Portugal Updates Travel Rules and Requirements Before Summer Season Kicks Off
The test certificate has to be performed 72 hours before travelling (PCR test) or 42 hours before arrival for those performing a rapid antigen test. In addition, all EU Member States and Schengen Area countries are permitted incoming and outgoing air traffic, AtoZSerwisPlus.pt reports.
Moreover, the following countries are also allowed air activity with Portugal:
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Iceland
- Switzerland
- Angola
- Brazil
- Cape Verde
- Canada
- United States of America
- Guinea-Bissau
- Mozambique
- United Kingdom
- Sao Tome
- Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Bahrain
- Chile
- Colombia
- Indonesia
- Kuwait
- New Zealand
- Peru
- People’s Republic of China
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- United Arab Emirates
- Uruguay
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong and Macau
Arrivals from countries other than these mentioned can enter Portugal only for essential travelling.
Moreover, the entry rules are facilitated for children who are under 12 years old, as they are exempted from presenting a vaccination, recovery or test certificate. The requirement to present a passenger locator form has also been abolished for Portugal, and different rules apply for the islands of Azores and Madeira.
The World Health Organization (WHO) data reveals that Portugal has registered 61,451 new COVID-19 infection cases in the recent week, taking the total number of positive cases recorded since the pandemic started to over 3.7 million. In addition, there were 22,148 deaths reported, with 141 of those registered in the last seven days.
As for the vaccination rate, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reveals that authorities in Portugal have administered a total of 23.7 million vaccinations until now. Of the total number of the adult population, 85.7 per cent have already completed their primary vaccination, and another 61.8 per cent have received an additional vaccine dose.
In addition, another coastal country has eased its entry rules and requirements this week, showing solid recovery signs for a successful tourism season. Malta announced the facilitation of its entry rules for incoming travellers this week, which will be effective on Monday (May 2).
The requirement of presenting a Passenger Locator Form has been abolished, enabling travellers to enter Malta without additional administrative requirements. The face-covering requirement has been abolished except for public spaces such as air transport and health care facilities, while the lists with dark red and red countries continue to be effective.
The new rules also allow people infected with COVID-19 to quarantine for seven to ten days if they undergo testing, whereas people who are close contacts of an infection case are exempted from self-isolation if they don’t develop symptoms.
