All you need to know about travel restrictions in Italy

Can I travel to Italy? What are the travel restrictions in Italy? Here are the answers to all your questions.

On Tuesday, 7 September, Italy's coronavirus emergency commissioner General Francesco Figliuolo announced that more than 80 percent of the population over the age of 12 has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. As a result, Italy is well on pace to meet its goal set earlier this year of having 80 percent completely vaccinated by the end of September. Figliuolo also announced that Italy would start giving third doses to members of the population deemed to be in the high-risk category. All of this is good news for a country that has seen life largely return to normal over the summer, including in the tourism sector.

How to convert your foreign vaccine certificate in Italy

However, the highly contagious Delta variant has seen infection and hospitalization rates in countries such as the US, India, and Brazil sky-rocket. As vaccination rates in the US remain relatively low, and because they make up a large portion of foreign travelers in Europe, EU authorities decided that tougher restrictions were necessary for countries with high infection rates.

Countries are listed in a tier system (A-E) based on their location, and epidemiological risk. Each list has different levels of restrictions associated with it.

Where in Italy is the covid Green Pass required?

Italy has also recently announced its new "green" travel pass for all foreigners looking to travel to the country as of May 16th. This includes travelers from the US and UK that makeup over 30 percent of travelers to Italy. To qualify for a green pass you must prove that you have been vaccinated for Covid, have tested negative and taken a Covid free flight, or have recently recovered from Covid-19. Italy has also announced that it is expanding its list of routes for Covid-free flights to Canada, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.

List A

Category A contains Vatican City and the Republic of San Marino. There are no restrictions for either of these two States.

List B and C

Category B and C both pertain to Continental Europe and any other territories on the European Mainland as well as Iceland and Israel, but not the UK. List B is used for many countries in Continental Europe that have a low epidemiological rate, though currently, no countries qualify for this list. Anyone with EU/Schengen Citizenship can travel to Italy for any reason, including tourism. Restrictions will apply if someone has passed through or stayed in a country on list D and/or E within 14 days before entering Italy. Before entering Italy, it is mandatory to fill out the Digital Passenger Locator Form (see the link below) which replaces the self-declaration form. It is also mandatory to provide the EU Digital Covid Certificate (see link below) in one of the following languages: Italian, English, French, or Spanish, showing one of the following conditions:

Having completed the anti-SARS-CoV 2-vaccination cycle with one of the following accepted vaccines:

Pfizer
Moderna
AstraZeneca
Johnson and Johnson
That you have recovered from Covid-19 (the certificate of recovery is valid for 180 days from the date of the first positive swab)
That you have tested negative for Covid-19 with a molecular or antigen swab test in the 48 hours prior to entry into Italy. (Children under the age of 6 are exempt from the pre-departure swab test)

Failure to provide any of these documents will result in a mandatory 5 day period of self-isolation upon entry, at the end of which an antigen or molecular swab test will be carried out.

More information on the Digital Passenger Locator Form can be found at the following link.

More information on the EU Digital Covid Certificate can be found at the following link.

More information on List C countries can be found at the following link.

List D

The countries included on List D have changed. As of now, the countries included on List D are Albania, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Qatar, United Kingdom (excluding the territories, not on the European continent), the Republic of Korea, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Singapore, United States of America, Ukraine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao Special Administrative Regions.

Specific Rules have been adopted for entry from Japan, Canada, and the United States of America, more on that below.

For travelers from countries on List D to avoid a mandatory period of self-isolation upon arrival, they must present one (or more) of the following:

Fill out the Passenger Locator Form as listed above. The form can be filled out in both digital and paper formats.
Show proof of a negative molecular or antigen swab test taken within 72 hours before entering Italy. Travelers coming from the UK must take the test within 48 hours before entry.
Show proof of vaccination of one of the vaccines listed above for List C.

If travelers are unable to present either a negative swab test or proof of vaccination upon arrival, they will be required to complete 5 days of self-isolation with a molecular or antigen test taken at the end of the period. Travelers who will self isolate must do the following:

Fill out the same passenger locator form listed above.

Take a molecular or antigen test with the same rules listed above.

Notify the prevention department of the local health authority of your arrival in Italy. See contact details here:
Travel to your final destination in Italy by private transport only.
Remain in self-isolation for 5 days and take another test at the end of the period.

Vaccination certificate guidelines are the same as for countries in List C. For more information on travel restrictions from countries on List, D see the following link

List E

List E includes all other countries not mentioned previously except for Brazil, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada, and the United States of America as specific rules apply to these countries.

