What’s with the WORLD
Updated as of March 26, 2022
ASIA
BRUNEI: Most foreign nationals remain banned from entering or transiting Brunei, except those on business and official travel, studying in Brunei, undergoing medical treatment, and transport operators, among others. Unvaccinated foreign citizens can enter Brunei only if they are on essential travel or have medical exemptions from the vaccination. Foreigners who can enter Brunei must obtain an Entry Travel Pass with a Bruneian citizen or entity as a guarantor. All inbound air travel passengers, including Bruneian citizens, must obtain a negative result from an RT-PCR test within 48 hours before travel, complete an Arrival Declaration Form within 24 hours before departure, pay BND 100 prior to arrival for an on-arrival test, download and register on the BruHealth Application, and undergo an on-arrival ART test. Foreigners who are visiting Brunei for less than 90 days must obtain travel medical insurance with COVID-19 coverage worth at least BND 50,000. Upon arrival, vaccinated and unvaccinated inbound passengers must quarantine at designated facilities for at least five and ten days, respectively.
CAMBODIA: Entrants must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 72 hours before the trips and undergo an on-arrival rapid antigen test (RAT). Fully vaccinated arrivals are not subject to any quarantine, but passengers who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for 14 days. Additionally, individuals who obtained a positive result from the on-arrival RAT must take another PCR test and quarantine at a designated location.
Officials have resumed issuing tourist visas, e-visas, and exemptions for visas, though visa-on-arrival services remain suspended. Individuals traveling for essential reasons may submit applications for short-term visas permitting stays of up to 30 days either through a Cambodian embassy or consulate or the government’s official portal by clicking http://www.evisa.gov.kh/. Applicants for short-term visas must adhere to protocols, including providing proof of medical insurance of at least USD 50,000 and evidence that the trip is for essential reasons. Inbound foreign nationals must pay a USD 2,000 deposit to cover potential COVID-19 related costs. Officials are resuming additional flights between Cambodia and several locations gradually.
CHINA: The government continues to ban most foreign nationals, except those with valid residence permits, from entering China. However, foreigners with invitations from provincial or municipal governments and some family members of foreign employees with emergency humanitarian needs can apply to enter the country. Authorities also permit foreigners fully vaccinated with Chinese-produced COVID-19 vaccines to apply for visas for work, business, or humanitarian reasons. Officials ban most foreign travelers from Bangladesh, Belgium, France, India, Italy, the Philippines, Russia, and the UK, regardless of residency status, unless they have received Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines. Diplomatic personnel and C visa holders, generally flight and shipping crew members, are exempt from entry bans regardless of country of origin. Officials continue to ban direct flights with the UK until further notice. Essential business travel from Singapore and South Korea can occur under fast-track arrangements. Travel is possible between Singapore and Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces and Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. A fast-track arrangement for business travelers from South Korea to 10 Chinese locations, including Shanghai and Anhui, Jiangsu, Liaoning, and Shandong provinces, is also in place. Companies or government agencies can apply for special passes for inbound visitors, who must test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of departure from Singapore or within 72 hours before departure from South Korea and obtain a visa. Passengers must undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival in China and self-isolate at designated facilities until their results are available. Singapore travelers must also adhere to a preplanned itinerary, refrain from using public transport – except for private hire vehicles – for the first 14 days, and download and use a health pass while in mainland China. Arriving passengers testing positive for COVID-19 will undergo treatment at their own expense. Authorities require almost all inbound passengers to take a nucleic acid COVID-19 test at designated facilities in the country of origin seven days before departure. Further requirements for inbound passengers from most countries include submission of a nucleic acid and IgM antibody test from designated facilities in the departure country within 48 hours of boarding flights and additional COVID-19 testing in each country they transit. Passengers from certain locations may be required to take an additional PCR test 72 hours before departure. Authorities may allow fully vaccinated passengers who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies to enter China. Examples of affected locations include multiple European countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Vietnam. Authorities could modify testing requirements for entrants at short notice; respective Chinese missions will update country-specific rules. Regardless of nationality or residency, most travelers are barred from using land border crossings. Exceptions exist for cargo transport, though backlogs remain possible at border checkpoints.
HONG KONG: Authorities permit entry for travelers from Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China, provided they have not visited other locations in the past 14 days. Fully vaccinated arrivals from mainland China and Macau must quarantine for seven days at a hotel or home accommodation and take two COVID-19 tests, followed by a week of self-monitoring and additional COVID-19 testing on specified days. Unvaccinated arrivals must quarantine at a designated venue for 14 days and take three COVID-19 tests, followed by self-monitoring for seven days. Persons arriving from Taiwan must quarantine at a designated hotel for 14 days regardless of their vaccination status. Arrivals must undergo six tests during quarantine as well as mandatory tests taken 16 and 19 days after entry. A limited number of Hong Kong residents who have only visited low-risk areas in mainland China and Macau can forgo quarantine by making a reservation online and entering via Shenzhen Bay checkpoint, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoint, or Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). Officials have also expanded the program to nonresidents who have been in Guangdong Province or Macau for the previous 14 days. Participants in the scheme must take a COVID-19 test within three days before entry and undergo another six COVID-19 tests on specified days after arriving in Hong Kong. All other border checkpoints remain closed. Vaccinated senior executives of selected publicly listed or registered financial services companies can enter if they meet specific criteria. Such travelers must undergo COVID-19 testing and adhere to approved itineraries. A ban on flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the US, and the UK is in effect through March 4.
Only fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents may enter from all places outside of Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China. Passengers that have visited Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the US, and the UK for more than two hours within the last 14 days are restricted from boarding passenger flights to Hong Kong. From Feb. 12, flights from Nepal and travelers who visited Nepal in the last 14 days will also be banned. Permitted entrants must carry proof of vaccination and pre-departure testing. Arrivals must quarantine for 14 days and take six tests. Individuals must also follow self-monitoring protocols for a week after quarantine ends and undergo additional COVID-19 testing on specified days. Travelers must show proof of a reservation at a designated quarantine hotel for at least 14 nights from the day of arrival. A detailed list of location risk levels and quarantine and testing requirements is available by clicking https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.
All arriving passengers must provide a negative PCR COVID-19 test result from a sample taken 48 hours or less before arrival; authorities calculate the sample time and date from the time zone of the inbound flight for connecting passengers. Passengers from mainland China and Macau must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within three days before arrival. Travelers from mainland China must have testing conducted at laboratories mutually agreed upon by Guangdong Province and Hong Kong officials or approved by China’s National Health Commission. All other persons arriving at HKG must also provide documentation that the testing organization is ISO 15189 accredited or recognized by the government where the test occurred and a reservation at a designated quarantine hotel before boarding flights. Test results and other documentation must be in either Chinese or English. Arrivals must undergo on-arrival COVID-19 testing and remain in designated locations at HKG until receiving a negative result before continuing onto hotel quarantine. Hong Kong has resumed quarantine exemptions under the Return2hk and Come2hk schemes for travelers entering through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge checkpoint as of Feb. 11.
