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UPDATE: What are the latest rules for travel to Italy from the US and Canada?

If you're planning a trip to Italy soon, here's a look at the latest Covid-19 rules for arrivals from the US and Canada.

Travellers wait at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Here are the latest travel rules between Italy and the US and Canada. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP)

The rules on travel to (and through) Italy from the US and Canada have changed frequently over the past few months in response to the changing Covid-19 situation.

As of June 1st, passengers are no longer required to show proof of vaccination, recovery, or a recent negative Covid test to enter Italy without a quarantine requirement.

This means that from the start of June, no Covid documentation of any kind is required for travellers to Italy.

The change follows a previous rule relaxation that came into force on May 1st, when Italy removed nearly all of its Covid-related social restrictions, including a requirement to produce a so-called ‘green pass’ showing proof of vaccination or recent recovery to enter most venues across the country.

However, masks are still required in some indoor settings and proof of vaccination or recovery is required in some (very few) cases.

READ ALSO: At a glance: What are the Covid-19 rules in Italy now?

Here’s a closer look at the current rules.

Entering Italy from the US or Canada

As mentioned above, entering the country is very simple as of June 1st, as no Covid documentation is required. Italy had already scrapped its requirement for passengers to fill out a dPLF (digital passenger locator form) on May 1st.

Passengers who just landed from New York on an Alitalia flight wait in line. Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

After arriving in Italy

A valid vaccination or recovery certificate is no longer required to access almost all indoor venues and transport services in Italy. All travellers are free to travel throughout Italy and enter restaurants, bars, cinemas, theatres and other indoor locations without having to provide any kind of health pass.

The only exception is for hospitals and care homes, which continue to require a ‘super’ or ‘reinforced’ green pass or its equivalent in the form of a foreign-issued vaccine or recovery certificate.

READ ALSO: Where do you still need to wear a mask in Italy from May 1st?

The only remaining Covid restriction – which will be in place until at least June 15th – is the obligation to wear a face mask in some indoor venues (cinemas, theatres and indoor sport venues, though not in restaurants, bars or public offices) and on all means of public transportation.

The government has confirmed that the requirement will be scrapped for the above-mentioned entertainment venues on June 15th. Whether masks will continue to be required on public transport beyond this date is currently still in discussion.

Keep in mind that only FFP2/KN95 face masks are accepted on public transport.

It’s worth bearing in mind that although face masks are no longer required by law in other venues, local authorities and individual businesses can (and often do) impose their own, stricter rules – so it’s wise to have a mask readily available at all times, even if you’re not wearing it.

Testing to return home

If you need to take a Covid test to return home, these are relatively easy to come by in Italy.

A large number of pharmacies in Italy provide rapid testing services; look out for signs saying ‘test Covid-19’ in the window. 

READ ALSO: How tourists and visitors can get a coronavirus test in Italy

If you need a PCR test you may have to book one at a specialist Covid testing centre, a medical lab, health centre or doctor’s office.

Once you receive your negative result (the test can not be a home test but must be administered by the pharmacy or lab itself), the pharmacy will issue you with a certificate that contains details of the test result and the time it was taken. In Italy this is known as a ‘basic green pass’ or green pass base, and comes with a QR code.

You can find detailed guidance on getting a Covid test as a visitor to Italy here.

Please note that The Local is unable to advise on individual situations. Please find more information about Italy’s current health measures on the Italian health ministry’s website (available in English).

Member comments

  1. Americans, Brits and Canadians need to think twice before coming to Italy on holiday. Many restaurants and shops will not accept the American, UK or Canadian proof of vaccination – instead they demand the super green pass in order to enter. Although the Italian government has mandated the acceptance of proof of vaccination overseas for tourists, it does not matter to the individual restaurant or shop owner. Until Italy can simplify its rules for proof of vaccination and ensure that overseas vaccinations are accepted countrywide, I would suggest tourists go somewhere else in Europe if they want a hassle free vacation.

    1. we own an Italy travel company and this has been a non issue. We ask our customers weekly if there were any places that they were turned back because of their documentation. This is both for vaccine cards and recovery documents. They have not been turned down once at any of the restaurants, musuems or public transportation. It has been a non issue to all of them.

  2. Mcnev7: I’m not sure where you are referring to where shops/ restaurants are not accepting the foreign vax documents, but I work in tourism in Rome, Florence and Milan and in those 3 cities all forms of proof of vaccination are understood and accepted. Including US and UK.

