France joins European countries such as Spain and Denmark in tightening restrictions on US citizens, effectively banning unvaccinated Americans from entering as of September 12. France's change of rules comes as the US was recently removed from the European Union's “white list” of countries from which non-essential travel is permitted.
The white list is made up of countries from outside the EU that have low COVID-19 infection rates and are therefore considered safe. Residents from white list countries are permitted to enjoy quarantine-free travel to and within the EU, without additional restrictions such as testing.
The US was added to the white list on June 18 after reporting a decreasing trend in COVID-19 case numbers, and Americans have been able to travel around some European countries with relative ease this summer—much in the same way that EU residents have. However, that changed last week after the US and five other places – Israel, Lebanon, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia – were removed from the white list.
The move comes as the US surpasses the white list limit of 75 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 over a 14-day period, with hospitalizations across the country increasing too. This means that the EU can instruct its 27 member states to reimpose a travel ban on US visitors, and American tourists are no longer eligible to travel to some countries restriction-free.
How does this impact your trip to Europe?
The proposals are not binding and it's up to each individual country to decide whether or not to impose them. It's likely some countries may decide to keep permitting tourists from the US if they can prove they have been vaccinated. Others will require additional testing or quarantine periods. France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Italy have all tweaked their rules since the announcement, setting out different border protocols for US visitors.
What are the current rules for US tourists visiting EU countries?
Austria
US citizens are permitted to travel to Austria with proof of vaccination, a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours, or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19.
Belgium
US citizens are permitted to travel to Belgium if they are fully vaccinated.
Bulgaria
The US is designated as a high risk "red zone" area in Bulgaria's classification system and therefore people are not permitted to travel to Bulgaria from the US at present.
Croatia
US citizens are permitted to travel to Croatia with proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test result, or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19.
Cyprus
Fully vaccinated US citizens are permitted to travel to Cyprus without restrictions. Unvaccinated tourists will need to present a negative PCR test no more than 48 hours before travel and take a second rapid antigen test at the airport upon arrival.
Czech Republic
People from the US are permitted to travel to the Czech Republic for non-essential travel, provided they are fully vaccinated.
Denmark
US citizens are only permitted to travel to Denmark with proof of vaccination.
Estonia
US citizens are permitted to visit Estonia without restrictions.
Finland
US citizens are permitted to travel to Finland with proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test, or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19.
France
France will accept vaccinated US travelers but those who are not vaccinated are effectively banned. They can only enter France if they meet the criteria for "essential travel", and even then they will need to present a negative COVID-19 test; either a PCR test (conducted no more than 72 hours before traveling to France) or an antigen test (conducted no more than 48 hours before travel). They will also need to quarantine for seven days upon arrival, either at their accommodation or at a private home.
Germany
Vaccinated US citizens can travel to Germany without restrictions. Unvaccinated people are required to self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival—though that can be reduced to five days if they present a negative COVID-19 test result.
Greece
Arrivals from the US must show either proof of full vaccination or recovery from the virus, or a negative COVID-19 test result.
Hungary
US citizens are not permitted to enter for non-essential travel.
Ireland
Arrivals from the US must show either proof of full vaccination or recovery from the virus, or a negative COVID-19 test result.
Italy
Fully vaccinated US visitors must show proof of vaccination as well as a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of departure. US travelers who have not been vaccinated are required to quarantine for five days and then be tested for COVID-19 before leaving quarantine.
Latvia
US citizens are not permitted to enter for non-essential travel.
Lithuania
Fully vaccinated US citizens can enter Lithuania without restrictions.
Luxembourg
Arrivals from the US must show either proof of full vaccination or recovery from the virus, or a negative COVID-19 test result.
Malta
Fully vaccinated US citizens can enter Malta without restrictions.
Netherlands
Arrivals from the US must self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival, and present a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure. This applies to everyone regardless of vaccination status or recovery. People can take a second test on day five and if the result if negative, they may be permitted to leave quarantine early.
Poland
Fully vaccinated US citizens can enter Poland without restrictions.
Portugal
Fully vaccinated US citizens are permitted to enter Portugal with proof of a negative COVID-19 test result.
Romania
Arrivals from the US must show either proof of full vaccination or recovery from the virus, or a negative COVID-19 test result.
Slovakia
Fully vaccinated US citizens can enter Slovakia without restrictions.
Slovenia
Fully vaccinated US citizens can enter Slovenia without restrictions.
Spain
US travelers must present proof of full vaccination to visit Spain for non-essential travel.
Sweden
As of September 6, residents of the US are not permitted to enter Sweden for nonessential travel, regardless of vaccination status, until at least October 31.
It's important to note that the above entry regulations generally apply only when the US is the country you depart from. US citizens who have transited or spent time in a designated high-risk or virus-variant area may be subject to additional restrictions, depending on the destination.
If you have a trip to an EU country booked and are unsure how the suggested restrictions will affect your trip, be sure to check in with the US embassy of your destination. Each embassy website has a dedicated COVID-19 information page with country-specific information on testing, vaccination and quarantine rules, as well as the latest entry and exit requirements for Americans.
This article was originally published on August 30, 2021, and updated on September 10, 2021.
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