People in the UK can now travel abroad again, although Covid restrictions remain in force around the world.
Most countries have laws regarding who can enter, restrictions on what you can do after you arrive, and procedures to follow when you return.
Because these can change quickly, it’s crucial to examine the Foreign Office’s recommendations and tourist information for your destination before you travel.
Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind before travelling to some of the most popular destinations as reported by BBC.
Spain
Entry requirements
Everyone aged 12 or over arriving in Spain from the UK must present one of the following:
- documentation showing that you’ve taken a Covid-19 PCR test within 72 hours before travelling, and tested negative
- proof that you’ve been fully vaccinated (with both doses of a two-dose vaccine or one dose of a one-dose vaccine) at least 14 days before arrival
Spain (along with the rest of the EU) will accept the NHS Covid Pass, Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass, or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app as proof, which can be shown digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
Everyone coming to Spain by air or sea (including children under the age of 12) must also fill out and sign an online Health Control Form at least 48 hours before departure.
If you’re crossing the border from France into Spain, you may be requested to show confirmation of vaccination, a negative PCR test result obtained within 48 hours of crossing the border, or a document stating that you’ve recovered from Covid-19 within the last six months.
COVID rules
You must maintain a 1.5m social distance regardless of where you are in Spain (5ft). In the following locations, everyone over the age of six must additionally wear a face mask.(unless they have a medical exemption):
- any enclosed space open to the public (e.g. shops, restaurants, hotels or hospitals)
- any indoor space where people from different households mix
- any outdoor space where it is not possible to observe social distancing (e.g. crowded streets, public demonstrations etc.)
- all forms of public transport and all transport stations, platforms and airports
Some regions may have additional restrictive measures, including:
- overnight curfews
- a limit on social gatherings
- restrictions on meeting people from other households indoors
- capacity restrictions at beaches or other public areas (eg booking systems)
France
France entry requirements
If you are fully vaccinated you can enter France from the UK as long as you:
- complete a “sworn statement”
- prove that you’ve been fully vaccinated
The NHS Covid Pass, Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass, or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app are all accepted as proof in France (as are all EU countries). These can be provided digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
You can only enter France for necessary reasons if you are not inoculated (listed here – in French).
You must also show:
- an International Travel Certificate confirming these reasons, and confirming you are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus
- evidence of a negative PCR or antigen test was taken within 24 hours of departure
After arriving, you must self-isolate for seven days and then do another PCR test at the end of that time.
Children aged 12 or older from the United Kingdom who have only received one vaccination shot are not considered fully immunised under French law.
They will be needed to provide a negative PCR or antigen test result upon arrival in France if they are travelling with a fully vaccinated adult. They do not, however, have to present a compelling cause or self-isolate once they arrive.
Children aged 12 and up who travel alone from the United Kingdom face the same risks as adults who are not completely vaccinated, including the need to self-isolate.
A negative test result is not required for children under the age of 11 to travel to France.
COVID rules
In all enclosed public venues, face masks are compulsory.
Some outdoor public venues, such as queues, markets, and stadiums, require the use of a mask.
Masks are not necessary for children under the age of eleven.
Everyone above the age of 12 requires a “pass Sanitaire” to attend large events and gain access to a variety of places like pubs, restaurants, and museums, as well as to utilise some modes of public transportation such as flights and long-distance trains.
To qualify for a pass Sanitaire you must have either:
- a vaccination certificate, illustrating that you are fully vaccinated (the French government recognise vaccinations carried out in the UK)
- a negative PCR/antigen test result from the past 48 hours
- a document (dated more than 11 days ago and less than six months ago) proving you have recently recovered from Covid
If you are from England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, you can receive a Sanitaire pass by displaying the QR code from your NHS Covid app, or by utilising a downloadable PDF certificate (which must be dated after November 1, 2021).
By scanning and saving the QR code from your NHS Covid Pass or equivalent into France’s “TousAntiCovid” app, you can produce a pass Sanitaire.
The French government has stated that beginning December 15, persons aged 65 and up who were vaccinated more than six months ago will be required to provide proof of receiving a Covid booster jab in order to use the Sanitaire pass. Although full details have yet to be released, the NHS Covid Pass now records booster immunizations for users in England and will begin doing so in Wales on November 29.
Italy
Entry requirements
As long as you can prove you are completely vaccinated, you can travel to Italy from the UK without needing to self-isolate.
The NHS Covid Pass, Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass, or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app are all accepted as proof in Italy (as are all EU countries). These can be provided digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
You must also:
- fill in a passenger locator form, which will generate a QR code. You may be asked to present this before travel or by the border police. A paper form can also be completed if you do not have an electronic device.
