Trip planning just got complicated for anyone traveling to Italy anytime soon.
On Tuesday, Italy announced that it has tightened its entry requirements for travelers arriving from the U.S. due to surging COVID-19 cases in the United States. They also clamped down on travelers arriving from Canada, Israel, and Japan.
This comes after the European Union removed the U.S. from its safe list of countries for nonessential travel due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
The most significant change is for travelers who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19. However, there are new entry requirements for all travelers from the U.S. regardless of vaccination status. The stricter requirements will remain in place until at least October 25.
Strict Entry Requirements
All travelers who have been in the U.S. in the past 14 days must now follow Italy’s more stringent requirements. Here’s what that means.
First, all travelers from the U.S., regardless of their vaccination status, must take a molecular or rapid antigen COVID-19 test and receive a negative result within 72 hours before arrival in Italy. Children under 6 are exempt from this requirement.
Next, all travelers must complete a Digital Passenger Locator Form. This form will be used by public health authorities to streamline the contact tracing process in case the traveler is exposed to COVID-19 during their trip.
Here’s the most significant change: Unvaccinated travelers must quarantine for five days after they arrive in Italy. At the end of that period, they must be tested for COVID-19 again.
The U.S. Embassy in Italy explains that rapid antigen tests in Italy cost approximately $25, while PCR tests cost approximately $75.
The Green Pass
All travelers in Italy, regardless of their vaccination status, must also present their digital COVID-19 certificate, called the Green Pass, to enter restaurants, theatres, sporting events, museums, and many other public venues. Here is the list in full.
The Italian Ministry of Health has issued an ordinance stating that “White Cards” issued by U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention-approved health authorities upon vaccination will be considered the equivalent of the Italian Green Pass. The U.S. Embassy explains that, alternatively, travelers can provide a negative molecular PCR or rapid antigen test result taken within 48 hours before entering an establishment or venue that requires a Green Pass.
Another suitable option is to provide a copy of a medical certificate issued by a U.S. healthcare authority confirming that the traveler recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 6 months, the U.S. Embassy explains. These certificates may be paper or digital documents.
Know Before You Go
If you are planning to travel to Italy, keep in mind that, the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for Italy due to a high level of COVID-19 cases in the country. The State Department now cautions that U.S. citizens should “reconsider travel to Italy due to COVID-19.”
Approximately 61 percent of Italy’s population is vaccinated against COVID-19. That said, Italy now reports an average of 6,447 new infections per day. That’s the highest daily average for Italy since November 15, 2020.
