As The Local reported earlier in August, the coronavirus infection rate in the United States has now risen well above the threshold for removal from Europe’s travel ‘safe list’ and the figures have caused concern that Italy or the European Union may consider imposing new restrictions on US travellers.
On Monday the European Council updated its ‘safe list’ of countries from which non-essential travel is allowed and, as expected, it did remove the US.
What this means is that the EU now recommends that travel from the US is once again restricted to essential travellers, meaning EU citizens or residents in the EU or essential workers.
However the EU still recommends vaccinated travellers from third countries such as the US are allowed to travel to EU nations, even if that country is not on its safe list.
In other words unvaccinated travellers from the US could face tighter restrictions such as lengthy quarantine or simply not be allowed to travel.
But just because the US was removed from the European Union’s “safe list” this does not automatically mean Italy, or other EU states will tighten travel restrictions for American tourists.
The EU list is non-binding, meaning the last word on whether or not to follow it is down to each individual EU country’s government. Countries can also impose their own restrictions separately.
On Sunday Italy’s health ministry announced that from August 31st it would end the mandatory 5-day quarantine for fully-vaccinated arrivals from the UK.
The same announcement stated that existing rules for other countries would remain in place, without singling out any other countries or going into further detail.
Italy’s government has not stated whether it plans to now change the current restrictions on US travelers following the change to the European travel list,
Italy doesn’t always follow the EU-level recommendations – though after the United States was added to the ‘safe list’ in June, Italian authorities immediately allowed travel to restart for all US visitors who could show proof of vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative test result.
READ ALSO: What documents can non-EU visitors use as a Covid pass in Italy?
Italy says its travel rules are based on coronavirus infection and vaccination rates in other countries.
Data analysis from Our World In Data shows the seven-day average of Covid-19 cases in the US now stands at around 467 per million people – nearing the UK’s figure of 497 per million. Italy’s rate is 107.
After strict health measures amid the pandemic made most travel from the US to Italy impossible for 16 months, many American travellers are still hoping Italy will continue to allow restriction-free visits for now in the interest of supporting the country’s tourism industry.
But there are no guarantees. While tourism is an important part of Italy’s economy, authorities here have so far been more cautious when it comes to travel restrictions than in some other tourism-reliant southern European nations such as Spain.
Note that the rules are based on which country you travel from, and not on which passport you hold.
The Local will continue to follow updates to the travel restrictions closely. Please check our homepage or travel news section for the most recent reports.
For detailed information about the current rules on travel to Italy from any country, please see the Foreign Ministry’s website (in English).
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Big difference this time.,. the EU will vote as a bloc on the new regs and all states will apply them uniformly rather than adopting their own individual state regs. This may lead to a delay in approval and of implementation. (This is what I have heard from an Italian journalist who confesses that everyone seems confused and no one has seen the.proposed universal regs).
Happy Italy changed some of its policy toward UK citizens
This has been posted on Trip Advisor, ricksteves.com, among other internet sites. It appears to say that everyone from the US, Canada and Japan will need to test prior to arrival in Italy. Would you be able to confirm that? I can’t find it on the government site, but I don’t speak Italian.
Also, are there any changes if one is staying 2 weeks in a Group C country (ie, Croatia).
https://www.trovanorme.salute.gov.it/norme/renderNormsanPdf?anno=2021&codLeg=82596&parte=1%20&serie=null
Thanks!
The rules have not changed. You need to test negative for Covid within 48 hours (72 hours?)of your arrival in Italy and have the paperwork. Normally the airlines check your documents before you get on your flight to Italy
No, it appears to have changed. It looks like vaccinated tourists also have to provide a negative test prior to arrival (72 hours), and this is a change from the previous requirement.
I could not find it on the government site, but saw the document posted on Trip Advisor.
I just read in Tripadvisor that visitors from the US will now need a negative covid test even if fully vaccinated. The tripadvisor post says:
“VACCINATED PERSONS ARRIVING IN ITALY FROM CANADA, JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES STARTING ON AUGUST 31 WILL NEED TO PRESENT A NEGATIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT
The negative test result, which may be either a PCR or an antigen test, needs to be collected no more than 72 hours prior to ARRIVAL in Italy.
FULLY VACCINATED PERSONS WILL STILL NEED TO PROVIDE A NEGATIVE TEST RESULT.
The foregoing requirement applies to all persons who have stayed in or transited through Canada, Japan r the United States in the 14 days prior to entry into Italy.