- take a PCR or antigen test within 48 hours before entering Italy, and show evidence of a negative result
If you are not fully vaccinated, you must also:
– Make a report to the local health authority in the region where you will be staying.
- travel to your destination in Italy by private transport only
- remain in self-isolation for five days
- take another PCR or antigen test at the end of the five days’ self-isolation
If a child under the age of 18 travels with a fully vaccinated adult and has a negative PCR or antigen test, they are not required to self-isolate. Children under the age of five are not required to test.
Covid rules
Many public venues, including indoor seating in pubs and restaurants, shared hotel facilities, museums, exhibitions, swimming pools, fairs, and large events, require a “green pass” if you are 12 or older. The pass is also necessary for most interregional public transportation.
The QR code from your NHS Covid Pass, NHS Covid Status Pass, or Covidcert NI Pass will qualify as a green pass if you have been completely vaccinated. You can also present a paper copy if it is dated after November 1, 2021.
If you haven’t been vaccinated, a temporary (48-hour) green pass can be obtained by testing negative with a fast Covid test, which can be obtained at local pharmacies and testing centres. The test provider will print your results and send you a code via email. These will be required in order to gain access to a government website where the temporary green pass will be generated.
In the United Kingdom, children under the age of 18 who have only had one dose of vaccination are not considered completely vaccinated, and they must also acquire a 48-hour green pass via a negative Covid test.
In all interior public venues and outdoor spaces where social separation is not practicable, you must wear a face covering. A mask is not required for children under the age of six.
Gatherings should be avoided and social separation of 1m (3ft) should be observed.
Museums and exhibits should be reserved at least one day in advance, and attendance at sporting events is limited.
USA
Entry requirements
If you have been fully vaccinated:
- You can travel from the UK to the US if it is more than two weeks since you completed a full course of vaccination. You must have received a Covid-19 vaccine recognised in the US (this includes all the vaccines currently being given on the NHS). More details can be found on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
- You must also take a PCR or antigen test within three days before flying to the US (you must use a private provider for this).
- There is no need to self-isolate in the US, but you are recommended to take another Covid test 3-5 days after arrival.
If you have not been fully vaccinated, you cannot travel to the US, although exceptions are granted, for instance for children under 18 (the CDC has more details here). If you are an exception, you will need to:
- take a PCR or antigen test no more than one day before travel, or else present proof of having recovered from Covid-19 in the past three months
- take a test within 3-5 days after arrival in the US
- self-quarantine for seven days after arrival in the US
- become fully vaccinated if you are staying 60 days or longer unless you have a medical condition or are too young to be vaccinated
Children under the age of 18 who are not fully vaccinated do not need to self-isolate upon entering the United States, but they must take a test 3-5 days later (they should self-isolate if any symptoms develop or if they test positive).
Covid rules
If you are fully vaccinated, you can now travel to every state in the United States.
Check the relevant state government website before you arrive for rules on social distancing and facial coverings. Individual states may have their own set of rules.
You must wear a mask on flights, trains, and buses, as well as in airports, railroad stations, and bus stations throughout the United States.
Ireland
Entry requirements
Before leaving for Ireland, all visitors must complete an online passenger locating form. It will be checked by air or sea carriers prior to departure, and failure to complete it will be considered a violation.
If you are 12 or older and travelling to Ireland from England, Scotland, or Wales, you must show one of the following documents
- proof of full vaccination
- proof that you have recovered from Covid within the last 180 days
- evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arriving in the country
Ireland (like all EU nations) recognises the NHS Covid Pass, as well as Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app, as proof of vaccination and/or recovery from Covid. These can be shown digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
If you haven’t been vaccinated and haven’t recovered from Covid lately, you’ll need to present proof of a negative PCR test result obtained within 72 hours of entering the country.
There is now no requirement for Covid quarantine in Ireland, however, if you arrive without any of the aforementioned, you will be forced to take a test within 36 hours of your arrival.
Before arriving in Ireland, children under the age of 11 do not need to do a PCR test. Adults are also exempt; more information is available on the Irish government’s website.
You do not need to fill out a passenger locator form or give confirmation of vaccination, recovery status, or negative testing if you are travelling to Ireland from Northern Ireland.
Covid rules
Face coverings are required for those over the age of 13 in stores, banks, and post offices, taxis, bus and rail terminals, and public transportation. More information is available on the Irish government’s website.
You must provide proof of immunisation or recuperation to enter restaurants and pubs. The NHS Covid Pass and other UK counterparts are recognised as proof, although you may be required to provide additional proof, such as photo identification.
If they are accompanying an adult, children under the age of 18 do not need proof of vaccination or recovery, although they may be questioned for proof of age. Vaccination or immunity proof is required for children who are alone.
