October 1, 2024

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Travel Anywhere

Which Countries Are Open To Americans, Vaccinated Or Not? A Country-By-Country Guide

The news that the U.S. has been taken off the EU safe list for travel is not the disaster it could be for travel–it obviously depends on whether travelers are vaccinated and crucially, whether or not European countries will change their travel rules before the end of summer.

At first glance, it’s a mixed bag. Countries belonging to the EU/Schengen area (which allows the free-flow of travel across the European bloc) are not obliged to follow EU-wide recommendations. And where some have, they have done so in unique ways, creating separate lists, for instance, for the newly-listed unsafe ex-safe countries (Israel has also been taken off, as well as the U.S.). Others already had applied measures and some have added new ones since. However, some countries have kept the same rules as before, for now, suggesting they will let existing mandates run until the next updates happen.

To quote The New York Times, the fact that the U.S. is off the EU safe travel list doesn’t mean that all unvaccinated Americans will need to quarantine. But “it underscores how quickly rules and regulations continue to change” and that “unvaccinated travelers should be prepared to keep hitting refresh on the entry requirements for their chosen location until the moment they set out to the airport.”

In total, of the 27 EU and 3 Schengen-area countries plus England on this list (31 in total) at present:

  • 2 countries are closed entirely to U.S. travelers (Bulgaria and Norway).
  • 2 countries are closed to unvaccinated U.S. travelers but open to vaccinated ones–Finland and Malta.
  • 9 countries have quarantine requirements for unvaccinated American travelers (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and England).
  • 29 countries are open to U.S. vaccinated travelers.

This mostly shows just how complicated EU travel still is for everyone, particularly when traveling across multiple borders (a factor that is bound to influence travel plans for Fall). For instance, some countries have brought back in the need for testing, on top of a requirement for vaccination or quarantine.

It still remains that the surest way to keep traveling is to get vaccinated, and indeed, to stay vaccinated, an issue that will need reinforcing when booster jabs arrive–many countries in the EU are already putting expiry dates on vaccination certificates for travel purposes.


Here is the guide to which EU countries are currently accepting U.S. travelers (as at the beginning of September), what you need to enter, and if you need to be vaccinated.

These rules are in flux and liable to change overnight, particularly for unvaccinated U.S. passengers:

Austria (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed (with an EMA-approved vaccine) with proof of vaccination, no more than 270 days prior to arrival.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, but if they have not had Covid-19 in the past 180 days, they must arrive with a negative Covid-19 test result (a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival or a rapid antigen test taken within 48 hours prior to arrival), or carry out a test within 24 hours after entry. The U.S. is still on Austria’s safe list.


Belgium (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. No further testing or quarantine required.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but must arrive with a negative PCR Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours before arrival and must test again on day 7. There is no quarantine. Since the EU’s decision to take the U.S. off its safe list of travel, the U.S. is now categorised as a red zone on the White List (instead of a full red zone) so the same rules apply for U.S. arrivals as for the unvaccinated people arriving from safe EU countries.


Bulgaria (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed, as of 1 September, except for in “specific exceptional cases and upon presentation of a valid negative pre-departure PCR test, done up to 72 hours prior to arrival.”

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed, as of 1 September.


Croatia (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, providing the inoculation happened in the past 270 days (or if they can prove they have had Covid-19).

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, with proof of a negative PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours before arrival at the Croatian border. Otherwise, passengers must enter a ten-day quarantine.

Everyone arriving for tourism must also show proof of paid accommodation for the entirety of their stay upon arrival.


Cyprus (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, for anyone who has been vaccinated with an EU-approved vaccine and also the Sputnik (Gam-COVID-Vac) or the Sinopharm (BBIBP COVID-19) vaccine and anyone who can prove to have had Covid-19 in the past 180 days.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but as the U.S. is currently on the red list, people can only enter with a negative Covid-19 test result and they must take another upon arrival–if the PCR test result upon arrival is positive, passengers must quarantine.


