Where Can Vaccinated Travelers Go?

The promise of COVID-19 vaccines has been a beacon of hope for the ravaged travel industry for almost a year now. Now that they’ve arrived, it will still take a good amount of time before enough of the world’s population is vaccinated to make much difference in terms of really restarting global travel and tourism, but there are some countries that are already making provisions to allow fully-immunized visitors.

Where Can Vaccinated Travelers Go?

The promise of COVID-19 vaccines has been a beacon of hope for the ravaged travel industry for almost a year now. Now that they’ve arrived, it will still take a good amount of time before enough of the world’s population is vaccinated to make much difference in terms of really restarting global travel and tourism, but there are some countries that are already making provisions to allow fully-immunized visitors.

Cyprus

This Eastern Mediterranean island nation was the first to announce its plans to allow fully-vaccinated travelers to bypass quarantine back in December. With proof that they’ve received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, visitors will also be able to enter the country without providing a negative PCR test result upon arrival. However, this exemption will likely only apply to travelers coming from countries on Cyprus’ “safe” list, which is re-evaluated on a weekly basis.

When the plan was announced, officials indicated that the new rules would take effect on March 1, though the government has yet to confirm this as the official start date.

Currently, those who are permitted to enter Cyprus must either provide a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of travel or test upon arrival. They’re then subject to 14 days’ quarantine in government-approved accommodations but may exit quarantine early if they test negative again on the tenth day.

Estonia

This European Baltic nation currently imposes a standard 10-day quarantine on arrivals, except for select countries that have been deemed low-risk, and requires proof of negative results from a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival in Estonia.

Estonia is waiving its quarantine requirements for those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine from one of nine manufacturers, including the three that have been approved by the European Union (E.U.): Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Those who have already had and recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months can also bypass Estonia’s travel restrictions if they can supply a doctor’s certificate to that effect, as well as a recent negative PCR test result to prove they’re no longer infected.

Georgia

Sitting at the intersection of Europe and Asia, the country of Georgia has also decided to lift its standard travel restrictions for those who’ve been fully vaccinated. The nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently announced that foreign visitors who’ve received both doses of any COVID-19 vaccine can enter the country without needing to fulfill a testing requirement.

Iceland has announced that it will allow fully-vaccinated travelers bound from the E.U., along with Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, to bypass quarantine and PCR test requirements upon entry, beginning May 1. Such visitors will need to provide valid documents proving that they’ve received both doses of one of the three main vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Non-vaccinated travelers must arrive with proof of negative results from a test taken within 72 hours of travel and then take another PCR test on the third day of their visit. Travelers coming from the U.K. or Northern Ireland are required to quarantine for 12 days upon arrival but can forego the testing requirements.

Iceland

Iceland has announced that it will allow fully-vaccinated travelers bound from the E.U., along with Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, to bypass quarantine and PCR test requirements upon entry, beginning May 1. Such visitors will need to provide valid documents proving that they’ve received both doses of one of the three main vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Non-vaccinated travelers originating from countries that are currently permitted to enter Iceland must take a PCR test upon arrival, and then quarantine for five to six days before taking a second test.

Poland

With a certificate to prove that they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, travelers are allowed to enter Poland without undergoing the standard 10-day quarantine. Travelers from other E.U. countries and Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are also free to visit Poland as part of the E.U.’s reopened internal border policy.

A recent amendment to Poland’s restrictions, which went into effect on January 23, also exempts inbound travelers from quarantine if they provide negative results from a test taken within 48 hours prior to crossing the border.

Romania

Since January 18, travelers coming from accepted countries who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have been exempt from Romania’s quarantine requirements. Such visitors must supply proof that they’ve had both vaccine doses, with the second having been administered at least 10 days prior to their arrival in Romania.

Currently, travelers originating from countries on Romania’s “yellow list”, which indicates high epidemiological risk in the area, must quarantine for a full 14 days. Those who can provide negative results from a PCR test taken no fewer than 72 hours prior to entry can shorten their quarantine period to 10 days.

The Seychelles

This archipelagic country, located off the coast of Tanzania, began exempting fully-vaccinated travelers from its quarantine requirements back in January. Vaccinated visitors can come from any part of the world, but must have a certificate of vaccination from their national health authority attesting that they’ve received both doses of any COVID-19 vaccine, and they must still arrive with negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel.

Non-vaccinated travelers coming from permitted countries on Seychelles’ Category 1 and 2 lists (representing low- and medium-risk regions, respectively), as well as those arriving via private jet, must provide negative results of a PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival in order to enter the country and then self-isolate for 10 days.