INDIA: Authorities are issuing visas to international tourists on chartered flights. All international passengers must register on the Air Suvidha portal. Unvaccinated arrivals must also upload negative results of an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours before departure. Fully vaccinated arrivals from select locations may submit a vaccine certificate instead of a negative test. The complete list is available https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/ListofCountriesRegionsinrespectofwhichprimaryvaccinationschedulecompletioncertificateisallowedtobeuploadedincontextofguidelinesforinternationalarrivalsupdatedon10thFebruary2022.pdf. Air carriers may bar individuals exhibiting symptoms during pre-departure thermal screening to board flights to India International passengers will undergo thermal screening on arrival; isolation and testing are mandatory for symptomatic passengers.All entrants must self-monitor their health up to 14 days of arrival; authorities may conduct random free-of-cost testing of passengers at airports for surveillance. Officials may impose fresh restrictions for countries with increased disease activity or new variants at short notice. International passengers traveling for emergency reasons need prior approval to enter without negative results of an RT-PCR COVID-19 test and must undergo on-arrival testing. Entrants requiring on-arrival paid testing facilities – available at several airports, including Bengaluru (BLR), Cochin (COK), Delhi (DEL), Hyderabad (HYD), and Mumbai (BOM) – must pre-book tests via the Air Suvidha portal and wait 1-6 hours for negative test results before boarding a connecting flight or exiting the airport. States may impose varying quarantine and testing requirements; those seeking exemptions and waivers must do so from authorities in all intended destination and transit states before arrival. Citizens, residents, and long-term visa holders of foreign countries looking to exit India must confirm entry eligibility with the intended destination country’s embassy and book their tickets through air carriers’ websites. Authorities will likely continue to enforce entry restrictions at border crossings and mandate testing for people allowed to enter. Officials have reportedly lifted the requirement of pre-departure tests for travelers who have received a COVID-19 booster shot entering India through the Benapole land border crossing.
INDONESIA: The government allows citizens, permanent residents, foreigners on high-level diplomatic state visits, and Asia-Pacific Economic Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel cardholders to enter the country. Fully vaccinated tourists and short-term visa holders from several countries may also visit Bali or the Riau Islands. Effective March 7, on-arrival visas priced at IDR 500,000 are available for entrants to Bali’s air or seaports from 23 countries such as the US and the UK; a complete list is found https://www.imigrasi.go.id/en/2022/03/06/siaran-pers-visa-kunjungan-saat-kedatangan-visa-on-arrival-khusus-wisata-resmi-dibuka-untuk-wna-dari-23-negara/. Travelers, except Indonesian nationals, must present a COVID-19 vaccination certificate for entry. Permitted entrants must present negative results of a PCR test taken within 48 hours before arrival, obtain health insurance covering COVID-19 treatment, register on the eHAC app, and download the PeduliLindungi contact-tracing app. Tourists to Bali and Riau Islands must also present evidence of hotel booking. All entrants will undergo on-arrival PCR testing. Fully vaccinated arrivals must isolate for 24 hours and undergo a COVID-19 test on day three. Passengers who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for seven days, and take a COVID-19 test at the end of their quarantine period. Exemptions are available for some groups of fully vaccinated travelers as follows Fully vaccinated international arrivals permitted to enter Bali via air or sea do not need to quarantine. They must take a PCR test on arrival and isolate until negative results are returned; an additional PCR test is due on day three. Other ongoing conditions such as holding negative results of a pre-departure COVID-19 test, medical insurance, and accommodation booking of at least 4 days or proof of domicile in Bali are in place.
JAPAN: Japan allows citizens, permanent residents, foreigners with legal resident status, diplomats, and people with humanitarian reasons to enter the country. Most nonresident foreign nationals remain banned for tourist visits; however, officials allow foreign students and business travelers to enter Japan. Entrants must present negative results of a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure. The government does not permit people who cannot undergo testing to board flights or enter Japan. Exceptions may be possible in some circumstances; however, affected passengers must contact their local Japanese diplomatic mission before departure. The government has adjusted quarantine requirements for permitted entrants based on vaccination status and departure location, with reduced quarantine times for travelers that have received a booster vaccine dose. Authorities maintain enhanced quarantine requirements for designated high-risk countries, including India, Indonesia, Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam, due to COVID-19 variants. Entrants that are not fully vaccinated from these locations must undergo institutional quarantine for three days; individuals that test negative for COVID-19 on day 3 can exit quarantine. Fully vaccinated passengers from high-risk countries and travelers that are not fully vaccinated from low-risk places can self-quarantine for seven days; travelers that undergo testing on day 3 and receive a negative result can exit quarantine. Fully vaccinated travelers from designated low-risk locations can forego self-quarantine with a negative on-arrival COVID-19 test result. A complete list of affected locations and quarantine requirements is available https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html.
MACAU: Residents from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan may enter Macau if they have not been to other locations in the previous 21 days. The government also permits some foreign nationals in Hong Kong with new residence permits, work or student visas holders and their families, and important short-term business and academic trips to enter the territory if they have not left Greater China within 21 days of entry and obtain permission. Arrivals from Hong Kong and Taiwan must be fully vaccinated and present a certificate attesting that they took at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days ago and within seven months, provide a negative COVID-19 test result obtained taken within 24 hours before departure, quarantine at a government-designated facility for 14 days, and undergo self-health management for seven more days. Individuals who completed the first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine more than seven months prior must receive a booster to enter Macau. Arrivals from Hong Kong entering via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge must undergo and wait for a nucleic acid test result at the border checkpoint. From Feb. 25, Hong Kong arrivals must serve their quarantine at Treasure Hotel; travelers who have made reservations at other medical observation hotels will have their bookings canceled. Affected people must have a negative COVID-19 test result the day before the management period ends or depart Macau during the management period. Officials require inbound passengers from mainland China to present a negative COVID-19 nucleic acid test result. Inbound flight passengers must ensure the testing sample is taken no longer before seven days of departure, though air travelers from Guangdong Province must present a test result issued within the last 48 hours. Land and sea travelers entering from mainland China must hold test results issued within the last 48 hours. Entrants from mainland China’s medium- and high-risk areas must continue to quarantine for at least seven days and up to 14 days at designated hotels from their last exposure. Officials could alter quarantine requirements at short notice. A complete list of requirements for travelers from mainland China is available by clicking https://www.ssm.gov.mo/apps1/PreventCOVID-19/en.aspx#clg17048. Returning citizens and permitted travelers from other international locations must take a COVID-19 test within 48 hours before departure for Macau, quarantine for 21 days at a designated location upon arrival, and undergo self-health management for seven more days. Officials can increase quarantine to 28 days if passengers return a positive serological test result. Any entrant that previously contracted COVID-19 must provide a certificate proving at least two months have passed since infection or their first positive test result. Travelers arriving from extremely high-risk destinations including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Eswatini, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, the US, and Zimbabwe must present three nucleic acid test results taken at least 24 hours apart within five days of departure. These travelers are subject to a 21-day quarantine in designated facilities. Authorities will likely extend the quarantine for individuals with a positive serological test result. Most arrivals must pay quarantine fees, if applicable. Locals returning for the first time or traveling for specific purposes are exempt. Officials operate a closed management system with Hong Kong for cargo crews, exempting crew members from quarantine if they undergo COVID-19 testing weekly, maintain adequate health standards, and refrain from disembarking in Hong Kong.
MALAYSIA: Through April 1, Malaysia continues to ban most foreigners from entry, with exemptions for several groups, including resident diplomats, foreign spouses and dependents of Malaysian citizens, long-term pass holders, and workers in essential industries and their dependents. Travelers must undergo a PCR test within 48 hours before departure and download the MySejahtera contact-tracing application. International arrivals who have received a COVID-19 booster shot must quarantine for five days. Fully vaccinated passengers who have not received a booster shot must quarantine for seven days, while unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for 10 days. Authorities may allow vaccinated entrants to quarantine at their residence. All travelers must undergo COVID-19 tests upon arrival and at the end of their quarantine. Officials will ease quarantine requirements from April 1. Quarantine-free travel is possible under the Langkawi International Travel Bubble (LITB), the short-term traveler One-Stop Center (OSC), and Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) schemes. Fully vaccinated short and long-term business travelers may apply to enter Malaysia under the OSC initiative. Short-term travelers must stay in the country 14 days or less to qualify for the OSC and be eligible for an exemption from quarantine, but long-term travelers under the OSC initiative remain subject to quarantine requirements. Fully vaccinated international tourists, except for travelers from high-risk locations, can enter Langkawi, Kedah State, through the LITB; the list of high-risk locations is unclear. Travelers under the LITB must undergo daily testing and stay in Langkawi for at least three days; passengers who wish to travel to other parts of Malaysia must stay in Langkawi for at least seven days. Fully vaccinated passengers who have been in Cambodia, Singapore, or Thailand for the past 14 days can enter Malaysia via a VTL arrangement.