Entry into Italy from any country on List E does not require any authorization from the Ministry of Health, but is allowed only for specific reasons:

Work
Health reasons
Study reasons
Absolute urgency
Return to one’s domicile, home, or residence

Upon entry into Italy from a country on List E one must follow these guidelines:

Have tested negative within 72 hours of arrival into Italy with either a molecular or antigen swab test.
Complete the Digital Passenger Locator Form
Notify the prevention department of the health authority responsible for the area of your entry.
Reach your final destination in Italy only by private transport.
Undergo fiduciary isolation and health surveillance for 10 days.
Take another molecular or antigen swab test at the end of your 10 day isolation period.

For more restrictions on travel from List, E countries use the following link

Japan, Canada, and the United States of America

Travelers from these countries are allowed to enter Italy without the need for motivation or undergoing a 5 day isolation period. However, certain restrictions do apply to travelers from these countries:

Upon entry, travelers must present the Passenger Locator Form as well as proof of a negative result from a molecular or antigen test taken within 72 hours of arrival.
Travelers from these countries must provide valid proof of vaccination of one of the vaccines listed earlier that have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The proof of vaccination must be provided in one of the following languages: Italian, English, French, or Spanish.
Or a valid certificate showing that someone has recovered from Covid-19.

Travelers who only have proof of a negative molecular or antigen test must self-isolate for 5 days and take another test once their period of self-isolation is finished.

For more information on the restrictions for travelers from Japan, Canada, and the US follow this link

What are Italy's travel rules for US tourists?

India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

Entry into Italy is prohibited for travelers who have stayed in India, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka in the past 14 days with the following exceptions:

Italian citizens enrolled in the Register of Italian Resident Abroad.
Persons entering Italy to reach their place of residence were established before August 28th, 2021.
People who, irrespective of their nationality, are entering Italy for study reasons.
Persons wishing to reach the domicile, dwelling, or registered residence of their: minor children, spouse, or civil partner.

Note: self-declaration is required for all the reasons listed above, but authorization from the Italian Ministry of Health is not required.

It is also possible to enter/return to Italy with express authorization from the Ministry of Health for the following reasons:

For imperative reasons of need.
in the situations foreseen under Article 51, par. 7, letter n):
"for officials and agents, however, designated, of the European Union or international organisations, for diplomatic agents, administrative and technical staff of diplomatic missions, consular officials and employees, military personnel, including those returning from international missions, and members of the Police Force, personnel of the Information System for the Security of the Republic and of the National Fire Corps in the exercise of their functions”;

In all cases, travelers must comply with the following procedure:

Completion of the digital Passenger Locator Form found here before entering Italy.
Presentation of a certificate of a negative molecular or antigen test performed in the 72 hours prior to entry into Italy.
Compulsory molecular or antigen test upon arrival at the airport.
Obligation to undergo, regardless of the result of the test, a period of self-isolation at the location indicated on the Passenger Locator Form for a period of 10 days.
Compulsory molecular or antigen test at the end of quarantine period.
Visit the following link for more information on travel restrictions from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as how to apply for authorization from the Ministry of Health: Brazil

Travelers who have stayed in or transited through Brazil within the last 14 days are banned from entering or transiting in Italy. Entry into, and transit through Brazil is permitted, provided no Covid-19 symptoms occur, but only for the following categories:

Those who have been registered in Italy since before the 13th of February, 2021.
Those who must reach the domicile, home or residence of their minor children, spouse, or party to a civil partnership.
Those entering Italy for study purposes.
Persons in a state of imperative need authorized by the Ministry of Health.

Note: the first three categories require self-declaration but do not require authorization from the Ministry of Health.

In the cases described above, entry into Italy and air traffic from Brazil is allowed according to the following rules:

Present proof of a negative test result from a molecular or antigen test carried out within 72 hours of entry into Italy.
Completion of the Passenger Locator Form.
The obligation to carry out a molecular or antigen test on arrival at the airport or within 48 of arrival into Italy.
Notify the Department of Prevention of the local health authority upon arrival. See this page for the phone numbers:
A 10 day period of self-isolation at ones home or dwelling is mandatory regardless of the result of the swab test upon arrival.
Reach the final destination only by private transport.
Carry out another molecular or antigen test at the end of the self-isolation period.

For more information on the travel restrictions for Brazil, as well as how to apply for authorization from the Ministry of Health, visit the following link

For additional information on travel restrictions in Italy, visit salute.gov.it