Question: I live in a European country which has not yet released its version of the EU ‘green pass’, and I’m travelling to Italy soon. Am I allowed to enter the country at the moment? What are the requirements?
The health pass will be used to facilitate quarantine-free travel throughout the EU from July 1st, with certificates issued in any member state valid throughout the rest of the bloc, the European Commission says.
But some people planning to travel to Italy soon have said they are unsure about which rules apply until July 1st.
EXPLAINED: What is Italy’s digital ‘green pass’ used for and how do you get it?
Not all countries in Europe have yet made their own version of the digital certificate available to residents.
As the map below shows, as of Wednesday most European member states have now begun issuing the pass but some, including Sweden and Belgium, are not quite there yet.
Map: European Commission
Italy launched its version of the pass on June 17th, allowing eligible people living in Italy to start downloading the digital health certificate immediately via an official website or app.
The Italian pass is designed for residents of Italy who were vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid-19 here.
That means that residents of other EU countries planning to visit Italy should claim a certificate from their own country, which will be accepted in Italy.
READ ALSO: Who can travel to Italy right now?
But Italy has not started to require the green pass for international travel just yet.
The rules on entering Italy won’t change until July 1st, when the European-wide health pass system should become fully operational.
By then, all member states are expected to be issuing their own version of the certificate for use throughout the bloc.
Between June 17th and July 1st, during what Italy’s health ministry has called the ‘implementation phase’, travellers must continue to follow the existing rules on travel to Italy from their country.
This may include quarantine and more than one test depending on which country you are travelling from. All arrivals currently need to complete a passenger locator form, available online here.
It is still possible to enter Italy for any reason from other EU countries. All arrivals currently need to show a negative PCR or antigenic test result to enter Italy – regardless of vaccination status.
Reader question: Can I use a foreign vaccination certificate to access Italy’s ‘green pass’?
Unlike some EU member states, Italy is not currently making any exceptions to its rules for those who are fully vaccinated.
Once the green pass scheme comes into operation on July 1st, however, those who are vaccinated will then be able to enter the country without needing to also show a negative test result.
Rules within the country, such as those on social distancing and masks, continue to apply to those who are vaccinated.
How do I get the ‘green pass’ for travel to Italy?
Any EU country’s version of the green pass will be valid for entry into Italy from July 1st.
The exact requirements for obtaining a green pass however vary depending on which country you are in.
For example, some countries only issue the certificate to those who have been fully immunised with either both required vaccine doses or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Italy’s own health certificate is valid from 15 days after the first dose.
Because of differences in some rules between countries, the Italian health ministry advises people to check the requirements before their trip using the Re-open EU website.
If you’re travelling to or from a country outside Europe, the rules are more uncertain.
It is not yet clear if or how the EU will recognise vaccination certificates from outside the bloc, such as from the US or UK, or vice versa.
Find further information about accessing Italy’s ‘green pass’ in a separate article here.
For more information about the EU-wide health pass scheme, see the European Commission’s website.
See more on the current coronavirus situation and health measures in Italy on the Health Ministry’s website (in English).
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Has anyone from the UK driven to Italy since the new quarantine rules applied on the 21st June? We are waiting to leave but we would like to see what others have experienced.
I flew in from Stanstead on the 11th. My reply is to give you confidence to get driving.
1. This site is reporting what it hears but it does not seem to gather info from real travelers’ and does not make it easy to contribute. Probably my lack of skill….
2. This is Italy and it has its own “administrative process” still based on paper. The European dPLF is meaningless here. One has to fill in a form at the entry point. The ones at Malpensa airport are English one side and Italian the other so that is step up from 12 months ago, they have a QR code too but are manually filed somewhere! So get your dPLF for completeness. At the border the officer acknowledge I had an Antigen test but just wanted to get hold of my Italian paper locator form. I also had to pass through the digital passport scan station first…. I could scan a copy of the locator form for you because as it is, as usual, only 85% obvious what to write when under pressure in the airport environment.
So message to The Local why do you not have a link to it?
3. The Authorities are super welcoming as always but few are willing to use English still (despite obviously knowing it). So this made the following process difficult. Once you are settled and unpacked, and if not in a hotel, one has to register with the central health authorities in your Region by phone. That took me 3 days of waiting on the phone, being hung up on being told to use another number, etc. Even my Italian friend who eventually made a successful call for me had trouble passing over the info. All very friendly but seems the receptionists are still learning the ropes. However next day I received a very relaxed call from a Doctor in the Authorities who conversed as if English was his first language, checked my status, advised me to register with a local doctor for emergencies ( I have never gotten round to it despite being some years here) and requested I email a copy of my Antigen test to him (final someone wanted it!).
4. I am going to drive back and forth instead of flying. I have in the past and often the Italian border posts were unmanned. Now with Brexit our UK passports must be stamped in and out of “The EU” so make sure you get a stamp at the European entry/exit Port….
One more nugget. I used breathassured.com for my Antigen test. Benefit is they maximises your 48 hour period. Takes 20 minutes on a video call, Teams or Zoom and you have your certificate via email ready to travel essentially immediately.
Buy a 2 pack (or 5 pack) and you have a return to UK Antigen test kit with you ready to complete via video call before you leave Italy.
They also do the 2 and 8 day test kits. I will order mine when I know my my arrival date back in the UK i.e. will order the appropriate test kit at the time. Fingers crossed Italy is in the green zone or better!
Freddie H.
As a US citizen living in the UK with a US passport and having been fully vaccinated, does anyone know what the travel requirements would be for driving to France? Would one have to quarantine?