MALDIVES: Authorities have lifted requirements of pre-departure testing and on-arrival quarantine rules for international entrants as of March 14 amid ongoing COVID-19 measures. Officials have also lifted the nationwide state of public health emergency as of March 14; the decree had been in place since March 2020. The government has rescinded a requirement to wear facemasks when in public places nationwide, except when in healthcare facilities and areas with a positivity rate higher than 20 percent. However, authorities encourage people to wear facemasks when in high-risk settings, such as mass gatherings. Travelers entering or departing the Maldives must submit an online health declaration via the Imuga portal within 48 hours before travel. Tourists are allowed and on-arrival tourist visas are available. Foreign tourist arrivals must reserve accommodations at approved lodging establishments; split stays between islands must be approved by the Ministry of Tourism at least two days before departure. Vaccinated tourists can check in to any tourist guesthouses, while unvaccinated tourists are allowed to enter only guesthouses in islands that have met some requirements, such as a 95-percent vaccination rate among the staff at the tourist facilities on the island. Unvaccinated tourists must also obtain a negative result from a PCR test within 72 hours before departing the Maldives if they have stayed in an inhabited island at any point.
MYANMAR: As of March 19, cargo and relief flights are exempt from international travel restrictions; it is unclear whether the government provides any other exceptions from the ban. Foreigners traveling for urgent reasons, including diplomatic issues, may contact a Myanmar diplomatic mission to apply for an exemption. On-arrival visas and e-visas are suspended. Foreign citizens must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours before arrival. Fully vaccinated entrants must quarantine at designated facilities for 10 days and undergo COVID-19 tests on days one and nine of the quarantine period at their own expense; arrivals who did not present a negative result from a pre-arrival must also undergo an additional test on day three of the quarantine. Passengers who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine at designated facilities for 14 days and undergo COVID-19 tests on days one, three, and eleven of their quarantine period at their own expense. Authorities may allow resident diplomats and UN officials, regardless of vaccination status, to complete their quarantine at their own residence after obtaining negative results from COVID-19 tests on days one and three of the quarantine period.
PHILIPPINES: The government allows entry for foreign nationals from most locations if they have valid permitted visas, such as those for foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens, resident diplomats, and seafarers, among others; the issuance of tourism visas remains suspended. Officials continue to classify international locations as “green,” “yellow,” and “red” areas, with increasing strictness of entry and quarantine requirements. An entry ban remains in place for people coming from “red” locations, with an exception for returning Filipinos on board repatriation flights. People who can enter the Philippines are subject to requirements, including presenting a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours before departure, having valid visas, pre-booking a quarantine facility, and undergoing PCR tests.
Fully vaccinated entrants entering from “green” locations must quarantine at designated facilities for at least three days, before quarantining further at their residence until the 10th day after their arrival. Fully vaccinated entrants who can come from “yellow” and “red” locations must quarantine at designated facilities for at least five and seven days respectively, before quarantining further at their residence until the 14th day after their arrival. Passengers who are not fully vaccinated from “green” and “yellow” areas must quarantine at designated facilities for at least seven days, while those who arrive from “red” locations are subject to a 10-day quarantine at designated facilities; these travelers must also quarantine further at their residence until the 14th day after the arrival. The enforcement level of the home quarantine requirements is unclear.
The “red” areas include Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Spain as of Jan. 7, while the “green” locations include Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gambia, Guinea. Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Montserrat, Oman, Paraguay, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, and the United Arab Emirates. All other areas as classified as “yellow.”
SINGAPORE: Controls vary according to entrants’ travel history in the past seven days. International locations are classified into three categories, namely Category (I), Category (II/III/IV), and Restricted Category, in increasing order of strictness of entry rules. Arrivals from Category (I) or Category (II/III/IV) locations must obtain a negative result from either a professionally administered ART or a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure. Entrants from Restricted locations must obtain a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure. Passengers from Category (I) locations must undergo a supervised self-administered ART test within 24 hours after arrival and remain in self-isolation until the on-arrival test returns a negative result. Arrivals from other locations must serve a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) for seven days and take a PCR test at the end of the SHN; entrants from Category (II/III/IV) locations can opt to undergo SHN at their residence, while arrivals from Restricted locations must serve SHN at a designated facility. Officials designate China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan as Category (I) and all other places as Category (II/III/IV); no location is considered Restricted. Detailed requirements can be found https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/shn-and-swab-summary. Citizens and permanent residents (PRs) can enter Singapore from any location without prior approval. Long-term pass holders (except work permit holders) no longer need to obtain authorization to enter Singapore. Foreigners from most locations remain banned for short-term visits. VTL arrangements are active with several international locations, including the UK and the US; the list of locations can be found https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/vtl/requirements-and-process. VTL entrants must present a negative result from a professionally administered ART or a PCR taken within two days before departure and undergo a supervised self-administered ART within 24 hours after arrival. Short-term visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan can apply for an Air Travel Pass (ATP) for all purposes since Feb. 17, though the government will ban short-term visitors who have been in Hong Kong in the past one week from using an ATP from Feb. 24. Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) arrangements, which allow official and business travel, are in effect with Brunei, as well as Chongqing, Shanghai, and Tianjin municipalities and Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces in China. RGL visitors must have a local sponsor and a minimum of SGD 30,000 travel insurance, take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours before departure, undergo on-arrival testing and self-quarantine until receiving a negative result from the on-arrival test, and adhere to controlled itineraries for the first 14 days.
SOUTH KOREA: South Korea permits entry for residents, including long-term visa holders. Visa-free and visa-waiver programs with most countries remain suspended; however, travelers from the EU and Schengen countries can enter without a visa for 90 days. Inbound passengers must present evidence of a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure; exceptions are possible for children under age six and South Korean nationals traveling for humanitarian reasons, among others. Arrivals are subject to mandatory screenings at points of entry. Authorities in Seoul require inbound passengers remaining in the city to undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival; travelers must await test results before continuing their journey. Most foreign residents must obtain permits before departing South Korea to facilitate any planned re-entry. Officials require permitted inbound travelers to quarantine for seven days as of March 19; authorities will reintroduce quarantine exemptions for some fully vaccinated travelers from March 21. Nonresidents must quarantine at designated facilities at their own expense. Returning citizens, long-term residents, and some relatives of these groups can self-quarantine, except if from designated high-risk countries. Travelers eligible for self-quarantine must use their own vehicle or designated buses, trains, or taxis instead of public transport to reach their residence. Entrants from Saipan and Singapore under travel bubble arrangements are exempt from quarantine.
TAIWAN: Officials continue to ban most foreign nationals without valid Alien Resident Certificates from entering Taiwan. Noncitizens are also barred from boarding international transit flights except for emergency humanitarian reasons. Permitted migrant workers and foreign spouses, and children of Taiwanese citizens and residents can apply for a visa to enter the island.
Until Feb. 28, inbound passengers must quarantine for 14 days, followed by seven days of self-monitoring. Arrivals with travel or transit history in the past 14 days in high-risk locations must quarantine for two weeks in specific group facilities. Those from other locations may opt for other arrangements as follows.
