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Which travellers face mandatory Covid-19 testing on arrival in Italy?

The Local Italy
The Local Italy - [email protected]
Which travellers face mandatory Covid-19 testing on arrival in Italy?
Photo: AFP

As Italy has added France to the list of countries from which travellers must undergo Covid-19 testing, here's a look at the rules and who they apply to.

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Italy doesn’t have a blanket testing requirement for all travellers – so entering the country doesn’t automatically require a nasal swab.

Instead the rules are based on which country you’re arriving from, and which Italian region you fly into, as well as all the other restrictions on who can enter Italy in the first place and whether they have to quarantine.

You can see the full list of Italy's current travel rules in a separate article here.

Unrestricted travel into Italy is currently allowed from all countries within the EU and Schengen zone, including from the UK.

However, passengers coming from the following European countries must undergo testing when travelling to Italy:

  • The UK
  • The Netherlands
  • Belgium
  • The Czech Republic
  • Spain
  • France (Paris and other regions deemed to be at high risk)

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The seven French regions covered by testing requirements are: Île-de-France, which include the capital Paris, Auvergne-Rhône Alpes in central France, the island of Corsica, Hauts-de-France in the north, Nouvelle-Acquitaine and Occitanie in the west and south west, and Provence-Alpes-C'ôte d'Azur in the south east, which borders Italy.
 
The Italian government in October dropped a previous testing requirement for travellers from Greece, Croatia and Malta.
 
Travellers from most European countries do not need to quarantine on arrival, wth a couple of exceptions.
 

Travellers can either get tested before their journey – both molecular (PCR) and rapid antigen tests are accepted, so long as they're carried out no more than 72 hours before your journey – or within 48 hours of arriving.

Provided your test comes back negative, you won’t have to quarantine upon entering Italy from one of these four countries (though it may depend which region you’re going to: some regions have different quarantine and testing rules, so be sure to check with the local authorities first).

Anyone found to be positive, including asymptomatic cases, must report to the local health authorities.

READ ALSO: Covid-19 tests and quarantines - what are the rules for travelling between France and Italy?

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How do you get tested upon arrival?

The easiest way to get tested is at the airport, port or station you arrive into: several of Italy’s main transit hubs, including Fiumicino and Ciampino airports in Rome, Malpensa and Linate airports in Milan, Marco Polo airport in Venice, the ports of Civitavecchia and Livorno as well as Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence, have set up rapid testing facilities for passengers.

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The procedure varies depending on where you arrive.

Most major airports in Italy now offer rapid testing as soon as you land, as do some international ports and train stations. These tests are free as it is classed as an emergency procedure.

Travellers are advised to contact their destination airport in Italy to confirm the availability of testing on arrival.

For more information about how to get a coronavirus test when travelling to Italy, see our guide here.

For more details travellers are advised to check the relevant country information on the ViaggiareSicuri website. You may also wish to check the Italian Foreign Ministry's website (in English) as well as the latest advice from the British government.

Please note: The Local is not able to advise on specific cases.

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Anonymous 2020/11/12 13:27
Is this correct? There are restrictions in the orange and red zones for citizens of Italy but not for tourists travelling from region to region within the orange and red zones?
Anonymous 2020/10/13 13:19
Can anybody tell me whether children under 6 years of age also have to be COVID tested prior to departure from the UK?
Anonymous 2020/09/21 19:41
I would be OK being required to do mandatory testing. Seems like the reponsibile thing under the circumstances. If you have COVID, then appropriate action can be taken and further spread curtailed. If not, why not be tested?

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