While the wave caused by the Delta variant has been on a decline in both the US and Europe for a few weeks, the regulations are likely to stay for a while.

The travel rules are changing on short notice. As a rule of thumb, it may be a good idea to use the below checklist to see if you can travel within a day or 2 before your trip:

1. Vaccine certificate
2. A COVID test
3. A completed health form
4. Travel insurance

As the travel restrictions vary from country to country, we gathered a quick recap of them for you here:

Austria

The vaccine certificate is valid for 360 days after the 2nd dose for 2-dose vaccines. For travelers with past infection and 1 dose of vaccine, the certificate is valid for 360 days after that 1 dose. If the traveler has had a third (additional, booster) vaccine, the certificate is valid for 360 days from the third vaccine. For vaccines that require only 1 dose, the certificate is valid from the 22nd day for 270 days from vaccination.

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. (the certificate should not be older than 270 days) are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival for 10 days.

For more information, see here:https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information/entry-regulations

Bulgaria

Travelers from the United States are not allowed to enter Bulgaria, except Bulgarian citizens, residents, and their families with either a vaccine certificate or a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here:https://www.mh.government.bg/media/filer_public/2021/08/03/zapoved_vlizane_bg_02_08_2021_izm-en.pdf

Croatia

Travelers need to provide a “certificate showing that they have recovered from COVID-19 and have received one dose of vaccine within eight months from contracting the disease, provided that the vaccine was administered less than 270 days from their arrival at the border crossing point.”

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and are subject to quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://mup.gov.hr/uzg-covid/english/286212

Cyprus

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without an additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test before and upon arrival. No quarantine required.

For more information, see here: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/vaccinated-passengers

Czech Republic

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are not allowed to enter for a nonessential reason, they must have a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: More info: https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/en/recognition-of-vaccination-certificates-from-other-countries/

France

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are allowed to enter only with proof of compelling reason with a COVID test and 7 days of quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france/

Germany

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and they don’t have to follow any quarantine measures upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter for a nonessential reason, except German nationals, residents, immediate family members, etc., who must have a COVID test and follow the quarantine protocol.

For more information, see here: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/civil-protection/coronavirus/coronavirus-faqs.html

Ireland

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are allowed to enter with a COVID test and must follow quarantine protocol for 14 days.

For more information, see here: https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/coronavirus/

Italy

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test. However, they must undergo a quarantine requirement for five days upon arrival and perform another test by the end of their self-isolation period.

For more information, see here: https://infocovid.viaggiaresicuri.it/index_en.html

The Netherlands

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter with a COVID test and quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter except Dutch, EU, and Schengen citizens and legal residents, their families, travelers in transit to a non-Schengen country, etc. who must have a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/mandatory-negative-test-results-and-declaration/mandatory-when-travelling-from-a-high-risk-country

Portugal

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. with the CDC card and unvaccinated are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

No COVID test is required for a holder of an EU digital vaccine certificate.

For more information, see here: https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/covid-19-measures-implemented-portugal

Spain 

Vaccinated travelers are allowed to enter without a COVID test, and no quarantine. Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no quarantine.

For more information, see here: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov/spth.htm

Malta

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without an additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival. An additional COVID test is required on days 10-11.

For more information, see here: https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/covid-19/Pages/travel.aspx

Greece

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without an additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no additional quarantine measures upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/ 

Slovenia

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival.

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no quarantine.

For more information, see here: https://www.gov.si/en/topics/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/border-crossing/

Slovakia

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter (the certificate should be newer than 12 months) without an additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter without a COVID test but quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://www.mzv.sk/web/en/covid-19

Hungary

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter (the certificate should not be older than 12 months from the first vaccination) without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival.

Unvaccinated ones are allowed to enter with a COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: http://www.police.hu/en/content/information-on-general-rules-of-border-crossing

Switzerland

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter except Swiss citizens, EU/Schengen citizens, permanent residency holders, and holders of other specified permits or visas with a COVID test and no quarantine.

For more information, see here: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende.html#accordion1622218756267

Iceland

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival.

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and quarantine upon arrival with an additional COVID test.

For more information, see here: https://www.covid.is/english

Norway

Travelers from the United States are not allowed to enter Norway, except holders of valid EU digital vaccine certificates, Norwegian citizens, close family members, etc. without additional COVID tests and no quarantine if fully vaccinated. 

Unvaccinated travelers must have a COVID test and follow quarantine measures upon arrival.

For more information, see here: https://www.helsenorge.no/en/coronavirus/international-travels/

Denmark

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter (the certificate should not be older than 12 months) without an additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival.

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter except Danish citizens and family members, travelers with essential reason with a COVID test and no quarantine, additional COVID test upon arrival is required.

For more information, see here: https://en.coronasmitte.dk/rules-and-regulations/entry-into-denmark/legal-requirements-upon-entry?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=pmd_6G7DH4Ipy3Hdg7zCeQhDVoeK3sbc3fSc0m2ORklgKFM-1630665013-0-gqNtZGzNA9CjcnBszQi9

Sweden

Travelers from the United States are not allowed to enter except Swedish citizens, EU/Schengen citizens, and residents with a negative COVID test regardless of their vaccination status.

For more information, see here: https://polisen.se/en/the-swedish-police/the-coronavirus-and-the-swedish-police/travel-to-and-from-sweden/#Non-EEA

Finland

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter, except Finnish citizens and residents, EU/Schengen citizens, etc. with a COVID test and no quarantine, an additional COVID test is required on days 3-5.

For more information, see here: https://raja.fi/en/guidelines-for-border-traffic-during-pandemic

Poland

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are allowed to enter without a COVID test but must quarantine upon arrival with an additional COVID test at the end of quarantine.

For more information, see here: https://www.gov.pl/web/coronavirus/temporary-limitations

Romania

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter without a COVID test but quarantine upon arrival.

For more information, see here: http://romaniatourism.com/travel-advisory.html

Estonia

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are not allowed to enter, except Estonia citizens and residents, EU/Schengen citizens, etc. with a COVID test before and after arrival, quarantine is required for unvaccinated travelers. 

For more information, see here: https://www.kriis.ee/en/travelling-and-border-crossing

Latvia

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter with an additional COVID test and no quarantine. 

Unvaccinated travelers are not allowed to enter, except Latvian citizens and residents, EU/Schengen citizens, etc. with a COVID test before and after arrival. Self-isolation for 10 days is required.

For more information, see here: https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/article/information-travellers-latvia-provisions-preventing-spread-covid-19

Lithuania

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID tests and no quarantine upon arrival. 

Unvaccinated ones are not allowed to enter, except Lithuanian citizens and residents, EU/Schengen citizens, with a COVID test before and after arrival. Quarantine measures for 10 days are required.

For more information, see here: https://urm.lt/default/en/important-covid19

The U.K.

Vaccinated travelers from the U.S. are allowed to enter without additional COVID test and no quarantine upon arrival must book a travel test package prior to travel to be tested on or before day 2 after arrival.

Unvaccinated travelers are allowed to enter with a COVID test and need to quarantine for 10 days. They must book a travel test package prior to travel to be tested on or before days 2 and on or after day 8 of quarantine.

For more information, see here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice