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EXPLAINED: What are the current rules for travel to Italy from the US and Canada?

The Local Italy
The Local Italy - [email protected]
EXPLAINED: What are the current rules for travel to Italy from the US and Canada?
Alitalia jetliners in Rome's Fiumicino airport. Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

A new travel ordinance signed by Italy's health minister came into force on Tuesday. Here's what it means for arrivals from the US, Canada, and other countries.

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Having significantly tightened its international travel rules for arrivals from North America at the end of August, Italy's Health Ministry has now signed a new travel ordinance implementing minor changes for passengers from certain countries, with things staying the same for most travellers.

The new rules have been in force since Tuesday, October 26th, and will be in place until December 15th.

Here's a closer look at what they say:

United States, Canada, Japan and Israel:

As of August 31st, passengers from the US, Canada, Japan and Israel have had to show proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 plus a negative test result to avoid quarantining on arrival in Italy (previously only one of the two had been required).

This rule remains broadly the same, but the updated ordinance names only the US, Canada and Japan as countries from which passengers may present a recovery certificate in lieu of proof of vaccination.

Passengers travelling from Israel are now included among all other List D countries, meaning only a vaccination certificate showing the holder has undergone a full vaccination cycle for at least 14 days will be accepted as valid.

The Ministry of Health website states that anyone who arrives from the US, Canada, and Japan or has passed through one of these countries in the past 14 days must now present:

  • Either a Covid-19 vaccination certification showing that they have completed a full vaccination cycle for at least 14 days, or a certification showing that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the past 180 days, from their local health authorities.
  • And negative results for a molecular (PCR) or rapid antigen test taken in the 72 hours before their arrival in Italy.

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The Ministry of Health website makes clear that arrivals from all List D countries, including the US, Canada, and Japan are subject to the five-day quarantine rule if they don’t have both proof of vaccination (or in the case of the three aforementioned countries, recovery) and a negative test result.

The website of the Italian embassy in Canada also says it is possible for arrivals from Canada to enter Italy without one of the required documents, but passengers who do so will be subject to a five-day quarantine, at the end of which they must take a test.

Arrivals from all the countries listed above are also required to fill out a passenger locator form.

All other List D countries:

With the new ordinance, a number of countries have been moved from the less-restricted List D to the more-restricted List E. 

Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, and Serbia all appear to have been removed from List D in the latest ordinance, joining the “Rest of World” in List E.

Meanwhile Bahrain, Chile, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Uruguay are new List D appearances, meaning travel is now allowed from these countries for tourism purposes.

Countries currently on Italy's List D are: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Israel, Kuwait, New Zealand, Qatar, Rwanda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland  (including Gibraltar, Isle of Man, of the Channel, British bases on the island of Cyprus) , Republic of Korea, Singapore, United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Anyone who has arrived from or within the past 14 days passed through one of these countries, must in order to avoid quarantining on arrival in Italy present:

  • A Covid-19 vaccination certification showing that they have completed a full vaccination cycle for at least 14 days from their local health authorities.
  • And negative results for a molecular (PCR) or rapid antigen test taken in the 72 hours before their arrival in Italy (UK arrivals must take their test in the 48 hours before their arrival in Italy, as opposed to 72 hours).

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The Ministry of Health makes clear that anyone who arrives in the country without one of these two items may stay, but will be required to quarantine for five days, at the end of which they will need to take a test.

All arrivals from these countries will also need to fill out the passenger locator form.

Other information for travellers arriving from all List D countries

Passengers arriving with a certificate of vaccination must demonstrate that they have been inoculated with a European Medicines Agency (EMA)-approved vaccine. Currently, these are: Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson.

All certificates must be provided in Italian, English, French or Spanish.

Passengers travelling from any List D country who have passed through any List E country in the 14 days prior to arriving in Italy are subject to List E entry rules.

List E country rules

Travel to Italy from List E countries (all countries not included in Lists A, B, C, or D) for tourism purposes is not allowed. Travel from these countries is only permitted for reasons related to work, health, study, absolute urgency, or return to your primary residence.

Entry into Italy from List E countries is allowed for Italian, EU, or Schengen citizens, and their family members, as well as long-term Italian residents and their family members. Individuals who can demonstrate a proven and stable relationship with a partner who is resident in Italy may also travel from a List E country for reunification.

All passengers must take a Covid test before arriving in Italy, self-isolate for 10 days on arrival, and take a Covid test at the end of the isolation period.

The restrictions apply to anyone who has passed through any of these countries in the 14 days before arriving in Italy.

India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Brazil

Due to concerns about the high rates of Covid in these countries, travellers coming from these countries were previously subject to their own specific travel restrictions, with travel only allowed under certain specific circumstances.

With the updated ordinance, however, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Brazil now rejoin all other List E countries.

All passengers must take a Covid test before arriving in Italy, self-isolate for 10 days on arrival, and take a Covid test at the end of the isolation period.

The restrictions apply to anyone who has passed through any of these countries in the 14 days before arriving in Italy.

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Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
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luciamauro22 2021/09/04 20:29
If I have a connecting flight from Rome to Sicily, will I be required to quarantine in Rome or can I board my domestic flight and quarantine in Sicily?
pslocalit 2021/09/01 07:35
Does Italy accept mixed vaccinations of approved vaccines as 'fully vaccinated' to enter the country? ie. Dose 1: AstraZeneca, Dose 2: Moderna. I expect so, but am unable to find it written anywhere on the Government website, nor does it seem to have been addressed here at thelocal.it
  • sfallows1980 2021/09/01 15:52
    Patrick, the link in the article for the Italian Embassy to Canada has the following statement (4th paragraph down): Current legislation does not require that first and second doses must be of the same vaccine. I'm taking this to mean that travellers can have mixed doses as long as they are both one of the approved doses for use in Italy. Link is here, for reference: https://ambottawa.esteri.it/ambasciata_ottawa/en/ambasciata/news/dall_ambasciata/2020/03/focus-coronavirus.html
terryrai 2021/08/31 21:22
I travelled from Canada YYZ arriving today, August 31, in Rome. The rapid Antigen test is required 72 hours before arrival in Italy, not 48 hours. A negative test result can be presented digitally or by printout. The same applies for the locator form and your proof of vaccination. All of the screening is done by the airline at check-in and again at the boarding gate. On arrival In Rome you need only deal with passport control. Frustratingly, a significant number of passengers were not aware of the change in requirements for today to include a rapid test for fully vaccinated passengers (myself included) and had to scramble to get a test done in time for the flight at the airport. For those the couldn't get a test done in time, they were denied boarding. Hopefully the wrinkles are ironed out now that guidelines have been published. Perhaps the next round of changes will be announced in a more timely and clear fashion....
dlionello 2021/08/31 16:16
this is just too much.... the restrictions keep mounting and have reached a point where we just say "the hell with it" and we just cancelled our fall trip to Italy along with our 6 friends! we all had been vaccinated but it seems that's not enough, it's less restrictive in the USA than in europe! we are tired of having to jump through all the loops to come to Italy....NO MORE! Dan Lionello USA
  • linnharrar 2021/08/31 20:34
    I have to say, if you are fully vaccinated, you need only show the authorities - if they ask for it -- your full vaccination card. What is so onorous about that - you should carry it with you when you travel anyway. I went to Italy in June on a covid-tested flight and the Italian authorities did not want to see anything related to covid. So, there is no need to become upset about this. Take your trip and have a fabulous time - Italy is amazing!
  • denise_6108136a65839 2021/08/31 17:03
    It’s really not that bad and they are really not that stringent. You show them the vaccine card, the negative test and plf form. They really are not hassling you either. My friend landed today and they didn’t even ask for plf form.. typical
nadialancy74 2021/08/31 14:29
Also noting that this says 48 hours vs 72: https://www.esteri.it/mae/resource/doc/2021/08/normativa_covid_30_agosto_eng_471_aggiornato_30_agosto.pdf Canada, Japan and the United States: persons travelling to Italy after having transited through or stayed in these Countries in the prior 14 days shall be required to compile the digital passenger locator form (PLF) and present a green Covid-19 pass issued by the respective local health authorities and considered equivalent (vaccination with an EMA-approved vaccine; recovery from Covid-19 and completion of the isolation period; negative fast antigen or molecular swab test taken within the last 48 hours before entering Italy). Travellers without a green pass shall be subject to the same general restrictions provided in list D.
  • Calderbennett 2021/08/31 18:23
    I just searched the Ministero della Salute website and found 72 - not 48 - hours here: https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=5411&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=6 Last night I booked 72 hour tests. If I change them to 48 hours prior arrival in Venice I won't have them to show when I board the plane for FRA the day before.
nadialancy74 2021/08/31 14:25
How do we present a negative Covid-19 test? A photocopy of the test result?
  • denise_6108136a65839 2021/08/31 17:04
    I would have a print out of it..

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