As Italy and other European countries continue to restrict travel from certain countries, depending on their Covid-19 infection rates, travel to Italy from the USA for tourism is currently not allowed.
There are some exemptions to this for certain travelers – including Italian citizens, people who have their permanent residence in Italy, and for types of travel deemed essential. A new exemption allows the partners of people living in Italy to travel.
See a full list of exemptions here.
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But many readers in the US are anxious to return to Italy for vacation or other reasons which are not deemed essential.
Since the Italian government start relaxing some of its travel restrictions in June, we've been getting dozens of emails a week at The Local from people in the US hoping to travel to Italy, asking the following question:
“As an American resident/citizen, can I travel to Italy if I spend 14 days or more in an approved/”safe” country like the UK or Ireland beforehand?”
Here's a closer look at the rules.
What is allowed?
It's important to note that Italy does not have a blanket travel ban on all Americans entering the country. The restriction applies to anyone travelling to Italy from the US (except for those who are exempt, such as Italian citizens), rather than just those with US passports.
So a US citizen living in Germany, for example, would be allowed to travel to Italy now as there are no restrictions on the German-Italian border.
However, most countries in Europe continue to restrict travel from the US.
Many people are asking if they can get to Italy via one of the few European countries which is allowing travel from the US. Currently there are four such countries: The UK, Ireland, Croatia and Slovenia.
That doesn't mean there are no restrictions at all: the UK and Ireland require travelers from the US to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
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Tuscany, one of the top Italian destinations for US tourists. Photo: AFP
However, media reports about a new online tool published by the Italian government last week raised Americans' hopes by appearing to show that this was in fact possible.
In its Covid-19 'survey tool', a travel calculator intended to help make sense of the increasingle complicated set of travel rules, the Italian Foreign Ministry appears to state that American citizens/residents can enter Italy, as long as they have been in an approved country for at least the past 14 days
READ ALSO:
I entered after 17 days in Croatia without incident. USA passport holder.
I am a USA passport holder who was able to enter Italy, after doing my quarantine in Croatia for 15 days. It was a stressful process, but my Italian boyfriend actually flew to Croatia to cross the boarder with me, we entered through Rome. A week after I arrived the rules for people entering Italy via Croatia changed, people who entered via Croatia would now have to quartile upon arrival. Stressful but understandable.
I also had to visit the UK for a day and a few days after my return from the UK the rules changed about the need to be swabbed upon arrival, you didn’t have to when I entered. Rules are changing all the time, any American looking to enter Italy during this time has to have patience and stay informed on new rules.
I am a USA passport holder who was able to enter Italy, after doing my quarantine in Croatia for 15 days. It was a stressful process, but my Italian boyfriend actually flew to Croatia to cross the boarder with me, we entered through Rome. A week after I arrived the rules for people entering Italy via Croatia changed, people who entered via Croatia would now have to quartile upon arrival. Stressful but understandable.
I also had to visit the UK for a day and a few days after my return from the UK the rules changed about the need to be swabbed upon arrival, you didn’t have to when I entered. Rules are changing all the time, any American looking to enter Italy during this time has to have patience and stay informed on new rules.
I successfully quarantined in the UK for 14 days in July 2020. I hold a US Passport. Then flew from LHR to MXP (Malpensa) non stop without incident after my two weeks in the UK. Only question asked upon entry was where have you been for the past 14 days. I then stayed at my second home north of Milan for two months. I was prepared with mountains of paperwork showing proof of ownership of my second home but none of that was needed. At the time the Covid numbers were coming down and were quite good both in Italy and the UK and clearly we are in a different time now.My sense is that you really are at the mercy of whoever might be greeting you at border control. My thinking was also that my second home was my key to getting in. As they state, entering for tourism is not allowed yet. I might try the same thing again in December.