What will it take to travel to Italy? Today I am going to go over some of what you need to know including definition of full vaccination, what is a certificate or recovery, the green pass, and timeframe for relaxing restrictions.
Before we talk Italy it’s important to understand that travel restrictions are changing all the time, currently we are seeing many countries relaxing restrictions to make travel easier. However, just because something is true today, doesn’t mean it will be true tomorrow. Always consult your Travel Advisor before your trip to make sure you are aware of any changes. Also, subscribe to our channel to stay updated on notable changes. Now, let’s talk Italy!
First the Vaccination Certificate. This is the paperwork provided to you when getting the COVID vaccine, for those of us in America it’s the white card with the CDC logo. The vaccines that are accepted in Italy are Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZenica. For those watching this video from outside the United States or United Kingdom there is a tool available at visaguide.world that will help you check if your vaccine is valid in italy, or really any country you might want to visit.
Italy defines full vaccination has having received the final dose or booster within the previous 6 months. They do not consider you fully vaccinated until 14 days have passed since the final dose was administered. If you are planning to get vaccinated before a trip to Italy you will need to do so more then 14 days before your departure.
You can use a certificate of recovery in place of proof of vaccination, however this isn’t as well defined and could create confusion while traveling. We recommend against this as a replacement for proof of vaccination. If you are unvaccinated and plan on using proof of recovery to gain entry to foreign countries we recommend you also have a negative covid test with you to avoid any unnecessary delays or problems.
For proof of recovery to be considered valid the original test must have been molecular, such as a PCR test. The rapid antigen test is considered valid. The test must have also been administered by a licensed health care professional, at home tests are also not considered valid. You will need more than the test result, you will need a letter or certificate from a licensed health care professional, or public health official. Unfortunately the Italian government doesn’t accept antibody tests as proof of recovery.
For a certificate of recovery to be considered valid it must include full name, birthdate, proof of positive Covid test with date of first positive result, and identification information of government or state health authority issuing certificate. This information should have been included with your test result. The Italian health ministry has specified that foreign recovery certificates must be accompanied by a sworn translation. Now we’ve been unable to verify this, the Italian Embassy in Washington says that as long as the document is in English, Spanish, German, French, or Italian then it’s acceptable. Other information we’ve been given contradicts this. If you plan on using proof of recovery in place of proof of vaccination it’s a good idea to have a translated copy just to be safe.
The Basic Green Pass and Super Green Pass. First forget about the basic green pass, as a traveler it will do you no good. The super green pass is required to stay in a hotel, eat in a restaurant, visit a museum, or really do anything you would be traveling to Italy to do. Proof of vaccination along with a photo id such as a passport or international drivers license work in place of the super green pass. The good news is that a digital vaccination certificate from an approved source can also be used in place of a super green pass. On May 1st Italy plans on phasing out the Green Pass. This will make things easier for all travelers including unvaccinated travelers.
If you are unvaccinated then travel to Italy before May 1st will be difficult, however once the green pass is phased out the country will open up to you. You will be required to have a negative COVID PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, or a negative antigen test taken within 48 hours of the departure in order to enter italy. Proof of recovery will also be accepted, but it’s better to also have a qualifying negative covid test in case there are issues. Vaccinated travelers will not need to provide a negative test to enter.
A quick note about testing time frames. For the test to be valid it must have been administered within the timeframe upon boarding your flight. If there are delays that prevent boarding of the within the time frame then your test will be considered invalid and you will either be unable to board your flight or enter Italy. Having the test taken as close to your flight as possible is advisable, just make sure you can get the results in time.
Masks are no longer required for outdoor settings, but are required indoors untill April 30th.
Every adult traveler will be required to have a completed European Union Passenger Locator Form to gain entry to Italy. Failure to have this form completed on arrival could result in a denial of entry.
Returning to the U.S. will require a test taken no more than 24 hours before departure. There are many tests that can be done including some self administered tests. Consult your Travel Advisor for more information about testing for your return trip home.
If you happen to test positive for covid you will be required to quarantine according to the rules of the country you are in. This can get costly. For this reason we strongly advise all travelers, including fully vaccinated travelers to get a Travel Insurance that will cover your costs for quarantine or any other covid related issues. Just because you are vaccinated doesn’t mean you can’t catch or carry covid.
