What regulations apply to Austrians if they want to travel to other European countries? An overview.

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For several days now, some countries have had different rules for Viennese people than for people coming from the rest of Austria. Furthermore, free entry does not automatically mean that travel is possible so easily. After all, Austria has also issued travel warnings and sometimes strict regulations for returning to Austria.

Sweden, Croatia or Romania let for example Austrians freely enter, with the return to Austria is then however a Corona test due. In principle the Foreign Ministry still advises the Austrians “urgently from all not necessary” foreign journeys.

Roughly four categories can be differentiated:

Entry is possible without any difficulties.
In the course of entry, certain steps are necessary – for example, one must register or be examined (for example, taking a temperature), one must present certain documents or be questioned by officials (for example, about possible symptoms).
You have to show a negative corona test or have to be in quarantine for a certain period of time.
Entry is only possible if you belong to a certain group of people.
Albania: Free entry for Austrians. Since 1 July there is no quarantine obligation any more. However, as for most Balkan countries, a travel warning issued by the Austrian Foreign Ministry applies. This means that a negative Covid-19 test must be presented on return or a home quarantine must be initiated.

Andorra: Free entry.

Belgium: Persons who have stayed in Vienna in the past 14 days must undergo a PCR test in Belgium (foreign tests are generally not recognized) and – even if the test result is negative – must be placed in a 14-day quarantine. Before entering Belgium there is a compulsory online registration. Excluded are persons who have stayed in Vienna for less than 48 hours or who will stay in Belgium for less than 48 hours.

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Since July 16th, Austrians must submit a negative corona test not older than 48 hours. There is a travel warning, therefore on return also test or quarantine obligation.

Bulgaria: At the Bulgarian airports and also at the land border crossings, health controls with temperature measurements have been set up for those entering the country. Persons with a body temperature above 37 degrees Celsius are isolated and quarantined or receive medical treatment. Otherwise there are no restrictions on the entry of Austrians and other EU citizens. Travel warning is in force.

Denmark: Austria is on the list of Danish travel warnings since Thursday. From Saturday onwards, entry from Austria to Denmark is only possible for a reason worthy of consideration. This includes an existing employment relationship, studies or business trips. An entry for vacation purposes is not possible.

Germany: Entering Austria from Vienna must present a negative Covid-19 test on entry, which must not be older than 48 hours. Otherwise a 14-day quarantine obligation applies. The quarantine obligation is handled differently between the German federal states. Schleswig-Holstein, for example, requires a second negative corona test at the earliest five days after entry to end the quarantine prematurely. Travellers who have not been in Vienna in the past 14 days can enter the country without restrictions from the Vienna-Schwechat airport.

Estonia: Austrians must present a health certificate on entry or enter quarantine.

Finland: Austrians can only enter Finland in exceptional cases. Tourist entries are not permitted for Austrians. Only the following persons may enter Finland: students, Finnish citizens with a right of residence in Finland, business travelers, diplomats, persons in transit. For those entering the country, there is a general obligation to self quarantine for 14 days.

France: Free entry.

Greece: Austrians must register before entry. Without registration there is a fine of 500 Euro or one can be turned away at the border. Upon entry, one can be randomly selected for a corona test. In this case you have to go into self-isolation until the test result is available (about 24 hours).

Great Britain: Travellers from Austria must go into a 14-day home quarantine. Contact details must be provided online before entry. Fines of up to 1,000 pounds (1,108.98 euros) are to be expected for violations of these regulations. A negative Covid-19 test is not an alternative to home quarantine.

Ireland: After entry you have to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Iceland: You have to register before entering the country. With the entry then a 14-tägige quarantine is due or one lets a liable to pay the costs Corona test with the entry as well as an obligatory second free test four to six days after the entry make. Between the two tests a quarantine must be maintained.

Italy: Free entry. Registrations only for the regions Apulia, Calabria, Sardinia, Sicily.

Kosovo: Free entry, but a travel warning applies. General mask obligation and two-meter distance rule prevail in the entire public, nightly going out is prohibited in many cities.

Croatia: Free entry. However a travel warning on the part of the Austrian Foreign Ministry applies to Croatia. When entering back into Austria, as with other countries with a travel warning (level 6 on the ministry’s scale), a medical certificate of health must be presented, which confirms a negative PCR test, which must not be older than 72 hours. If such proof cannot be provided, travelers must arrange for a test to be performed within 48 hours and be placed in home quarantine until the result is available.

Latvia: Since 25 July, Austrians must return to a 14-day self quarantine on entry.

Liechtenstein: Free entry.

Lithuania: Austrians have to go into a 14-day quarantine, in addition a negative Covid-19 test has to be presented on entry. This test must not be older than 72 hours. A negative test does not cancel the quarantine obligation.

Luxembourg: Free entry. At Luxembourg airport, travellers receive a voucher valid for several days for a Covid-19 PCR test, which can be done directly at the airport or in a medical laboratory.

