Travel restrictions stopped many people from getting away in 2020, but as more people around the world get their Covid-19 vaccinations, thoughts will be turning to summer vacations.
However, the current picture is mixed in terms of which countries are open to visitors, even to those who have had their Covid vaccine. While some countries are allowing all visitors, others are only admitting those who have proof of vaccination or are insisting on quarantines for visitors. Some countries also have different rules depending on which country you're flying from.
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So how can you make sense of this confusing situation and make plans for your next trip? We've outlined the current state of play concerning travel restrictions if you're flying from the United States only, listing which countries are open to all, which are open with proof of vaccination and which will be opening soon.
If you're planning to travel from outside of the U.S., the travel firm Sherpa has produced this fantastic interactive map which lets you input the country you're flying from and your destination and view the exact details.
Here's our guide to the current travel restrictions as they apply to the U.S and which countries you can visit this summer if you’re vaccinated.
FYI: Planning your next big summer trip? Watch out for these scams.
Travel restrictions: what you need to know before you travel abroad
Fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. no longer need to take a test before going abroad, as per the CDC's guidance updated on April 2. They also no longer need to be quarantined when they return to the U.S. However, some travel restrictions do still apply: travelers will still need to take a test three days before they return, and should also be tested three to five days after arriving back home.
It's also important to bear in mind that simply being vaccinated isn't a 100% guarantee that you won't be able to contract Covid. Different strains may be circulating now or in the future, and some of the countries below still have high rates of Covid transmission. These travel restrictions are there for a reason.
No travel restrictions: countries that are fully open
There are currently four countries with no travel restrictions at all, which means that they are open to all visitors regardless of where you have arrived from. However, some may carry out health screening on arrival.
With that caveat, here are the four countries that currently have no travel restrictions at all:
Albania
Albania has lifted its flight restrictions, though you may face a health screening on arrival.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica allows visitors from any country to enter by air.
Mexico
Mexico doesn't have any travel restrictions for air travel, but people arriving from Covid-19 hotspots will be screened and quarantined if necessary.
Tanzania
There are no entry restrictions on traveling to Tanzania, however visitors are subject to medical screening upon arrival.
Travel restrictions: Countries in Europe which are open to those with vaccinations
The following countries (and the others listed in the subsequent sections by continent) are all open to arrivals from the United States who have a valid proof of vaccination.
However, the situation may change, so always check the full details for the country you wish to visit beforehand.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Croatia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Cyprus
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Estonia
Travelers who can prove they have received a vaccine from one of its nine approved suppliers will not have to quarantine.
Iceland
Travelers who can prove they have been vaccinated will be able to skip testing and quarantine.
Moldova
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Montenegro
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Poland
Travelers who can prove they have received a vaccine approved by the European Union will not have to quarantine.
Romania
Proof of Covid vaccination required, but no quarantine necessary.
Serbia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Turkey
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you show symptoms and test positive on arrival.
Ukraine
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Travel restrictions: Countries in the Caribbean which are open to those with vaccinations
Bahamas
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Dominican Republic
Anyone arriving by air is able to enter without proof of vaccination, although a certain percentage of visitors will be screened on arrival and could be quarantined if they test positive.
Haiti
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you show symptoms on arrival.
Jamaica
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary. However, travelers must stay in one of two designated areas on the island.
Puerto Rico
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Saint Lucia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary. Mandatory stay at an approved accommodation.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary. Mandatory 14-day stay at an approved accommodation.
Travel restrictions: Countries in Central America which are open to those with vaccinations
Belize
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive upon arrival.
El Salvador
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Guatemala
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Honduras
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you show symptoms upon arrival.
Nicaragua
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Panama
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Travel restrictions: Countries in South America which are open to those with vaccinations
Colombia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Brazil
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Ecuador
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Guyana
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required. Travelers who arrive with a test done within 4-7 days before departure will be required to take another on arrival, and will then be required to remain at their residence or hotel until receiving a negative test result.
Paraguay
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Peru
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Venezuela
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Travel restrictions: Countries in Africa which are open to those with vaccinations
Botswana
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Burkina Faso
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Djibouti
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Egypt
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Eswatini
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Gambia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Ghana
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Guinea-Bissau
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you display symptoms and subsequently test positive on arrival.
Ivory Coast
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary. However, travelers are recommended to self-quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
Kenya
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Malawi
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Maldives
Maldives reopened its borders to all in July 2020. You'll need proof of a Covid vaccination or a recent negative test, but are otherwise free to visit — although it's worth noting that the capital, Malé, is off limits to visitors.
Morocco
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Mozambique
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Namibia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Senegal
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Seychelles
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Sierra Leone
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
South Africa
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Sudan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Uganda
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Zambia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Zimbabwe
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required, but no quarantine necessary.
Travel restrictions: Countries in Asia which are open to those with vaccinations
Afghanistan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required. Anyone without symptoms is "recommended" to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Armenia
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required but no quarantine necessary.
Georgia
Proof of Covid vaccination required in order to avoid quarantine. Those without a vaccination can enter with a recent negative test result, but will be required to quarantine for eight days.
Jordan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Kyrgyzstan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required but no quarantine necessary.
Pakistan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required but no quarantine necessary unless you show symptoms.
Sri Lanka
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required. Mandatory stay at an approved hotel for 24-48 hours if you have a vaccination and 14 days without one.
Tajikistan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required. All travelers are required to take a test on arrival and will be quarantined until the return of negative test results.
Thailand
Thailand is not fully open yet, but it is beginning to ease travel restrictions. As of April 1, fully vaccinated tourists are allowed to enter the country via five “pilot provinces”: Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, in Chonburi. Visitors will be tested on arrival and required to use a tracing app.
Uzbekistan
Proof of Covid vaccination or a recent negative test required but no quarantine necessary unless you test positive on arrival.
Travel restrictions: What if the country I want to visit isn't listed above?
Most other countries around the world are either closed to all air travel or have multiple restrictions in place, including mandatory quarantines on arrival. In Japan, for instance, all travelers must quarantine for at least 14 days, and visitors from the U.S. and Canada must do so for longer. Australia and New Zealand have restricted all international flights, as have many European nations.
However, more countries are expected to end travel restrictions in the near future. Greece says it hopes to welcome vaccinated travelers from May 14th, and the island of Phuket in Thailand will allow them in July.
We'll also note that countries are regularly updating their travel restrictions, so it's always a good idea to start by searching for the country you wish to visit and getting the latest information directly from their own tourist information site.
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