Q&A: What Covid rules now apply at holiday destinations most popular with Irish tourists?

As the summer season arrives, and many Irish people prepare to take their first holiday since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to check what requirements the country you are travelling to has in place.

We look at some of the most popular travel destinations for Irish tourists, many of which have their own individual requirements for travellers entering the country.

Italy

There are no longer any public health restrictions or requirements for Irish tourists entering Italy.

Since June 1st, the European vaccination pass is no longer required to enter the country from both EU member states and other foreign countries.

Michael McDowell: Simon Harris’s Duracell bunny, frantic honeymoon approach to being Taoiseach

---

Dublin pizza restaurant ranked 15th in top 20 European pizzerias

---

Palestine ambassador: Ireland has a strong affinity and connection with our people

---

US PGA Championship: Three key holes at Valhalla that bring risk and reward

---

However, all passengers entering Italy by plane, ferry, train or coach must wear an FFP2 mask.

[ Caution over Covid-19 urged as summer travel set to take off ]

France

If you are travelling from Ireland and are fully vaccinated, or have a negative test result, or you have proof of recovery from Covid-19, you are permitted to enter France without being subject to further restrictions or quarantine.

If you are recovered, you must present a certificate of recovery that is dated more than 11 days and less than six months prior to the date of arrival.

If you are unvaccinated, you must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to your departure or an antigen test taken no more than 48 hours before departure.

However, the antigen test must test for a specific SARS-CoV-2 N protein to be deemed valid, and travellers should check this with the test provider.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from these requirements.

Air travellers must complete a passenger locator form prior to entry, but passengers travelling by sea or land are not required to complete this form.

Spain

There are no Covid-19 restrictions in place for travel to Spain from Ireland, or any other EU or Schengen countries.

However, for those travelling from outside the EU, including Northern Ireland, there is a requirement to present a valid Covid vaccination certificate or to complete the Spain travel health control form, which contains the details of your vaccination, recovery or diagnostic test certificate.

Portugal

Passengers arriving into Portugal are required to present evidence of their vaccination, recovery or negative status.

People should show the European digital Covid cert or equivalent valid proof of full vaccination of at least 14 days and no more than 270 days prior to travel. However, no time limit applies in situations where passengers have received a booster dose.

For those who are unvaccinated, a valid proof of recovery can also be accepted to enter the country as well as a PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure or a rapid antigen test taken professionally within 24 hours of departure.

A passenger locator form is no longer required for travelling to Portugal.

UK

Under existing British regulations, passengers arriving into Great Britain from Ireland are not required to complete a passenger locator form, self-isolate, or undergo testing, if they have not been outside of the Common Travel Area in the previous 10 days.

The Common Travel Area includes Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

These rules apply whether an individual is vaccinated or not.

US

Fully vaccinated foreign citizens can enter the US if they provide proof of vaccination status and a negative Covid-19 test.

The negative Covid-19 result must be from a test taken no more than one day before travel to the US. The test requirement applies to all passengers, regardless of citizenship, and includes children over the age of two.

The test result can be from either an antigen, PCR or LAMP test.

Passengers who have recovered from Covid-19 in the past 90 days may present documentation showing proof of recovery as an alternative to meeting the negative test requirement.

Documentation of recovery must include a positive viral test result and a letter from a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you are cleared to travel.

Children under 18 are not required to show proof of vaccination status. There are other, very limited exceptions from this requirement including for people medically unable to receive the vaccine.

Coming back to Ireland

Since March 6th, 2022, travellers to Ireland are not required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative PCR test result upon arrival.

There are also no post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements for travellers to Ireland.

What else do I need to know?

People travelling overseas this summer are being urged by the Department of Foreign Affairs to stay informed about Covid-related rules and to check they have proper travel insurance as the direction of the pandemic remains uncertain.

It advises that, along with their shorts and T-shirts, people should pack both adequate insurance and a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

“Irish people love to travel but our message is things are not fully back to normal,” said the head of international travel within the department’s consular division, Deirdre Ní Fhallúin.

She also urged people to make sure they had an adequate level of travel insurance and to make sure they have an up-to-date EHIC card which entitles you to free care across the EU.

She noted that changes to travel rules can come into force very quickly depending on the trajectory of the virus at any given time and urged people to be mindful of that as they looked forward to a summer of travel.

The Department of Foreign Affairs site, which carries detailed information on 200 countries including the security and Covid status of each of them, “used to be a dusty corner of the website” but has become the first port of call for any would-be travellers.