Malta: There are no entry requirements per se. Arrivals from Austria only need to have stayed in Austria or another country classified as safe for 14 days before. “All passengers entering the country are asked to fill out a ‘Public Health Passenger Locator Card’, which serves for possible contact tracing, as well as a declaration that they have not been in a risk country in the last 2 weeks”, says the homepage of the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

Moldova: A quarantine obligation applies to travellers from Austria. Austria, for its part, has issued a travel warning.

Monaco: Entry is free.

Montenegro: In principle, Austrians may enter freely, but traffic into the country is severely restricted and a travel warning applies.

Netherlands: In the Netherlands, a travel warning applies to Vienna and Innsbruck. Anyone who travels to the Netherlands from there must now go into domestic quarantine for ten days.

Northern Macedonia: Free entry, but a travel warning is in force with consequences for the return journey to Austria.

Norway: Austrians have to undergo a ten-day quarantine after entering the country since August 21.

Poland: Free entry.

Portugal: Only on the islands of Madeira and the Azores a negative corona test not older than three days must be presented upon entry or a test must be performed on site upon entry. There are no entry restrictions for Austrians on the mainland. On the part of Austria a travel warning is still valid and therefore test or quarantine obligation on return.

Romania: There are currently no entry restrictions for Austrians. However, Austria has issued a travel warning for Romania.

Russia: “Only foreign nationals who maintain machines and technical equipment in Russia; spouses of Russian citizens; diplomats; key personnel may enter and must present a corona test in English or Russian not older than 72 hours when crossing the border,” states the Foreign Ministry in Vienna. A travel warning for the Russian Federation applies on the Austrian side.

San Marino: Free entry parallel to Italy.

Sweden: Free entry. However, a travel warning from Austria still applies.

Switzerland: Since September 14th a quarantine obligation applies for travelers from Vienna. This regulation applies to all persons who have stayed in Vienna for more than 24 hours within the past ten days. Transit through Switzerland remains permitted. There are further exceptions for professional travel, travel for medical reasons, freight traffic, etc. For travelers from other parts of Austria, entry is free.

Serbia: There are hardly any restrictions: At all border crossings, travellers entering the country are strictly checked for signs of Covid-19 infection. They receive a written health warning in English and Serbian about the measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the country. However, if you are entering the country via Bulgaria, Croatia, Northern Macedonia or Romania, you must have a negative Covid-19 test no more than two days old. At the same time a travel warning from Austria applies and therefore test and/or quarantine obligation with the return.

Slovakia: Free entry. In the Corona Crisis, Slovakia does not base its entry requirements on citizenship, but on the place(s) of residence in the 14 days prior to entry. Therefore, it is not generally accepted officially that every Austrian citizen can enter the country without any problems. He or she must also have stayed in Austria or another country classified as safe by Slovakia in the 14 days before. Persons who have been in a country classified as non-safe in the 14 days prior to entry must report to the relevant health authority, and they and members of their household must go into home isolation until the result of a Covid-19 test is available, which may be carried out after five days at the earliest.

Slovenia: Entry from Austria is free for persons with primary or secondary residence in Austria.

Spain: Before entering the country via an airport or seaport, one must register. This is not the case overland. Since June 21, Austrians no longer have to go into a 14-day quarantine. However, Austria has issued a travel warning for the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera). Only returnees from the Canary Islands are exempt from the test or quarantine obligation.

Czech Republic: Basically free entry for Austrians. In the Czech Republic, a general obligation to wear masks in the interior of all publicly accessible rooms applies.

Turkey: Persons entering the country are subject to a health examination. If Covid-19 is suspected, a free PCR test is carried out. If the test result is positive, the person concerned is taken to a specially designated hospital and treated there. An immediate return journey is not permitted. Austria has issued a travel warning.

Ukraine: At the end of August, the government issued an entry ban for foreigners valid until 28. 9. Exceptions are made for close relatives of Ukrainian citizens, students, persons with residence permits, cultural workers invited by a cultural institution, and persons entering for medical treatment. Austria has issued a travel warning.

Hungary: A ban on entry for foreigners is again in force. There are exceptions for business travelers and commuters. Tourist travel is not permitted.

Vatican: Free entry parallel to Italy.

Belarus: Free entry for Austrians. However, many flights are suspended and entry by land is restricted. Apart from the Corona pandemic, Belarus is currently experiencing a political crisis: Since the presidential election, which the opposition classified as rigged, there have been protests against the authoritarian regime of long-term ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Austria has issued a travel warning about the Corona situation.

Cyprus: Since August 28, it has been mandatory for travelers from Austria to present a negative PCR test when entering Cyprus. The PCR test must not be older than 72 hours at departure. With regard to the Turkish northern part of the island, the Foreign Ministry states: “ATTENTION! The entry of Austrian tourists into the internationally unrecognized ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ by way of the demarcation line is prohibited until further notice due to the current COVID 19 pandemic.