The Czech Republic (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. Anyone showing proof of vaccination or having had Covid-19 in the past 180 days or children aged 6-12 do not need to test or self-isolate.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but with quarantine. The U.S. is now high risk, meaning that passengers must arrive with a negative PCR test result, they must enter quarantine and take a PCR test not before day 5 of self-isolation.


Denmark (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. Anyone who can show proof of vaccination from a European Medicines Agency-approved vaccine or proof of having had Covid-19 can bypass all testing and quarantine requirements, unless they are coming from a red country/zone (the U.S. is still categorized as yellow).

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. Everyone must test before arrival–either a negative PCR test result (taken within 72 hours prior to arrival) or a negative rapid antigen test (taken within 48 hours prior to arrival). Additionally, all entrants must take a second test (antigen or PCR) upon arrival. The test can be taken at the airport if travelling by plane or no later than 24 hours after entering Denmark if entering by crossing a land or sea border. For those coming from the U.S., travelers don’t need a worthy reason to enter not do they need to self-isolate.


Estonia (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed if the vaccine has been administered in the past year (travelers are also exempt if they have had Covid-19).

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with quarantine. The U.S. is categorized as a red-list country (with infection rates higher than 200 daily cases per 100,000 people over 14 days). Travelers must arrive with a negative test result or test upon entry and enter a ten-day quarantine (testing out is possible with a test on day 6, or slightly earlier if the test was taken prior to arrival and there is still 6 days between the two).


Finland (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed (or anyone who has had Covid-19 can enter). As per website instructions, the certificate needs to be in either English, Finnish or Swedish but they will allow certified translations to be used as a certificate. The certificate can also be an EU digital Covid certificate.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed, as outside of the EU/Schengen area, there is a non-essential travel ban in place.


France (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. Anyone who is vaccinated can arrive into the country with proof–minors do not need to be vaccinated but children over the age of 12 must have a certificate showing negative Covid PCR results.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. Everyone aged over 12 must present a negative Covid-19 PCR or RAT test result not taken more than 72 hours before boarding.


Germany (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative COVID-19 test result. “Proof of vaccination or proof of recovery is not sufficient” because the U.S. is currently classified a high-risk area.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative COVID-19 test result and they must quarantine for ten days.


Greece (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but must have taken a Covid-19 PCR test and received a negative result no more than 72 hours before departure, a negative RAT test result taken no more than 48 hours before arrival or proof of having had Covid-19 in the past 30-180 days. Arrivals may also be subject to random testing.


Hungary (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with an EU Digital Covid Certificate. If not, a negative PCR test result taken no more than 72hrs before arrival, would be needed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed as there are aren’t any restrictions for passengers arriving into Hungary with a negative PCR test result taken no more than 72hrs before arrival in an EU, OECD, NATO member state or Russia, China, the UAE, Bahrain, or a Turkic Council member state (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan).


Iceland (Schengen)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed and most passengers must have a negative test (PCR or rapid antigen) taken within 72 hours of departure. Beginning August 30, passengers recovered from Covid-19 who have proof of a positive PCR test taken 14 to 180 days prior to the flight do not have to supply a negative test to board.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but only with a negative PCR test result, taken no more than 72 hours before departure (antigen tests are not allowed) and they then must enter a five-day quarantine.


Ireland (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. From outside the EU+ area (and this now includes the U.K.), vaccinated passengers and people who can prove they have had Covid-19 in the past 180 days do not need to do anything else.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative PCR Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours before arrival and quarantine for 14 days (people can ‘test out’ after day 5 with a negative result).


Italy (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative Covid-19 test result, taken no more than 72 hours before arrival (antigen or PCR) even if they are vaccinated or have had Covid-19 in the past 180 days. Visitors from the U.S., Japan, Canada and Israel have been placed on a new list that will last until at least 25 October.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative Covid-19 test result and must enter a five-day quarantine, even if the Covid-19 test result is negative.


