SHARE
COPY LINK

TRAVEL NEWS

Which countries can use a Covid health pass to avoid quarantine in Italy?

Italy's latest travel rules allow visitors from certain countries to skip quarantine if they can show proof of vaccination, recovery or testing for Covid-19. Who qualifies, and who still has to isolate this summer?

Which countries can use a Covid health pass to avoid quarantine in Italy?
Does your country qualify for quarantine-free travel to Italy? Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Quarantine requirements can make or break travel plans. With peak tourist season fast approaching, Italy has confirmed who will have to isolate this summer, and who can avoid it by showing a Covid-19 health pass.

In an ordinance issued on July 29th, the Italian Health Ministry set out the travel rules that will apply throughout the summer, from July 31st to August 30th.

READ ALSO: Italy extends quarantine requirement for travellers from the UK

Here’s what they say about who can visit Italy quarantine-free and how.

Which travellers never have to quarantine in Italy? 

Italy contains two tiny foreign territories within its borders, San Marino and Vatican City, and neither of them is subject to any travel restrictions.

Residents of either microstate can cross in and out of Italy freely without filling in a passenger locator form or a health pass.

Which travellers can use a Covid-19 health pass to avoid quarantine in Italy?

  • All countries in the European Union and/or Schengen Zone: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco.

People travelling from these countries – including certain overseas territories – can show a Covid-19 health certificate as proof of vaccination, recovery or a recent negative test in order to avoid quarantine (which would otherwise be five days, followed by a test).

National certificates from any of these countries are valid in Italy as part of the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate scheme.

  • Israel

People travelling from Israel can show proof of vaccination with a vaccine licensed for use in the EU (currently: Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson) in order to avoid quarantine (which would otherwise be five days, followed by a test).

Alternatively they can show a medical certificate of recovery from Covid-19 within the past six months, or a negative test carried out within the past 48 hours.

Either an official Coronavirus Certificate or Green Pass issued by the Israeli Ministry of Health (more details here), in digital form or on paper, will be accepted in Italy (though remember that if you’re claiming it via testing, Italy’s window is shorter than Israel’s: 48 hours instead of 72). 

Vaccinated people in Israel show their ‘Green Pass’. Photo: JACK GUEZ / AFP
  • Canada, Japan and the United States

People travelling from one of these three countries can show proof of vaccination with a vaccine licensed for use in the EU (currently: Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson) in order to avoid quarantine (which would otherwise be five days, followed by a test).

Alternatively they can show a medical certificate of recovery from Covid-19 within the past six months, or a negative test carried out within the past 48 hours.

READ ALSO: What documents do Americans need for travel to Italy?

Official certification in digital or hard copy from any of the three countries will be accepted in Italy – such as CDC-approved vaccination cards from the US, provincial immunization cards from Canada, or government-issued paper vaccination certificates from Japan (available in English). 

What about other countries?

Italy does not exempt any other countries from quarantine. If you’re travelling from a country that is not listed above, you will have to self-isolate – even if you’re fully vaccinated – as well as getting tested before your journey and after your isolation.

Quarantine lasts five days if you’re travelling from one of the following countries or territories: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Hong Kong, Jordan, Lebanon, Kosovo, Macao, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, or the United Kingdom.

READ ALSO:

Travellers from any other countries have to quarantine for ten days.

There are also extra restrictions on travel from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Brazil. For more information, see the Italian Health Ministry’s instructions for travellers (in English).

Italy’s quarantine rules contain a handful of exceptions if you’re travelling in particular circumstances, including if you’re transiting through Italy for 36 hours or less via private transport. For full details, see the Health Ministry’s website (in English). 

Please remember that The Local is not able to advise on individual cases. Contact your national embassy for more guidance on travel between your country and Italy.

Member comments

  1. We both have had two vaccinations in the UK. We are driving to France where we will stay for 15 days. Then we want to drive to Italy. Do we need to quarantine in Italy and do we need to take a test before we cross the border?

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

STRIKES

Calendar: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in summer 2023

After walkouts caused travel disruption throughout Italy in spring, strikes affecting flights, trains and public transport are set to continue in the summer months.

Calendar: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in summer 2023

Transport strikes are hardly unusual during Italy’s summer months, and this year will be no exception. 

According to the Transport Ministry’s calendar, Italian unions representing airline, railway and public transport staff have already called a number of strikes which threaten to affect the travel plans of locals and international visitors.

Here’s a look at the walkouts that are more likely to cause serious transport disruption in the coming weeks.  

Public transport

June 16th: Staff from ATM, Milan’s  main public transport operator, will take part in a 24-hour walkout on Friday, June 16th. 

The strike is currently expected to affect all surface services (trams, buses, trolley buses, etc.) as well as metro lines, with passengers likely to face significant delays and/or cancellations during the day. 

READ ALSO: Should you travel in Italy when there’s a strike on?

July 7th: Public transport staff all around the country will strike for 24 hours on Friday, July 7th. 

Strike at Roma Termini station in Italy

The level of disruption caused by transport strikes in Italy can vary greatly from region to region, or even from city to city. Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP

All types of service (from buses to metro lines to ferries) may be affected by delays or cancellations during the day. Once again, however, the level of disruption caused by the demonstration will largely vary from region to region, or even from city to city.

Rail travel

June 23rd: Staff at Trenord, which operates regional trains in Lombardy, will strike from 9am to 5pm on Friday, June 23rd. 

The protest is expected to cause delays and/or cancellations to all of Trenord’s services, including the Malpensa Express, which connects Milan Malpensa Airport with Milano Centrale station. 

Air travel

June 18th: Security staff at Milan Malpensa Airport will strike for four hours – from 11am to 3pm – on Sunday, June 18th. 

READ ALSO: OPINION: Italy’s constant strikes are part of the country’s DNA

There currently are no further details regarding the walkout, though ground operations, including passenger security screening, may reasonably experience delays during the strike.  

June 20th: Handling staff at airports all around the country will take part in a 24-hour walkout on Tuesday, June 20th. 

Since three of Italy’s largest transport workers’ unions will take part in the strike, the protest is expected to cause at least some level of disruption at all of Italy’s major airports, especially at check-in desks and in baggage collection areas.

But flight delays or cancellations may also be on the cards during the day.

Flights cancelled as shown by departure board

Nationwide airport staff strikes in Italy may ultimately result in flight delays or even cancellations. Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP

Besides the national 24-hour strike, ground staff at a number of Italian airports, including Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport and the Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence will hold separate protests on Tuesday. These protests may exacerbate the disruption caused by the national walkout. 

July 15th: Staff at ENAV, Italy’s main air traffic control operator, will take part in a national 24-hour strike on Saturday, July 15th.

Though no further details are currently available, the protest may cause disruption to scheduled flights at airports all around the country.

How bad are strikes in Italy?

The magnitude of any planned demonstration in Italy largely depends on the level of participation by staff in the relevant transport sector.

That said, even in the case of highly disruptive strikes, essential services (or servizi minimi) are guaranteed to operate at some times of the day, which are commonly known as fascie protette (‘protected time windows’).

This goes for all transport sectors, from local public transport to rail and air travel.

There currently aren’t any national transport strikes scheduled beyond July 15th, but The Local will update this article should further demonstrations be announced. 

While industry strikes are heavily regulated in Italy, unplanned demonstrations cannot be fully ruled out.

SHOW COMMENTS