Under Program A, individuals must spend 14 days in hotel quarantine. Those under Program B may quarantine for 10 days in a hotel and four days at home. Fully vaccinated people may quarantine for seven days in a self-paid government facility or hotel, and seven days at home under Program C; arrivals from Feb. 6 may not avail of government facilities. Rooms at government facilities cost NTD 1,500 per night. Home quarantine is only applicable if all other household members are fully vaccinated. Inbound passengers opting for home quarantine must submit proof that they have suitable accommodations no more than 48 hours before departure. Passengers who do not accurately report their travel and medical history could face fines of up to NTD 150,000.
All arrivals must submit an online Quarantine System for Entry form within 48 hours before entry. They must also hold negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within two days before departure. Additional tests are compulsory upon arrival, at the end of facility quarantine, and during and at the end of home quarantine. Those seeking exemptions to pre-departure testing for emergencies must provide supporting documents or face penalties; they must pay for an on-arrival COVID-19 test. Inbound travelers who had COVID-19 symptoms within the previous 14 days must undergo a PCR test upon arrival and 24 hours later.
Enhanced screening could cause delays at transport hubs across the island, especially at airports and main railway stations. Flights to mainland China remain restricted indefinitely; airlines can only fly to airports in Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (SHA, PVG), Xiamen (XMN), and Chengdu (CTU). Taiwan continues to ban cruise ships.
THAILAND: Thai citizens and foreign travelers from all locations may enter Thailand under the Alternative Quarantine, the Sandbox, or the Test and Go schemes. All entrants, including Thai citizens, must apply for a Thailand pass before arrival; Test and Go travelers who arrive by water must apply for a Certificate of Entry. All passengers must also present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure, undergo COVID-19 tests upon arrival, and download the MorChana mobile application.
The Alternative Quarantine program is open to all travelers regardless of vaccination status. Entrants who are vaccinated and unvaccinated must undergo quarantine at designated facilities for at least seven and 10 days, respectively. The travelers can leave the quarantine sites after obtaining negative results from COVID-19 tests.
The Sandbox scheme is open to vaccinated travelers or travelers who have recently recovered from COVID-19. The passengers must arrive by air through Bangkok, Krabi, or Phuket. Entrants who test negative for COVID-19 upon arrival must remain within the Sandbox areas for seven days and return to their pre-arranged accommodation nightly for these first seven days before they can travel to other parts of Thailand. Travelers who intend to stay in the Sandbox areas less than seven days must leave Thailand and are not allowed to continue traveling to other parts of the country. Localities under the Sandbox scheme as of Feb. 23 include Krabi, Phang Nga, and Phuket provinces; Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Koh Tao in Surat Thani Province; Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Sattahip, Si Chang, and Si Racha in Chonburi Province; Ko Chang in Trat Province.
The Test and Go program is also open only to travelers who are vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19. People of all nationalities can arrive by air and water under the scheme. Authorities will also allow people under the program to enter Thailand by land from March 1; only Thai citizens or foreign travelers from the neighboring countries can enter through the border checkpoints in Nong Khai, Songkhla, and Udon Thani. Entrants who arrive by air or land must undergo an on-arrival test and wait at an approved facility for one day until the test result returns negative; passengers who arrive by water must wait for the result of the test aboard the vessel. The arrivals may then travel to any part of Thailand and undergo an ATK on the fifth day after arrival.
VIETNAM: Vietnamese officials have relaxed most entry restrictions for international travelers as of March 16. The government has resumed normal visa issuance policies. Entrants must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken before departure. Authorities allow visa-free travel to Vietnam for up to 15 days from 13 locations. International commercial flights have resumed. Authorities are not requiring entrants to undergo quarantine. Officials may reimpose tighter travel restrictions if further COVID-19 outbreaks occur.
MIDDLE EAST
QATAR: The Qatari government classifies countries into ‘standard health measures’ and ‘red health measures.’ To view the Ministry of Public Health’s updated list of ‘red health measures’ countries, click here. Arrivals from all other countries are subject to standard health measures. Travelers must present a negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before arrival. Qatari citizens and residents are exempt from this measure. If, however, they are unvaccinated and arriving from a country subject to red health measures, they will be required to undergo a PCR test no more than 48 hours before arriving in Qatar. Fully vaccinated citizens and residents must take a Rapid Antigen Test within 24 hours of their arrival. Citizens who are unvaccinated or non-immune are required to take a PCR test within 24 hours of their arrival, in addition to a Rapid Antigen Test on day five of their home quarantine. This measure applies to citizens arriving from countries subject to standard health measures and red health measures.
SAUDI ARABIA: In addition to meeting the abovementioned requirements, all travelers, except for Saudi citizens and certain exempted individuals, must complete a Registration Immunization Information Form (i.e., arrival registration) before departing for Saudi Arabia; completing the form registers individuals’ vaccination data and allows them to use the Tawakkalna mobile application. To access the form via the Muqeem website, click https://muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home.
Additionally, all arriving travelers must complete a health disclaimer form and submit it to authorities upon arrival. To view the form, click https://saudiacdn.saudia.com/-/media/Project/SA/SC/SAUDIA/Pages/COVID-19/20210103-saudi-ministry-of-health-disclaimer-en.pdf?_ga=2.164574143.1452646070.1644511132-1188125768.1644511132.
All incoming travelers must download and register their information on the Tawakkalna mobile application no more than eight hours after arriving in the country
Arriving travelers must have medical insurance covering COVID-19 treatment costs; Saudi citizens and residents and citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are exempt from this requirement.
All incoming travelers must have proof of having received a full course of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine; travelers who had received the final dose of their primary series of an accepted vaccine more than eight months before travel to the country must also present proof of having received a booster dose.
Saudi citizens who test positive for COVID-19 can enter the Kingdom without a negative PCR test result, provided seven days have passed since they tested positive. Alternatively, citizens who are not considered fully vaccinated by Saudi authorities and test positive for COVID-19 may enter the country after 10 days from the date on which they tested positive.
Saudi citizens departing the country must have received a booster shot of an approved COVID-19 vaccine if three months or more have elapsed since receiving a final dose of their primary series. This measure does not apply to people under the age of 16 or those considered exempt on the Tawakkalna mobile application.
TURKEY: Authorities have indefinitely suspended flights with South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. Travelers who have been in one of these countries in the previous 14 days and plan to enter Turkey from another country must present a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours before arrival and proof that hotel accommodation has been booked and paid for in advance as these travelers will be required to quarantine in said hotel for up to 14 days; quarantine can be ended early with a negative PCR test after day ten.
All individuals who have visited Brazil, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan in the previous 14 days must present a negative result from a PCR test taken within the 72 hours before arrival and self-isolate for 14 days; individuals may leave isolation early with a negative PCR test after day ten. Fully vaccinated travelers are exempt from self-isolation.
Travelers who have visited Afghanistan in the previous 14 days must present a negative PCR test taken within the 72 hours before arrival and quarantine at their own expense in a government-designated facility for 10 days. An early exit from quarantine will be permitted on day seven after a second negative PCR test result. Turkish citizens and Afghan citizens with work permits or Turkish residency and also arriving by air may self-isolate at their residence.
Individuals arriving from Egypt or Iran must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival in Turkey or proof of full vaccination.
Travelers from all other countries must present proof of vaccination against COVID-19 completed no less than 14 days prior to arrival or proof that they have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months. Travelers unable to meet these requirements must present a negative result from a PCR test taken in the previous 72 hours or a negative result from an antigen test taken in the previous 48 hours on arrival.
Other than those in transit, all incoming passengers must register via an online form within 72 hours before travel and may be selected to undergo checks for possible COVID-19 symptoms on arrival.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Entry regulations can vary significantly based on several factors, including the traveler’s vaccination status, and the emirate via which the individual is entering the UAE.
