You may have heard the latest statement about oversees travel. This week, the EU recommended that its 27 countries reinstate travel restrictions for Americans. With case numbers in the US so high, officials in the EU are worried about transmission. So can Americans travel to Europe? The answer is to be determined. The new statement is just a recommendation. Not every country will flat out ban Americans. That said, each country in the EU will make its own travel rules. And we’ll just say it: You almost always need to be vaccinated.
Who Is in the EU?
For the record, the countries in the EU are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
If you have plans to travel to any of these countries soon, you should double-check with them individually to check for travel restrictions for Americans. The requirements for many include proof of vaccination or negative PCR test for Covid-19. These tests are old news by now for those of you back out there since the start of this pandemic.
Where Can’t Americans Go?
However, some countries now have full-on bans for Americans. Bulgaria, for example, will allow no nonessential travelers from the US. Only Americans with special permission will be allowed to enter. We expect more countries to join this list in the coming months.
Where Is There a Quarantine?
Other countries are taking extra precautions, which will potentially amount to a non-starter for most Americans. In Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as non-EU countries Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro and North Macedonia, travelers need to show proof of vaccination in addition to quarantining for 10 days. It’s a lengthy hotel stay, but in Montenegro it might be worth it for the Ananti resort.
If you’re not vaccinated or you feel like Covid-19 is over, think again. This pandemic, unfortunately, rages on. But life must go on. If you want to participate in society, a vaccine is generally required to travel.
