Austria tightens Covid entry rules for travellers from US
It has become harder for people from the US to visit Austria unless they can show they have been vaccinated.
The USA and Western Balkans have been removed from Austria’s list of counties with “low epidemiological risk”.
Previously visitors from these areas could enter Austria quarantine-free with a negative test result, proof of recovery from Covid-19 or proof of having been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (the 3-G rule). Only Uruguay has been added to the list of states with low epidemiological risk.
There are three categories for entry into Austria:
- Countries where there is low epidemiological risk (3-G rule applies)
- Virus variant states (where there are strict entry requirements and quarantine is required)
- All other states (vaccination or quarantine requirement)
Now those coming from the US and Western Balkans must show that they have been vaccinated or go into quarantine for up to 10 days.
The quarantine can be ended from the fifth day after entry with a new negative test result. Commuters, people on study trips and those travelling for family purposes are excluded from the new regulations. Accompanied minors are also excluded.
The full list of countries which are no longer defined as having “low epidemiological risk” includes the United States, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Israel, Japan and Thailand.
Virus variant states
Costa Rica and Suriname join Brazil as new entries on the red list of ‘virus variant’ states, which means there are particularly strict entry rules.
However, Uruguay, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe have been removed from the red list.
The second vaccination against Covid-19 is now valid for 12 months in Austria, rather than nine, which will affect all travellers to the Alpine state.
UPDATED: What Austria’s ‘vaccine expiry date’ means for travellers
A link to the ordinance is here (German language)
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The USA and Western Balkans have been removed from Austria’s list of counties with “low epidemiological risk”.
Previously visitors from these areas could enter Austria quarantine-free with a negative test result, proof of recovery from Covid-19 or proof of having been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (the 3-G rule). Only Uruguay has been added to the list of states with low epidemiological risk.
There are three categories for entry into Austria:
- Countries where there is low epidemiological risk (3-G rule applies)
- Virus variant states (where there are strict entry requirements and quarantine is required)
- All other states (vaccination or quarantine requirement)
Now those coming from the US and Western Balkans must show that they have been vaccinated or go into quarantine for up to 10 days.
The quarantine can be ended from the fifth day after entry with a new negative test result. Commuters, people on study trips and those travelling for family purposes are excluded from the new regulations. Accompanied minors are also excluded.
The full list of countries which are no longer defined as having “low epidemiological risk” includes the United States, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Israel, Japan and Thailand.
Virus variant states
Costa Rica and Suriname join Brazil as new entries on the red list of ‘virus variant’ states, which means there are particularly strict entry rules.
However, Uruguay, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe have been removed from the red list.
The second vaccination against Covid-19 is now valid for 12 months in Austria, rather than nine, which will affect all travellers to the Alpine state.
UPDATED: What Austria’s ‘vaccine expiry date’ means for travellers
A link to the ordinance is here (German language)
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