Covid PCR test for travel is a major cost for travelers. Here are countries that you can visit without a Covid PCR test for travel if you have been vaccinated.
In more ways than one, the worldwide pandemic has had an influence on tourism.
The travel landscape has been a minefield to negotiate over the last two years, with flights being grounded, border rules constantly changing, and airlines only allowing passengers who have been vaccinated.
The demand for Covid PCR test for travel is one of the most unpleasant parts of travel in the age of Covid-19. This is not only an annoyance, but it may also be a major cost for travelers, particularly families.
However, travel limitations for a growing number of places are gradually being phased down, with people traveling to many tourist sites no longer needing to take pre-departure Covid PCR test for travel.
Many countries, like as Morocco and the Maldives, require Covid PCR test for travel, notwithstanding recent openings. The number of destinations you may fly to for a swab-free vacation is expanding.
Be careful to verify the most up-to-date information about your location before traveling because testing laws change regularly. It’s also worth noting that certain airlines, like Etihad Airways, the UAE’s official airline, require passengers to undergo a Covid PCR test for travel before boarding a trip, regardless of where they’re going to.
Here are some of the most popular places where you may presently (or soon) travel without a Covid PCR test for travel if you have been vaccinated.
France
France is the most recent country to announce plans to relax Covid PCR test for travel rules for vaccinated travelers.
According to local news reports, tourists traveling to the City of Love, Provence’s lavender fields, or the seaside cities of the French Riviera will likely not need a Covid PCR test for travel starting next week.
Negative Covid PCR test for travel will not be required regardless of where passengers are travelling from, according to a media report on Tuesday, citing government sources.
At the moment, fully vaccinated travelers arriving in France from the EU and Schengen zone do not need to take a Covid PCR test for travel, but all travellers — vaccinated or not — from numerous non-EU countries, including the UK, the US, and the UAE, must present a negative Covid PCR test for travel conducted within 48 hours to enter the country.
France will also only recognise vaccine certificates for a second dosage given within the last nine months; beyond that, you would need a booster shot to enter the country completely immunized.
Portugal
Visitors who have been immunized no longer need to show a negative Covid PCR test for travel upon arrival in Portugal.
Travellers may now travel to the European tourist hotspot without having to undergo a pre-departure Covid PCR test for travel if they have acceptable proof of immunization. The same is true for the Portuguese island of Madeira, which is famous for being Cristiano Ronaldo’s birthplace.
Before being authorized to board flights to Portugal, all visitors must complete a Passenger Locator Form and get a matching QR code.
Greece
Visitors who can show that they are completely vaccinated can avoid the pre-departure Covid PCR test for travel and visit Greece.
On February 7, the Mediterranean country dropped a prior requirement that all inbound travelers have a negative PCR Covid PCR test for travel regardless of immunization status.
Greece has also said that it will only recognize vaccinations administered within the past seven months, with a booster injection required to qualify as completely immunized after this time limit.
Bahrain
Regardless of vaccination status, visitors to the tiny monarchy of Bahrain no longer require a negative Covid PCR test for travel. The new laws, which went into effect on February 4, make it easier to travel to Manama and its surrounding areas.
Tourists used to have to take a Covid PCR test for travel before leaving and again once they arrived. Regardless of vaccination status, the latter is still necessary, and travelers must pay the fee of 12 Bahraini dinars ($31) per person.
Unvaccinated visitors must be quarantined for seven days upon arrival in Bahrain, while children under the age of six are exempt from all testing and quarantine regulations.
Sweden
Sweden, a destination that has been marching to its own pandemic rhythm since the commencement of Covid-19, has recently abolished requirements for visitors to get a negative Covid PCR test for travel before coming in the Scandinavian country.
Visitors wishing to visit the bustling capital city of Stockholm or picturesque Swedish municipalities such as Karlstad, Sunne, and Mora will no longer require a negative result of Covid PCR test for travel as of February 9.
Tourists from most countries outside the European Economic Area are still barred from entering Sweden, unless they are residents of one of the nations on Sweden’s exempted list. The UAE is not one of them, thus travel is permitted; nevertheless, a negative Covid PCR test for travel is still required until at least March 31, when the prohibition will be reconsidered.
Germany
tIf the restaurants of Berlin, the marketplaces of Munich, and the uncontrolled drama of the Black Forest excite you, then Germany is the place to be. Following the repeal of rigorous travel restrictions placed at the end of last year to stop the transmission of the Omicron variant, visitors to Germany now merely need to provide confirmation of vaccination to gain access.
