List of Schengen countries requiring a COVID-19 test upon arrival

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to severely disrupt travel around the world, European countries have imposed various entry and exit requirements on individuals arriving at national land, sea, and air borders. Some countries have imposed travel restrictions on the entry of citizens from certain states, while others have banned all but essential travel. National airports are a particular focus of concern for countries attempting to limit the spread of the virus. In keeping with the overarching goal of reducing transmissions, many states have insisted that travelers take a COVID-19 test in order to enter the country. Many of the 26-Schengen area Member States are currently enforcing requirements for negative PCR test result on arriving travelers. This blog presents an overview of the Schengen countries requiring a COVID-19 test, as well as an updated EU list of safe countries, whose citizens are exempt from the general EU travel ban. 

COVID-19 test requirements for Schengen area

• At the moment, the Schengen area does not have a general policy on mandatory COVID-19 testing for would-be travelers to the zone. 
• Different Schengen countries have different requirements for travelers seeking to enter the country from abroad. Some countries require all or some travelers to produce a negative test in order to enter the country. 
• Some of the top countries in the Schengen area required to present negative COVID-19 test results include France, Germany, and Spain. 
• While some countries exempt their own citizens and residents from taking COVID-tests prior or post entry, some countries subject everyone, regardless of nationality, to the requirements for negative PCR test result. 
• Some Schengen countries requiring a COVID-19 test for entry require would-be travelers to receive a negative result prior to departure (within 72 hrs. or less), while others require passengers to take a test immediately upon landing in the country. 
• Additionally, some countries only subject travelers of certain countries to the testing requirement, i.e. only require travelers coming from high-risk areas be tested. Other countries require all travelers coming from abroad to be tested.   

Schengen countries requiring a COVID-19 test

Most travelers to the following countries in the Schengen area are required to present negative COVID-19 test result in order to enter:

• Belgium
  • Requires travelers to obtain negative test 72 hrs prior to arrival. 
• Denmark
  • All travelers must obtain a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of boarding their flight. 
• France
  • All travelers entering France, including those arriving from fellow EU/Schengen states, must present negative test results taken 72 hrs or less after arrival. 
• Germany
  • Travelers entering from abroad must receive a negative COVID-19 result, from a test taken either 48 hrs before arriving in Germany or 48 hours after entering, depending on the assessed risk level of the country they are coming from.  
• Greece
  • Anyone arriving from abroad (including Greek nationals) must provide negative COVID-19 result taken within 72 hrs of arrival. 
• Iceland
  • All travelers are subjected to a PCR test upon arrival followed by a mandatory quarantine period. 
• Latvia
  • Anyone arriving from abroad must provide negative COVID-19 result taken within 72 hrs of arrival. 
• Lithuania
  • Testing requirement applies to anyone coming from one of the countries included on this list.
  • Must have a negative result from a test taken either 48 hours before entering the country or 24 after arriving. 
• Luxembourg
  • People arriving in Luxemburg at an airport must show a negative COVID-19 test result in order to board their flight. 
  • Travelers from non-EU/non-Schengen must record a negative test result upon arrival.  
• Malta
  • Persons arriving from “Amber” countries (a list which is updated frequently and includes over 40 countries in Europe and abroad) must present negative test results taken 72 hrs or less after arrival.
• Netherlands
  • Travelers entering Holland from the majority of countries, including fellow EU/Schengen states, must present negative test results taken 72 hrs or less after arrival. 
• Norway
  • In order to enter, most non-Norwegians must show evidence of negative test result obtained within 24 hrs of arriving. 
• Portugal
  • Passengers who fail to receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of flying will be prevented from boarding the plane (i.e. entering the country).
  • Travelers from non-EU, non-Schengen, non “safe” countries must present evidence of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hrs of arrival.
• Spain
  • Testing requirement applies to anyone coming from one of the countries included on this list.
  • Travelers must show evidence of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hrs of arrival. 

Schengen countries not requiring a COVID-19 test

• The following countries technically do not require travelers to present a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter: 
  • Austria
  • The Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Liechtenstein
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
• However, while these countries do not technically require travelers to produce negative test results in order to enter, they may require certain travelers submit to testing, either due to their nationality, their departing destination, or their reason for travel. These individuals could be required to take a test either prior to boarding the flight or after arriving in the country.
• For example, while Austria doesn’t technically require a negative test result, it does enforce mandatory quarantines (ended only by negative testing) for all travelers arriving from “non safe” countries abroad. 
• Similarly, travelers who enter Estonia via states deemed “high risk” must submit to testing, either 72 hours before entry or immediately upon arrival in the country, or otherwise face a period of mandatory quarantine.  
• Please do not assume that it will be easy to enter the above countries because they do not have strict rules on testing. Many of the above countries that do not require testing are only able to avoid testing because they have banned the entry of travelers from most countries. For example, while Italy does not technically require travelers to submit to testing, it essentially bans the entry of those travelling from non-EU/non-Schengen/non “safe” countries. Those allowed entry (mainly travelers from EU/Schengen countries) must produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight to Italy. While you will technically not be denied entry if you fail to produce a negative test result, you will be subject to mandatory isolation upon arrival in Italy.                                              

EU list of safe countries

• A number of states outside the EU/Schengen area are considered “safe” by the European Union. Safe countries are those that have recorded low numbers of COVID-19 cases. 
• Because citizens of safe countries are less likely to have COVID-19, they are not subject to the general EU travel ban, which prohibits the entry of residents/citizens of most countries from outside the EU/Schengen area. 
• Passport holders from the following countries are therefore broadly allowed entry into the Schengen area: 
  • Australia
  • China
  • Iceland
  • Japan
  • Rwanda
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • Thailand
• Please note that while citizens of the above countries are allowed general entry into the Schengen area, they may be banned from entering specific countries, or asked to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result and/or be subject to quarantine upon arrival. 
• For example, at the moment, the Netherlands does not require residents or citizens from one of the above countries to present a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the country.  
• Furthermore, while the above countries are considered safe, certain Schengen countries have their own list of countries that they consider “safe,” which sometimes differ from the EU List. For example, Austria’s list of “safe” countries includes most of the countries on the EU “safe” list, with the exception of China, Rwanda, and Thailand, which it excludes. Citizens on the Austria safe list are exempt from certain COVID-19 entry requirements. 
• If you are a citizen/resident of one of the above safe countries and are looking to travel to the Schengen area, please double check the entry requirements of the country you are attempting to visit, in order to make sure you satisfy all the requirements.