For details on international entry restrictions specific to Dubai, click https://www.emirates.com/us/english/help/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements/tourists/.
The UAE has resumed issuing tourist visas to fully vaccinated individuals with one of the WHO-approved vaccines. For more details on the UAE’s entry restrictions, click https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-the-law/handling-the-covid-19-outbreak/travelling-amid-covid-19/travelling-to-the-uae#travelling-to-the-rest-of-the-uae.
For details on COVID-19-related domestic measures and international entry restrictions specific to Abu Dhabi, click https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/plan-your-trip/covid-safe-travel.
EUROPE
EUROPEAN UNION: The European Council (EC) continues to regularly update the list of countries with which it recommends member states relax COVID-19-related entry restrictions. Jordan and Namibia were removed from the list effective Dec. 2.
In its latest guidance, the EC recommends member states ease travel restrictions for the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, Uruguay, and China (provided it implements a reciprocal travel arrangement). The council advises EU member states to restrict nonessential travel from all other countries outside the bloc as part of measures to combat the spread of COVID-19.
EU countries previously agreed to suspend travel with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe effective Nov. 26 due to concerns regarding the Omicron variant of COVID-19 detected in the region.
All EU Schengen Area member states, non-Schengen EU members (i.e., Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania), and the four non-EU Schengen-associated states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) are participating in the travel restrictions.
The EC’s recommendation is nonbinding; individual member states retain the authority to unilaterally deny travel from countries on the approved list or to permit travel with countries not on the approved list.
Participating countries have also implemented the EC’s EU Digital COVID Certificate. The certificate is a digital or physical QR code that acts as proof of whether a traveler has been vaccinated against, recovered from, or recently tested negative for COVID-19. Member states should, in principle, allow individuals possessing the certificate to enter the country without restriction.
Additionally, the EC has advised member states to implement additional COVID-19 measures, including mandatory testing before departure, stricter measures to address virus variants of concern, and a common European passenger locator form. Persons exempted from the recommendations include family members of EU nationals, diplomats, foreigners with legal residency permits, cross-border and healthcare workers, and truck drivers transporting freight. UK citizens are subject to the recommended travel restrictions.
BELGIUM: All travelers arriving in Belgium who have been outside of the country for 48 hours or more or are staying for 48 hours or longer must fill out a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) before arrival. Moreover, all individuals who have visited a very high-risk country in the last 14 days or are arriving via air or sea, or by train or bus from outside the EU or Schengen Area, must fill out the form regardless of how long they are staying in Belgium. To access the form, click https://travel.info-coronavirus.be/public-health-passenger-locator-form. Entry into Belgium is generally permitted for vaccinated travelers from most countries and for non-vaccinated travelers from EU and Schengen Area countries, as well as those from Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macau, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE, and Uruguay. Nonessential travel is generally prohibited for unvaccinated individuals who are not EU citizens or residents arriving from any non-exempt country outside the EU and Schengen Area. Until Feb. 18, travelers arriving from countries designated as green or orange can enter without restriction. Individuals who are not Belgian residents and who are traveling from red locations within the EU or Schengen Area or the specific countries listed above with proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 can also enter without additional requirements. However, such individuals traveling from these locations without proof of vaccination or recovery must either possess proof of a negative result from a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival or a negative result from a rapid antigen test taken on the day before or the day of arrival in Belgium and must take another test on the seventh day after arrival. Vaccinated individuals who are not Belgian residents and who are traveling from red countries outside the EU, Schengen Area, and the abovementioned locations must present a negative result from either a PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival or a rapid antigen test taken either on the day before or day of arrival. These travelers must take COVID-19 tests on days one and seven after arrival and remain in quarantine until receiving a negative result from the day-one test. From Feb. 18 onwards, all permitted travelers must possess a valid certificate of vaccination or recovery, a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to travel, or a negative rapid antigen test taken in the 24 hours prior to travel.
CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czech Republic uses a color-coded system to categorize foreign countries according to their COVID-19 risk level. The categories are green, orange, red, and dark red in order of increasing disease activity.
Nonessential travel is permitted from EEA-associated countries and Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macau, New Zealand, Qatar, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE, and Uruguay. Nonessential travel from other locations is permitted for vaccinated travelers only. Vaccinations must be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or a recognized equivalent body.
All arrivals must fill out an electronic arrival form before departing for the Czech Republic. Most arrivals must possess a negative result from a COVID-19 PCR test taken less than 72 hours before departure for the country and take a second PCR test between days five and seven after arrival. Exceptions are in place for Czech citizens and residents, as well as travelers who have had a booster vaccine dose. For further information on country classifications and exemptions to testing requirements, click https://koronavirus.mzcr.cz/en/list-of-countries-according-to-the-level-of-risk/.
DENMARK: Nonessential travel is permitted from all locations. Travelers from EU or Schengen countries are no longer required to present a negative test result or to quarantine on arrival. Travelers from non-EU/Schengen nations must present evidence of vaccination or previous infection; persons without such documentation must take a COVID-19 test within the first 24 hours after arrival. For further information on country categories and applicable restrictions, click https://en.coronasmitte.dk/travel-rules/categorization-of-countries?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=pmd_qSyhsfh2mPqtYxvRe5pHUDUOkxvVt6SJFBBJqE0biOc-1635251221-0-gqNtZGzNA1CjcnBszQiR.
FINLAND: Limitations on travel from Schengen Area countries were lifted Feb. 1; such travelers may enter for any purpose and without restriction. However, such travelers must comply with health control measures on entry. The same applies for travelers from certain third countries on the green list; as of Feb. 15, the green list includes Bahrain, Colombia, Chile, Hongkong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE, and Uruguay. Travel from all other countries is permitted for individuals with a certificate of vaccination or a certificate of recovery linked to the EU Digital COVID Certificate gateway. Some exceptions are made for limited categories of essential travel. For more information on entry restrictions, click https://thl.fi/en/web/infectious-diseases-and-vaccinations/what-s-new/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-updates/travel-and-the-coronavirus-pandemic.
FRANCE: Individuals able to show proof of full vaccination no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test result before travel. Unvaccinated arrivals must provide a negative result from a COVID-19 PCR test taken less than 72 hours before departure or an antigen test taken less than 48 hours before travel. Individuals over 18 who had their full vaccine course more than nine months ago and have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine booster must follow the rules for unvaccinated passengers to enter France.
France uses a four-tiered, color-coded system to classify countries based on COVID-19 risk and accordingly impose entry restrictions. Green countries are those assessed to have the lowest disease risk, with orange countries considered moderate risk, red being those with high risk, and scarlet being those with the highest risk. Unvaccinated travelers from non-green list countries must have a compelling reason for travel to France. For a detailed list of entry restrictions, including current country color classifications, click https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered/article/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered?var_mode=calcul.
All travelers must fill out a sworn declaration form before travel; unvaccinated travelers from orange countries and all travelers from red countries must also fill out a certificate of international travel before arrival. All forms are available by clicking https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Actualites/L-actu-du-Ministere/Certificate-of-international-travel.
GERMANY: All travelers over the age of six arriving in Germany via air or land must provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or a negative result from a PCR or rapid antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before departure; this requirement does not apply to cross-border commuters or travelers transiting Germany. Germany prohibits entry by unvaccinated individuals from outside the EEA, except for those from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macao, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan. Fully vaccinated travelers from other countries can enter Germany for nonessential purposes, provided at least 14 days have passed since receiving a full dosage of an approved vaccine. Only travelers inoculated with vaccines approved by German authorities are allowed entry; for a full list of approved vaccines, click https://www.pei.de/EN/newsroom/dossier/coronavirus/coronavirus-content.html;jsessionid=0D034E8DAE7286C9567DDC8BB176FD17.intranet221?cms_pos=3. As of March 3, no countries are classified as high-risk or virus variant areas. Different restrictions are in place for individuals in transit, transport workers, and cross-border commuters. A full list of locations designated as high-risk or virus-variant areas can be accessed by clicking https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Archiv_Risikogebiete/Risikogebiete_aktuell_en.pdf?__blob=publicationFile.
