Are you traveling, or planning to travel to Italy? Here are a few things you will want to know.COVID Travel Explained.
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!
Italy has eliminated many COVID requirements such as the Green Pass, the Passenger Locator Form, and the indoor Mask Mandate. However on April 28 the Italian Ministry of Health extended remaining COVID entry restrictions through May 31. Travelers entering Italy will need to provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or proof of a negative covid test.
The vaccines that are accepted in Italy include Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZenica. For those watching this video from outside the United States, Canada, or United Kingdom there is a tool available at visaguide.world (https://visaguide.world/news/vaccine-checker-proof-of-immunity-for-travel/) 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 9 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 than 14 days before your departure.
You can use a certificate of recovery in place of proof of vaccination. For proof of recovery to be considered valid the original test must have been molecular, such as a PCR test. The test must have also been administered by a licensed health care professional, at home tests are 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 results. 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.
Travelers that aren’t vaccinated and don’t have a certificate of recovery will need to provide a negative COVID test taken before departure. Both PCR and Rapid Antigen tests are allowed, PCR tests must be taken within 72 hours of departure and Antigen tests within 48 hours of departure.
A quick note about testing timeframes. For the test to be valid it must have been administered within the timeframe of boarding your flight. If there are delays that prevent boarding within the timeframe 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.
Returning to the U.S. will require a test taken no more than 1 day 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.
