A guide on who can travel to Italy and how this can be done. 

With vaccines rolling out, a return to normalcy seems closer than ever and many people have been thinking of where they will travel when they are able to.

Italy, of course, is high on the list of places that people want to see. The Italian, and other European governments have been gradually reapening their countries to foreign tourists who have been vaccinated, take a Covid-free flights or have recently recovered from Covid-19.

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While it is important to keep in mind that anyone traveling abroad will have to adhere to any restrictions the countries still have in place, even if they are letting tourists in. So, here is an updated overview of what the restrictions are for traveling to Italy. 

The tier system

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. Within Italy, Covid rates have been on the decline. This means that more regions are being registered in the yellow zone. Travel between yellow zones is allowed, even if it means that you must travel through an orange or a red zone to arrive at you destination. However, you may not travel into orange or red zones except for reasons of absolute necessity. 

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Italy has also recently announced its new “green” travel pass for all foreigners looking to travel to the country as of 16 May. This includes travelers from the US and UK that make up over 30 percent of travelers to Italy. In order 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. 

Vatican City and the Republic of San Marino

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

Continental Europe and any other territories on the European Mainland

Category B and C both pertain to Continental Europe and any other territories on the European Mainland. List B is used for any countries in Continental Europe that have a low epidemiological rate, though currently no countries qualify for this list.

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Anyone with EU/Schengen Citizenship, including the UK and Israel, can travel to Italy without the need to present any certification of motivation for travelling. You also must present proof of a negative molecular or antigen test result prior to entry into Italy. If you test negative within 48 hours of entering Italy you do not have to quarantine.

Failure to do so will result in a mandatory period of self-isolation. The period one must self-isolate for has changed from ten days to five days. A negative Covid test must be presented for one to leave this self-isolation period. 

Countries or states outside of Europe that have a low epidemiological risk

List D includes countries or states outside of Europe that have a low epidemiological risk. These countries are Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Singapore, and Thailand. Travel to Italy from these countries is permitted without the need for a reason. However, these countries may have re-entry restrictions in place that are important to keep in mind. You also must go through a ten day quarantine period when you arrive in Italy. 

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All other countries 

List E includes all other countries not mentioned earlier, except Brazil, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. List E includes the US. Travel from these countries is allowed only for specific reasons such as work, health reasons, study reasons, absolute urgency, and return to one’s domicile/home/residence.

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Travel to Italy for means of tourism from these countries is allowed as long as one qualifies for the “green” pass mentioned before. Also, if you have Italian/EU/Schengen residency, you are allowed to travel to Italy from countries in List E. Also, if you have a renewal receipt for a Permesso Di Sorggiorno you are allowed to enter Italy in order to complete the renewal process. This also pertains to people who’s Permesso has yet to expire, but need to go through the process of renewing it. 

Brazil, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

Anyone who has stayed or transited in Brazil, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka within the last fourteen days is not allowed to travel to Italy. This is due to the ongoing rise in cases in these countries. The only exceptions are for people who have been residents in Italy since before April 29th, 2021, officials and agents, and those who have been authorised by the Ministry of Health to enter Italy. In order to gain permission to enter Italy, follow the steps at this link. 

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