Currently, pubs, restaurants, and licenced establishments close at midnight. When not seated at your table, you must cover your face, and at least one member of your group (no more than ten persons) must provide the venue with contact information.
At midnight, nightclubs and live entertainment venues must also close. When not drinking, eating, or dancing, you must hide your face, and tickets must be purchased at least one hour prior to arrival.
Vaccination or immunity proof is also required at the movies and theatres.
Greece
Entry requirements
Before travelling, you must fill out a passenger locator form, which will provide you with a QR code.
Everyone aged 12 or over must also provide one of the following:
- a negative PCR test, taken within 72 hours before arrival
- a negative rapid antigen test (lateral flow), taken within 48 hours before arrival
- proof of recovery from Covid (a positive PCR result dated 30-180 days before travel)
- proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival
Greece (like all EU nations) recognises the NHS Covid Pass, as well as Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app, as proof of vaccination and/or recovery from Covid. These can be shown digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
You may be required to take a fast Covid test upon arrival in Greece, and if positive, you will be quarantined at a hotel for at least 10 days.
If other passengers on your aircraft or ferry test positive, you may have to self-isolate.
Covid rules
In all interior public venues, busy outdoor spaces, and on public transportation, everyone above the age of five must wear a face mask.
To enter public venues such as shops, restaurants (both indoor and outdoor), and museums, proof of immunisation is necessary. When requested, you should be prepared to show proof of immunisation. The NHS Covid Pass (and its variants in the UK) will be accepted.
If you have not been fully vaccinated or have not received proof of Covid-19 recovery:
- You can only travel by aeroplane, train and bus after either a certified negative PCR test (within 72 hours before scheduled arrival) or a certified rapid test (within 48 hours)
- You will not be allowed to take part in sports or enter stadiums
- You will need to show a negative rapid test, taken up to 48 hours before entry, to visit public spaces including shops, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, cinemas, theatres, museums, and archaeological sites
Unvaccinated children (aged four to eighteen) must also test negative in order to visit public venues such as stores, restaurants (both indoor and outdoor), and museums.
If you are travelling to any Greek island (apart from Lefkada, Evia and Salamina) you will need to show one of the following:
- a negative Covid test (PCR up to 72 hours before travel, rapid test up to 24 hours before travel)
- evidence of complete vaccination/recovery
Germany
Entry requirements
In response to an increase in Covid cases, Germany is imposing harsher restrictions on those who have not been vaccinated.
You can travel from the UK to Germany for any reason and without needing to self-isolate once you arrive if you can prove you’ve been completely vaccinated.
The NHS Covid Pass, as well as Scotland’s NHS Covid Status Pass or Northern Ireland’s COVIDCert NI app, are accepted as proof of vaccination and/or recovery from Covid in Germany (as in all EU countries), and can be presented digitally on a phone or printed (as long as it’s dated after November 1, 2021).
If you have not been fully vaccinated, you may only enter Germany from the UK if:
- you are a German citizen or their spouse, partner, or child under 18
- you are a German resident or their spouse, partner, or child under 18
- you have an important role or an urgent reason for travel
In these conditions, you will have to self-isolate for ten days (test and release are available after five days).
The Federal Interior Ministry’s website has more information. Border guards will have the last say on whether or not to admit admission.
Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 are permitted to enter Germany without a negative test if accompanied by at least one fully vaccinated parent. They are not needed to take any tests, but upon arrival, they must self-isolate for five days.
Regardless of vaccination status, all UK visitors to Germany must complete pre-departure digital registration.
Covid rules
On public transportation and at retail outlets, everyone aged six and up must wear a medical-grade (FFP2) mask.
In public, you are also asked to keep a social distance of 1.5m (5ft) wherever possible.
Germany will accept documentation of Covid-19 recovery and vaccination records from the United Kingdom. If domestic certification is necessary, a printed PDF evidence of vaccination status must be dated after November 1 to ensure that the certificate may be scanned correctly.
The restrictions differ based on the state you are visiting in Germany. The so-called “3G” regulation has determined whether you are permitted entrance to clubs, restaurants, hotels, and a variety of events and festivals since last year.
This means that you must be able to prove you have either:
- been vaccinated
- recovered from Covid
- tested negative in either a rapid antigen test (within the previous 24 hours) or a PCR test (within the previous 48 hours)
However, due to an increase in Covid instances, several states, like Saxony and Bavaria, have implemented a “2G” rule, which specifies that you can only enter public areas such as sporting events, cultural presentations, and restaurants if you have been vaccinated or recovered from Covid.
Some Christmas markets, such as those in Berlin and Munich, have been cancelled for 2021, while others, such as those in Cologne, are still taking place.
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Source: BBC