The document must be in English, German, French, Italian, or Spanish and demonstrate that a full dosage of an authorized vaccination was taken at least 14 days before to departure. Minors who have not been immunized can still fly to Germany, but if they are beyond the age of six, they must first undergo a Covid PCR test for travel.
Due to new EU restrictions on vaccination expiry dates, Germany currently only recognizes vaccination certificates for vaccinations received within the last 270 days – around nine months. If you were vaccinated prior to that date, you will require a third dosage before travelling to Germany.
Turkey
Since October of last year, when the famous tourist destination amended its entrance requirements, visitors visiting Turkey have not been required to provide a Covid PCR test for travel upon arrival.
Turkey, with its magnificent beaches, unspoiled mountains, and the attractions of Istanbul, no longer accepts unfavorable outcomes from double-vaccinated visitors. This applies to all visitors above the age of 12, and minors under the age of 12 are not required to be immunized or undergo a Covid PCR test for travel. There is an online health form for travelers to fill out, which must be done at least 72 hours before departure.
Switzerland
Switzerland features beautiful lakes, majestic woods, lovely towns, and tiny villages for a picturesque road trip or a panoramic rail journey. And now you may take it all in without having to undergo a pre-departure Covid PCR test for travel.
Switzerland discontinued these testing for vaccinated visitors in January. So, before you travel, all you have to do is produce proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus and fill out an online entrance form.
Norway
Norway has eliminated all restrictive limitations imposed last year to aid in the prevention of the Omicron variant’s spread, reopening the nation to travel.
If you enjoy nature, ski slopes, fjords, and other outdoor activities, this is the place to be. Vaccinated travelers are no longer need to present a negative Covid PCR test for travel to Norway, and minors are not required to be tested. Those who have had the Sinopharm shot, however, may still require a PCR test and should consult with their doctor before traveling.
Everyone above the age of 16 must fill out a registration form at least 72 hours before traveling. If you are traveling from the mainland to the distant Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, you will still need to undergo a Covid PCR test for travel.
Denmark
Denmark, as the first EU nation to abolish all Covid-19 restrictions within its borders, has also relaxed entrance criteria for visitors. From February 1, vaccinated travelers and those who have recovered from COVID-19 can enter Denmark from any place without testing or isolation, allowing them to visit the country’s unspoiled dunes, twisting woods, and quaint coastal villages.
Travellers visiting Denmark are deemed vaccinated provided they have received the full dose of a vaccination recommended by the European Medicines Agency or the World Health Organization. Vaccines are good for 270 days from the date of administration; after that, you’ll need to get a booster shot to travel to Denmark test-free.
Croatia
Croatia’s islands, cobblestone alleyways, and sun-drenched beaches entice tourists who were previously required to present a negative Covid PCR test for travel to come. However, the Balkan country has now eliminated pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated visitors.
You can enter Croatia without any Covid PCR test for travel if you can present documentation of having got the complete dosage of a vaccine at least 14 days previous to trip and no more than six months prior. If it has been more than 180 days since you had the vaccination, you will require a booster certificate.
Children under the age of 12 are excluded from the country’s testing regulations. Travellers traveling from outside the EU will also be required to provide proof of pre-booked lodging or ownership of property in the nation before being permitted entrance.
Lebanon
Vaccinated travelers traveling to Lebanon after February 15 will no longer be required to complete a pre-departure test. To be considered completely vaccinated for entrance to this little Mediterranean island, you must have had your second or third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine within the last six months.
Tourists must upload vaccine certificates to the Ministry of Public Health website in order to receive a QR code that will be checked upon arrival at Beirut International Airport. You can also avoid the Covid PCR test for travel if you haven’t been immunized. Instead, do a Rapid Antigen test at least 24 hours before your departure.
Egypt
Vaccinated travelers do not require a Covid PCR test for travel to go to Egypt, thus the land of the pharaohs, Pyramids, the Red Sea, and other attractions is a suitable choice for people looking for a vacation.
Previous guidelines requiring Covid PCR test for travel to Egypt were repealed for many travelers in November of last year. Instead, if you’re going to Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, or another tourist destination in Egypt, you’ll merely need to fill out a health statement and produce confirmation of a full dosage of a Covid-19 shot.