  3. My husband and I spent 10 days in Rome in October and had no problems when we showed our CDC vaccination cards to enter restaurants, museums, and coffee bars, with just one exception: our favorite coffee bar wouldn’t accept the cards because there was no QR code for their machine to read, so we sat outdoors to drink our coffee. That was a bit frustrating, but hardly a reason not to go to Italy!

  4. we are Canadians in Puglia and we have green passes, but my father in law is visiting and has a Canadian vaccine certificate triple boosted. Every restaurant has asked for the green pass exclusively. They are suspicious and afraid of foreign vaccine certificates and we have not been allowed to enter several restaurants. In one case it was only because we knew the owner of another did they allow us to enter. IT IS NOT HASSLE FREE, SORRY TOUR COMPANIES!

  5. sorry folks, but here in Puglia, my father in law who just arrived last week from Canada, has been refused in several restaurants despite having a valid (three dose!) Canadian vaccine passport. Restaurants are hesitant, confused, fearful of fines and have no clear direction. This is making travel here very difficult. I know tour operators want their clients back, but perhaps you should therefore support and lobby the regional health associations. Because traveling as a tourist in Italy is not working at the moment.

  6. We were in Venice for 3 weeks in October and our Canadian proof of vaccination forms were accepted everywhere. Perhaps it’s a problem in more rural parts of the country, though.

  7. My wife and I were in Italy for four months last year, and we were only denied entry twice after we presented our USA CDC COVID vaccination records. One was a restaurant in Jesi and the other was a major museum in Bologna. Eventually a supervisor was consulted and we were allowed entry to the museum. As far as the restaurant, I later sent an email to their corporate headquarters and received an apology, saying their checker made a mistake and that they will strive to better train their employees.

    Everywhere else we were fine, although one person checking for proof of vaccination at another museum made a statement that I absolutely thought appropriate. After seeing our CDC cards she shook her head and said, “You Americans put a man of the moon fifty years ago, and THIS is the best you can do?!” Sadly, it was / is!

  8. I’m sorry. I’m confused. According to this article there are currently basically no entry requirements. No need to show any vaccination documentation or testing. However on Delta’s website and the information related to my upcoming trip it is saying that I need to be able to show vaccination documentation with a last dose no more than 270 previous to arrival. Which is it? Is Delta right or is this article right? I could really use some help on this. Thanks.

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TERRORISM

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italy is on its highest-level terror alert and ministers have warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter holidays - so is there cause for concern if you're planning to travel in the country?

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italian authorities agreed on Monday to increase anti-terrorism monitoring ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” at the moment, and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

READ ALSO: Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Nevertheless, he warned that “during the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful.”

Italy has been on its highest-level terror alert since October 2023 following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, meaning the official alert level could not be raised any further on Monday.

The plan for increased surveillance and the warnings to the public in Italy came following the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Ministers said that terror plots on this scale, organised by groups, “would be intercepted sooner in Italy” and said the main terror threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves”.

He was referring to the fact that recent deadly attacks in Europe have often been carried out by a single perpetrator, not affiliated to a terrorist organisation. The profile of attackers is often isolated young men who have become radicalised.

Unlike most other major European countries, Italy has not so far suffered any deadly attacks at the hands of jihadist militants.

Experts have suggested that Italy has been able to prevent attacks partly due to lessons learned from anti-mafia policing, and that it also has a lower number of citizens at risk of radicalisation than countries like the UK or France – and therefore fewer suspects to watch.

The country arrests dozens of suspects every year on terrorism charges following surveillance operations. Earlier in March, three men of Palestinian origin were arrested in the Abruzzo town of l’Aquila, alleged to be involved in an organised terror plot.

In 2023, at least 56 foreign nationals were deported from Italy after facing terror-related charges.

Italy is generally seen as being at a lower risk of being hit by a major terror attack than some neighbouring countries. So what exactly does the raised alert level mean for people in the country?

Heightened security

While much of Italy’s counter-terrorism work goes on behind the scenes, there will be increased police and military patrols over Easter in busy public places deemed “sensitive”, including shopping centres and places of worship.

The most visible manifestation of the heightened security alert in Italy is the armed soldiers on patrol outside government buildings, tourist attractions, airports, train stations, central squares and in other busy public areas.

Unlike in some other European countries, Italy’s airports do not regularly experience bomb hoaxes and other threats. While no additional security checks for passengers are being introduced, security is likely to remain tight at Italian airports this Easter, as at all European transport hubs.

If you’re visiting a major tourist attraction over Easter or attending any type of large public event, expect a high level of security at the door.

Travel advice

So far, no country has warned its nationals against visiting Italy – the US State Department still lists the alert level for Italy as Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, which has seen no change since July 2023. 

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