The new restrictions remain valid through October 25.”
I’ll leave it to those who read Italian better than me to decide if this info is correct. Here’s the source they cite:
https://www.trovanorme.salute.gov.it/norme/renderNormsanPdf?anno=2021&codLeg=82596&parte=1%20&serie=null
Italy along with other countries seem to be acknowledging that the “vaccines” have not been effective in preventing infection by Delta. Therefore they are testing everyone vaccinated or not. The COVID stats from Israel and the UK back this up.
I have read the revised regs starting August 31st and it is very good news from my perspective. Thanks to Paul edge for sharing the link.
New EU recommendations.just announced. Not approved yet. When?
Interesting that Italy announced their own regs fully aware.of the the EU would recommend.
My Italian contacts say that Italy policy is set for September and the EU recommendation might be adopted for October.
New Italy policy which essentially continues the previous policy begins August 31 and extends to October 25.
Thank you John and Paul. I’m planning to travel to Italy on evening of September 1. Am I reading the new ordinance correctly–if coming from the US, you now need to get a Covid test 72 hours prior, or a rapid antigen test 48 hours prior?
A few hours the New York Times reported that the EU is expected to take the US off the safe list. Does this mean Italy will follow suit?
Published Aug. 29, 2021
Updated Aug. 30, 2021, 6:57 a.m. ET
BRUSSELS — The European Union is set to advise member states that they should reintroduce travel restrictions for visitors from the United States, three E.U. officials said on Sunday, as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations have surged in the U.S. in recent weeks.
Starting Monday, the officials said, the United States will be removed from a “safe list” of countries whose residents can travel to the 27-nation bloc without additional restrictions, such as quarantine and testing requirements. The suggested restrictions, made by the European Council, will not be mandatory for member countries, and it will remain up to those countries to decide whether or not to impose them.
It’s all here – http://www.viaggiaresicuri.it/approfondimenti-insights/saluteinviaggio.
Presentare al vettore, all’atto dell’imbarco, e a chiunque sia preposto a effettuare i controlli, un certificato che attesti il risultato negativo di un test molecolare o antigenico, condotto con tampone, effettuato nelle settantadue (72) ore precedenti l’ingresso in Italia, da mostrare a chiunque sia preposto ad effettuare questa verifica. Il termine è ridotto a quarantotto (48) ore per gli ingressi dal Regno Unito.
Thank you.
But I see on the Ministero degli Affari Estero website:
Under Section D for Canada, Japan and the United States (next to last sentence), it mentions tampone rapido or molecolare with a negative result 48 hours prior to entry.
So wanted to be certain whether the test should be taken 72 hours or 48 hours before arrival.
Here’s the link:
https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2021/08/restrizioni_allingresso_in_italia_-_3008.pdf
It is confusing but the way I read it, the 48-hour requirement is listed in parentheses along with two others needed to obtain a Green Pass issued by the country’s health authority. The 72-hour test requirement is listed along with the Green Pass and the EU Digital Passenger Locator Form.
I would try and get that test (tampone) done within 48 hours just to be safe. That should be doable these days with an antigen test.
Thanks so much. Also–would you know if that means having a test 48 hours prior to departure (flight take-off time) or 48 hours before arrival in Italy?
I’m pretty sure it’s the arrival. I don’t think they care much about how long it takes you to get there 🙂
Thanks again!
Some news stories initially made it sound as though EU was recommending no tourism from the US, etc. But now I’m noting that the new EU advice “is without prejudice to the possibility for member states to lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travellers.” In other words, Italy’s current rule of allowing vaccinated and tested tourists would not fly in the face of the new EU recommendation. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/08/30/covid-19-council-removes-5-countries-and-one-entity-territorial-authority-from-the-list-of-countries-for-which-travel-restrictions-should-be-lifted/
Hi, John
Where did you get the information that the policy that Italy issues today: August 30th, extends to October 25th. I thought it was every 30 days. We are intending to travel to Italy from October 20-November 2nd is the reason I ask.
Thanks
Carolynn
We are leaving from the US to Italy on Sept. 1st. I see United Air changed it’s requirements to have a 72 hr COVID test provided. This is on top of providing my proof of vaccination. It is a good thing I purchased a 6 pack of the Binax now COVID test kits. They did work pretty fast. The test time was 15 minutes, but I would allow about 45 from start to finish.