Latvia (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed: From 1 September, persons from the U.S. who have been vaccinated with a vaccine registered by the European Medicines Agency or an equivalent regulator or recognized by the World Health Organization or have contracted Covid can enter Latvia without additional restrictions.” As of 1 September, Latvia will also recognise CDC vaccination certificates so U.S. travelers can come.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed.


Lithuania (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, if they have had one of the following vaccines: Janssen, Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Moderna and Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca).

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but must show a negative PCR or antigen test result (for people aged 16 years or older) and then enter a ten-day quarantine, with the ability to ‘test out’ on day seven. The U.S. is currently on the red list, as are many other countries.


Luxembourg (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed (the current mandate runs until 30 September) with proof of having had Covid-19 or proof of a negative Covid-19 test result (either PCR within 72 hours or antigen within 48 hours)–in line with the EU Digital Covid Certificate.


Malta (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed. The U.S. is on the red list so travelers must all be vaccinated to arrive in Malta).


The Netherlands (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative test result but no quarantine is required.


Norway (Schengen)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers not allowed.

Norway’s travel restrictions remain some of the tightest in the EU/Schengen area and regardless of vaccination status, third-party nationals cannot currently enter.


Poland (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed without quarantine.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but they must quarantine for ten days but they can ‘test out’ after day seven of self-isolation.


Portugal (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

As per the government’s instructions, all passengers over 12 years should have an EU Digital Covid Certificate or must be in possession of a negative RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test taken within 72 hours of boarding or a Rapid Antigen Test taken within 48 hours.


Romania (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. If travelers have been vaccinated at least ten days before arrival, they do not need to quarantine, nor if they have had Covid-19 during the past 90 days.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but must quarantine for 14 days if they are not vaccinated, even with proof of a negative Covid-19 test result. A negative Covid-19 test result will allow travelers to be released from self-isolation after day ten. (Previously, U.S. travelers could bypass quarantine with a negative test.)


Slovakia (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, without testing.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed but must quarantine for 14 days (it is possible to test out after day five).


Slovenia (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Slovenia now applies the same rules to all arrivals regardless of where they are traveling from but anyone arriving must have one of the following, in what is quite a complicated list of exact requirements:

  • an EU Digital Covid Certificate, with a digital QR code;
  • proof of vaccination;
  • a negative PCR test, no older than 72 hours;
  • a negative antigen test, no older than 48 hours; or
  • proof of having had Covid-19 in the past 6 months.

If anyone doesn’t have one of these documents, they must go into a period of self-isolation for 10 days but can ‘test out’ after day five (children under 15 are exempt from quarantine).


Spain (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. For the time being, the U.S. is still listed as an EU-safe list country online meaning that arrivals must produce a negative diagnostic test (NAAT or RAT) performed within 72h (NAAT)/48h (RAT) of arrival or a certificate of recovery from Covid-19.


Sweden (EU)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed. There is currently a non-EU entry ban, extended until 31 October, but the U.S. is still counted as an exempt country.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed.

In both cases, Sweden requires proof of results from a negative Covid-19 test no more than 48 hours old before entry.


Switzerland (Schengen)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed, for anyone who is vaccinated with one of the following vaccines: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm/BIBP and Sinovac. There are no further travel restrictions (the same is true for anyone who can prove they have had the virus).

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with a negative Covid-19 test result (a PCR test, no older than 72 hours or a negative antigen test, no older than 48 hours).


England (not EU or Schengen)

Vaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed without quarantine but with testing. The U.S. is currently on the ‘amber’ list, meaning that passengers must still arrive with a negative Covid-19 test result and take a test on or before day 2 after arrival.

Unvaccinated–U.S. travelers allowed with quarantine and testing. Passengers need a negative Covid-19 test before departure and they will need to self-isolate for ten days upon arriving/return to the U.K. These people need to take a PCR test on days 2 and 8. They can still use the test and release scheme to ‘test out’ of quarantine on day 5, as reported by The Guardian. This list currently includes most of the traditional EU holiday destinations and the U.S.


Friday 3 September–this article was amended with newly received information that Latvia is now able to recognise CDC vaccination certificates.