GREECE: In addition to travelers from the US, Canada, and Australia with a valid vaccination certificate or certificate of recovery, travelers in possession of an EU vaccination certificate are no longer required to show a negative result from a COVID-19 test in order to enter Greece. However, all other arrivals, regardless of vaccination or recovery status, must possess a negative result either from a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival or from a rapid antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before arrival.
All incoming travelers must also complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) before arrival. Travelers to Greece may be subject to randomized rapid testing for COVID-19 upon arrival; those who test positive must self-isolate for five days.
Only residents of EEA-associated countries and those of Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Brunei, Canada, Chile, China,India, Israel, Japan, Jordan,Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia,Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia,Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan,Turkey, the UAE, Ukraine, the UK, Uruguay, and the US can enter Greece for nonessential reasons.
IRELAND: Authorities have lifted most international entry restrictions imposed as part of the response to COVID-19 as of March 8. Travelers to Ireland are no longer required to present proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative PCR test result upon arrival. Travelers are not subject to testing upon arrival nor required to quarantine. From this date, facemasks will no longer be required in most settings except on public transport and in medical facilities.
ITALY: All travelers arriving in Italy must possess either a certificate of vaccination, a certificate of recovery dating from within six months prior to arrival, or a negative result from either a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure or a rapid antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before departure for the country. Travelers not meeting these requirements must self-isolate for five days upon entry, inform the regional health authority, and take another test at the end of the isolation period. Except for those entering from San Marino and Vatican City, all permitted incoming travelers must fill out a digital passenger locator form before arrival; to access the form, click https://app.euplf.eu/#/. Additionally, transport and health workers in transit through Italy and those staying in Italy for less than 120 hours for work reasons are exempt from testing and isolation requirements. For full information on international entry requirements, click https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english&id=5412&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto.
LUXEMBOURG: Travelers from countries within the EEA and Schengen Area and residents of Bahrain, Chile, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, UAE, Uruguay, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are permitted to enter Luxembourg. Most travelers from other countries remain prohibited, though exceptions exist for essential work, study, and family reasons. Nonessential travel is also permitted for individuals with a vaccine certificate recognized by Luxembourg authorities.
Luxembourg requires all incoming international air travelers to present documentation before boarding proving that they have either received a full course of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) (valid for nine months from the date of the last dose, a booster is required to extend validity beyond this), have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months, or have tested negative for COVID-19 using PCR test taken in the previous 48 hours or an antigen test in the previous 24 hours.
NETHERLANDS: Until March 23, travelers from EU or Schengen Area countries must continue to show proof of vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative test result within the 48 hours before departure for PCR tests or 24 hours before departure for antigen tests. Travelers from designated safe countries can enter for any reason but must possess a negative COVID-19 test result meeting those same requirements. Nonessential travel from all other countries is permitted for individuals with a vaccination certificate or a certificate of recovery issued by a country connected to the EU Digital COVID Certificate platform only; such travelers are also required to possess a negative COVID-19 test result meeting the above conditions. For more information on traveling to the Netherlands from abroad, including country categories and any exemptions, click https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad. Regardless of travel origin, all individuals aged 12 and older traveling to the Netherlands via plane must present a completed health declaration form before boarding their flight to the country; to access the form, click https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/documents/publications/2021/07/20/covid-19-and-flying-health-declaration-form.
NORWAY: All incoming travelers over the age of 16 years, regardless of nationality or point of origin, must complete an entry registration form no more than 72 hours before arrival. All inbound travelers must also be tested for COVID-19 on arrival; passengers arriving at ports of entry that have no testing facilities in operation must take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours after arrival.
To enter Norway, arriving travelers must generally present a certificate confirming that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from COVID-19 in the previous six months. Norway only accepts forms of proof of vaccination or recovery that are linked to the EU Digital COVID Certificate Gateway or issued by authorities in Norway or the UK. Travelers unable to meet this requirement must possess a negative result from a PCR or antigen test taken in the 24 hours before travel to Norway.
Norway uses European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) assessments of countries’ COVID-19 risk profiles to assign international entry restrictions. Travelers arriving from green or orange locations without a valid certificate indicating vaccination against COVID-19 or recovery from the disease within the last six months can enter without additional requirements. All other travelers arriving without a valid COVID-19 certificate must enter a 10-day quarantine period upon entry; the quarantine period can be ended early upon receipt of a negative result from a PCR test taken no less than three days after arrival. Travelers with a valid certificate indicating vaccination against COVID-19 or recovery from the disease within the last six months are exempt from the quarantine requirements.
All travelers arriving in Norway from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, or Malawi must complete an entry registration form by the time of arrival, present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 24 hours before their flight’s departure for Norway, take an antigen test upon arrival, and take a PCR test within 24 hours after arrival. Additionally, these travelers must also enter a 10-day quarantine period at a government-designated hotel. Such individuals may leave the hotel and finish the quarantine period at their own accommodations following receipt of a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken on day three of the quarantine period; furthermore, these travelers may end the 10-day quarantine period early upon receipt of a negative result from another mandatory PCR test taken no earlier than seven days after arrival. These measures apply regardless of vaccination or recovery status. For more information on rules regarding entry into Norway, click https://www.fhi.no/en/op/novel-coronavirus-facts-advice/facts-and-general-advice/entry-quarantine-travel-covid19/#map-of-red-dark-red-and-green-countries-regions-in-europe.
POLAND: Nonessential travel is permitted from EU and Schengen Area countries in addition to the UK, Georgia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea, Tunisia, Australia, Israel, US, Turkey, Belarus, and Ukraine. Travel from other locations is generally restricted to limited essential purposes only.
All travelers arriving from the EU, Schengen Area, or Turkey must present either proof of vaccination or recovery, or a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result dated no more than 48 hours before arrival. Travelers arriving without any of these documents must self-isolate for seven days. However, individuals who are subject to the self-isolation period may leave quarantine early by testing negative for COVID-19 at least 48 hours after crossing the border into Poland; PCR and antigen tests performed by laboratories are acceptable for this purpose with the testing being at the traveler’s expense.
All permitted travelers arriving from countries outside the EU, Schengen Area, or Turkey must present a negative PCR or antigen test result taken no more than 24 hours before arrival, regardless of vaccination status; the result must be in English or Polish. Travelers are able to test at some Polish airports before the border passport control. Such travelers without a certificate of vaccination or recovery must self-isolate for seven days.
PORTUGAL: Nonessential travel is permitted from the EU member nations and Schengen Area associated states, as well as a limited number of additional countries including Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macau, New Zealand, Qatar, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Uruguay. Travel from other countries remains prohibited except in limited essential cases, including EU citizens and residents returning home, reuniting with family, and commuting for essential work or study purposes. All arrivals must fill out a passenger locator form before departure, available by clicking https://portugalcleanandsafe.pt/en/passenger-locator-card.
All permitted travelers must also possess one of the following:
- A valid vaccination certificate
- A recovery certificate linked to the EU Digital COVID Certificate gateway
- A negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to boarding transport
- A negative rapid antigen test taken in the 24 hours prior to boarding transport
Returning Russian citizens must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours after their arrival. Citizens must self-isolate until their results are known. COVID-19 test results must be uploaded to the Public Services website within four days after arrival. Those testing positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate until a negative result is returned. Vaccinated citizens and those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months are exempt from this requirement.
