Portugal Fines Airlines and Passengers Arriving Without Negative COVID-19 Test Results

Portugal’s government is fining anyone arriving in the country from the United States, non- European Union/non-Schengen zone countries who don’t carry a negative RT-PCR test, not older than 72 hours.

According to the new rules approved by the government, persons who do not carry a negative test will face fines between €500 to €2,000 while airlines transporting passengers without a test risk be fined up to  €3,000, 

Besides, the temperature of passengers must be taken upon their arrival. If anyone coming from these “high risk” countries who do not comply with this rule could also be fined between €2,000-€3,000.

Portugal’s airports’ authority ANA  is obliged to provide infra-red temperature testing for all incoming passengers and be ready to ‘contain’ any that display signs of having a fever.

The latest rule does not include the airports in the autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores.

Local authorities in Portugal stressed that compliance with these obligations would be enforced by the National Civil Aviation Authority ANAC and Borders Control Agency SEF.

Earlier this month, Portugal decided to facilitate its existing air traffic measures to permit flights to and from its territory to countries of the European Union, Schengen Zone Area, and the United Kingdom, following the European Council recommendation.

Portugal’s government also stressed that the European Council recommendation foresees the authorization of the flights from “countries with a positive epidemiological evaluation and subject to confirmation of reciprocity.”

The country has also opened its doors for tourists coming from 15 “safe” countries which are not part of the European Union, upon a recommendation of the European Union Council on June 30. Most likely, Portugal will also comply with the new recommendation which excludes two countries, due to the rise in infections in both.