Citizens of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states or the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are required to submit their COVID-19 vaccination certificates and/or test results to authorities using the “Traveling without COVID-19” mobile application. The EAEU and CIS include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
As of Nov. 23, nonessential travel is permitted for citizens and residents of over 60 countries, including those of the EAEU and CIS, as well as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, and the US. The full list of countries is available by clicking https://tourism.gov.ru/contents/turistam/informatsiya-dlya-vezzhayushchikh-v-rossiyu/otdykh-v-rossii-v-2021-godu-iz-kakikh-stran-mozhno-priekhat. However, the availability of flights remains limited due to COVID-19 restrictions in some destination countries. Additionally, flights with low demand could be canceled or merged with other scheduled services with little warning. Entry via land borders is generally restricted to essential travel only; international rail services with most countries other than Belarus are suspended.
SPAIN: Nonessential travel to Spain is only permitted for travelers from EU/EEA-associated states and Bahrain, Chile, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Taiwan, UAE, and Uruguay. Nonessential travel is also permitted from all other countries for individuals who possess an approved certificate of vaccination or recovery. Individuals who received their last dose of the vaccine over 270 days ago require a booster vaccine for the certificate to remain valid for travel. Nonessential travel for individuals without a certificate of vaccination or recovery from all other countries is prohibited. EU citizens arriving from countries designated as “risk countries” must present a certificate of vaccination meeting the above requirements, a certificate of having recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 11-180 days, a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken in the 72 hours before arrival, or a negative antigen test taken in the 24 hours before arrival; this can be in the form of an EU Digital COVID certificate. Travelers from designated “safe countries,” including Chile, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Taiwan, may enter Spain without additional requirements.
SWEDEN: Nonessential travel is permitted from EU/EEA countries, and for residents of Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, and Uruguay. Such travelers must have a certificate of vaccination or recovery issued by authorities linked to the EU Digital COVID Certificate gateway, or a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entry.
Nonessential travel is also permitted for individuals with vaccine certificates issued by authorities in certain countries including Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Cabo Verde, El Salvador, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Panama, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay US, and Vatican City. Such travelers do not need additional testing or isolation requirements.
Measures applying to travel from the EU or EEA are in effect through Feb. 28 while measures applying to travel from outside this bloc are in effect through March 31.
Nonessential travel to Sweden in other circumstances is generally prohibited with limited exceptions. Permitted excepted travelers must possess a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entry. For detailed information on entry requirements and exemptions to the entry ban, click https://www.government.se/articles/2020/04/questions-and-answers-about-the-entry-ban-to-sweden/.
SWITZERLAND: Nonessential travel is generally permitted from EU and Schengen Area countries, in addition to Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Macao, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE, and Uruguay; such travelers are not subject to additional entry requirements such as evidence of vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative test. Nonessential travel is also permitted for individuals with valid vaccination certificates from all countries without additional entry requirements. Nonessential travel is generally prohibited under other conditions; such individuals conducting essential travel to Switzerland must have a negative result from either a PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure or an antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to departure.
UNITED KINGDOM: Authorities in the UK will amend COVID-related entry requirements from 04:00 Feb. 11. Fully vaccinated arrivals and those under the age of 18 years will no longer need to take a test after arrival. Such arrivals will only need to verify their vaccination status by filling out a passenger location form (PLF).
At the same time, unvaccinated travelers will need to only show proof of a negative test taken no longer than 48 hours before departure, and take a PCR test within two days of arrival. Such travelers will no longer need to self-isolate unless the PCR test result is positive.
Under the existing directive that will be in place until Feb. 11, all incoming travelers must take a PCR or lateral flow test within 48 hours before departure. Fully vaccinated travelers must then take a PCR test within two days after entering the country. This only applies to travelers who have been fully vaccinated under an approved vaccination program. Full details on countries whose vaccination programs are accepted are available https://www.gov.uk/guidance/countries-with-approved-covid-19-vaccination-programmes-and-proof-of-vaccination.
Unvaccinated travelers must isolate for 10 days on arrival and take PCR tests on or before day two and on or after day eight of the isolation period. Individuals may opt to join the Test to Release scheme by choosing to pay for a private COVID-19 test on day five. If the result of this test is negative, and the result of the test on day two was negative or inconclusive, individuals may end their quarantine early. Details of the scheme are available https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-test-to-release-for-international-travel.
All arrivals must complete a PLF in the 48 hours prior to arrival; to access a PLF click https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk.
Travelers arriving from the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area and have not been elsewhere in the preceding 10 days are not required to complete the passenger location form and are exempt from any testing or isolation requirements.
AMERICAS AND CANADA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: As of Feb. 18, COVID-19-related international travel restrictions in the US remain largely the same as those in effect in late January.
All international air travelers aged two and older, including fully vaccinated persons and US citizens, must present a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within one day before departure for the US. Alternatively, travelers can present proof of having recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days.
International travelers aged 18 or older, except for US citizens and nationals, legal permanent residents, and those traveling on an immigrant visa, must provide proof of having been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Only vaccines approved for travel are accepted; such vaccines include those produced by Moderna, Janssen/Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax/Covovax, Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Covinax, and Medicago.
The US considers only persons who have received the sole dose of a one-dose vaccine or the second dose of a two-dose vaccine at least 14 days prior to travel to be fully vaccinated.
Airlines must deny travel to those who fail to present a negative COVID-19 test or to nonresident foreign nationals who do not produce proof of full vaccination unless covered under an exception. There is no pre-entry testing requirement for land or maritime border crossings.
Authorities also require individuals to wear facemasks in airports, as well as on commercial aircraft, trains, public maritime vessels, and intercity buses.
Additionally, nonresident foreign nationals entering through land or ferry ports from Mexico or Canada are also required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, regardless of whether they are traveling for essential reasons or not. Pre-travel COVID-19 testing is not required for land or water travel.
US authorities are maintaining risk assessment levels for travelers entering the country from international destinations. Under the current guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) use a four-level system to categorize the risk of COVID-19 in countries and territories worldwide based on the number of cases in the past 28 days. Officials advise individuals in the US to follow the recommendations associated with the designated risk level for their intended destination; for details on these recommendations, click https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html.
ARGENTINA: Persons permitted entry must complete an affidavit for the National Directorate of Migration no more than 48 hours before travel and provide a negative result from either a PCR test taken within 72 hours before travel or an antigen test taken 48 hours prior to departure. However, fully vaccinated citizens and residents of Argentina and its neighboring countries, as well as fully vaccinated individuals who have stayed in a neighboring country for the last 14 days, are exempt from the pre-travel test requirements. Argentina’s neighboring countries include Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
Most nonresident foreign nationals must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of medical insurance to enter the country. Individuals admitted entry who are not fully vaccinated (e.g., unvaccinated or partially vaccinated Argentine nationals and residents, as well as close family members of Argentine nationals and residents) are subject to a mandatory seven-day quarantine period; exceptions for quarantine measures exist for minors under the age of 18.
Select international airports in the country have reopened, with the majority of international flights serving routes to/from Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires’ seaport is also open to international arrivals. Land border crossings remain limited to “safe corridors” opened with the joint permission of national and provincial authorities. Generally, international cargo, medical, and humanitarian transport operations are running normally nationwide; however, truck drivers and aircraft flight crews may be subject to enhanced screening measures.
BRAZIL: All permitted travelers entering Brazil must present either a negative result from a COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before travel or a negative result from an antigen test taken within 24 hours before boarding. If travelers get on multiple flights but remain inside the airport during connections, the time count begins from the moment they board the first flight of their journey. Arrivals must also complete a pre-arrival health declaration form within 24 hours before boarding. These documents, including the test results, must be presented in either Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Foreign citizens are allowed to enter Brazil by land or air for visits of no longer than 90 days.
All travelers aged 12 years and over entering from abroad are required to have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 more than 14 days prior to entry. Citizens, legal residents, individuals with health exemptions, and those traveling from countries with very low vaccination rates are allowed to enter Brazil without proof of vaccination, but must quarantine for five days upon arrival; on the fifth day they must take an additional antigen or PCR test, and if the result is negative they can end the quarantine.
Authorities have reopened land borders for non-resident foreign nationals. Those entering via land borders are subject to the same vaccination and testing requirements as those entering the country by air. Most nonresident foreign nationals also remain prohibited from entering the country by water.
COSTA RICA: All travelers can enter Costa Rica by air regardless of their country of origin. Foreign travelers must complete the required health affidavit (i.e., Health Pass) and have sufficient insurance to cover lodging and health expenses. Individuals may enter Costa Rica without the requisite health insurance if they provide proof of having been fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arrival.
Visitors traveling by land must also complete the government Health Pass and have sufficient insurance to cover any potential health expenses. The country’s maritime borders remain mostly closed to visitors, though certain private vessels can enter.
Authorities will lift health pass requirements for Costa Ricans March 1 and all travelers April 1.
MEXICO: The country’s northern border is open for non-essential travel. Persons traveling for non-essential reasons may cross into the US if fully vaccinated. International air travel to/from Mexico has continued unabated, and Mexico is not enforcing any mandatory quarantine requirements for arrivals. However, travelers may be subject to health screenings at the airport and those presenting symptoms of COVID-19 may be subject to additional health checks and/or quarantine.
PERU: All arriving passengers aged 12 or older must either present proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19 or a negative result from a COVID-19 molecular test taken within 48 hours before their flight. Asymptomatic children under 12 years of age are exempt from vaccination and testing requirements. Travelers must also complete a health affidavit within 72 hours before travel and may be subject to a health assessment upon arrival; to access the pre-travel health affidavit, click https://djsaludviajero.minsa.gob.pe/dj-salud/.
CANADA: Authorities in Canada have issued orders to ease the country’s COVID-19-related travel restrictions effective April 1. Under the new directives, fully vaccinated travelers entering the country by air, land, or water will no longer be required to show proof of a negative result from a pre-entry COVID-19 test. Other existing COVID-19-related travel requirements will remain in effect until further notice.
Until the new regulations enter into force, the following travel restrictions remain in effect for travelers seeking entry into Canada:
- All travelers ages five and older must have proof of a negative result from an accepted molecular COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before departure or an antigen test taken no more than one day before departing for Canada. Travelers who have recovered from COVID-19 can bypass the pre-travel test if they have proof of a positive COVID-19 test taken between 10-180 days before entering Canada.
- Nonresident foreign nationals aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine (those manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVIDSHIELD, or Janssen/Johnson & Johnson) at least 14 days before entering Canada and have proof of their vaccination.
- Authorities may randomly select any fully vaccinated travelers entering from any country to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival; they do not need to quarantine while awaiting the result.
- All individuals must have a 14-day quarantine plan if government officials determine that they need to self-isolate upon arrival.
- Travelers must upload their proof of vaccination, 14-day quarantine plan, and other travel information to the ArriveCan website within 72 hours before travel. For more details, click https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html.
Travelers entering via the land border must also present a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours or an antigen test taken no more than one day before arriving at the border.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
AUSTRALIA: Queensland officials have eased quarantine controls for inbound international arrivals. Fully vaccinated travelers that have been abroad in the previous 14 days can forego quarantine provided they take a COVID-19 test within 24 hours of arrival and self-quarantine until receiving a negative result. International arrivals that previously took a COVID-19 test in another state before arrival in Queensland and people under 18 years old are exempt from the rule. Queensland permits fully vaccinated travelers allowed under Australia’s federal border controls to enter the state without quarantine. Unvaccinated arrivals must quarantine at government-designated facilities for 14 days in the city of arrival. Arrivals by sea on vessels without any COVID-19 cases can deduct the time spent at sea from quarantine requirements; the measure does not apply if there are suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases onboard. Queensland charges all arriving travelers for quarantine; fees are payable at the end of the traveler’s stay. Quarantine fees are AUD 2,800 for the first adult, AUD 3,710 for two adults, and AUD 4,620 for two adults and two children. Authorities require quarantined travelers to take a COVID-19 test before release. Refusal to take tests will result in an additional 14 days in quarantine.
Australian citizens, permanent residents, and immediate family members can enter the country. An entry ban remains in effect for most foreign nationals, though fully vaccinated visa holders in specific categories, such as refugees, students, and maritime workers, as well as Japanese, Singaporean, and South Korean citizens traveling under bilateral arrangements, may enter Australia.
Most inbound international passengers must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period at home and/or in designated facilities at their port of arrival. However, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria allow fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents, their close relatives, and permitted visa holders to enter with reduced or no quarantine. Other states could require self-quarantine for fully vaccinated arrivals. Fully vaccinated Japanese, Singaporean, and South Korean citizens can forgo quarantine in participating states. The federal government allows individuals who have been in New Zealand’s South Island continuously for the previous 14 days to enter Australia quarantine-free, provided they travel by air; however, some state and territory governments may require travelers to undergo quarantine. Several state governments charge quarantine costs to international and interstate arrivals. Fees vary by state; most governments do not require up-front payment and have programs for those with financial constraints.
Authorities do not restrict outbound travel for fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents; unvaccinated residents require an exemption to travel abroad. Others, including long-term visa holders, can depart the country but must obtain a reentry exemption; visa holders can acquire an exemption before leaving Australia.
NEW ZEALAND: An entry ban for most foreign nationals remains in place. Officials permit partners, dependents, and legal guardians of citizens with a visa based on the relationship and usually reside in New Zealand, and diplomats to enter without prior government consent. Authorities also allow other categories of people to enter the country with permission; a complete list of entry reasons is available https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/covid-19/border-closures-and-exceptions/entry-to-new-zealand/critical-purpose-reasons-you-can-travel-to-new-zealand. Foreign visitors must be fully vaccinated to enter the country. Authorities require most inbound passengers to obtain a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours or a RAT or LAMP test taken within 24 hours before departure. Exemptions exist for travelers from Antarctica, some Pacific Island nations and territories, and some countries where widespread COVID-19 testing is unavailable; medical reasons; and passengers that previously recovered from COVID-19. Passengers that do not meet pre-departure testing requirements may face a fine of up to NZD 1,000.
Fully vaccinated citizens and eligible passengers can enter New Zealand without quarantine, with a RAT upon arrival and on day five or six. Anyone that tests positive must follow self-quarantine protocols. Travelers from American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu traveling for a critical purpose can enter the country without quarantine. Vessel crews arriving in New Zealand must isolate onboard for at least seven days; journey time can be counted toward quarantine if verified by customs. A ban on cruise ships entering New Zealand ports remains in place; cargo and fishing vessels can load, unload, and undertake repairs.
Unvaccinated permitted entrants must obtain a Managed Isolation Allocation system voucher to board flights and book accommodations before arrival. Unvaccinated passengers must quarantine at least seven days, though authorities could extend the period if the traveler tests positive for COVID-19. Officials charge quarantine fees of up to NZD 1,610 for the first person, NZD 460 for each additional adult, and NZD 230 per child for citizens and permanent residents. Children under three years of age are exempt if staying with another person. Authorities charge up to NZD 2,760 for the first individual, NZD 1,495 for each additional adult, and NZD 805 per child for permitted critical workers and most short-term permitted entrants – including partners of citizens and residents and students, work, and limited visa holders.