Travel Restrictions: Where can I travel in Europe right now? A complete list of travel restrictions

The latest big changes include: UK arrivals into Poland will have to do quarantine for 14 days on arrival. Only fully-vaccinated UK travellers will be allowed into Spain from 1st December. Switzerland has changed its entry requirements for arrivals from some European countries, including the UK. The UK now requires all arrivals to do a PCR test before the end of day 2, and self-isolate until they have received a negative result. Due to the new variant, Omicron, many European countries are banning non-essential arrivals from Southern African countries. Full lockdown has been reinforced in Austria, meaning a complete ban on entry for tourists. There has been a spike in cases in Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium leading to increased restrictions. Portugal's testing requirements change as of 1st December.

Read more at: Where can I travel in Europe right now? A complete list of travel restrictions | Euronews

USA: Biden and Harris briefed as US braces for arrival of Omicron Covid variant - by Edward Helmore

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been briefed on the latest situation regarding the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the White House said on Saturday, as Britain, Germany and Italy reported detecting cases.

Read more at: Biden and Harris briefed as US braces for arrival of Omicron Covid variant | Coronavirus | The Guardian

Britain Travel Restrictions lifted: : Quarantine scrapped in England for fully vaccinated EU citizens, except the French

The UK has announced that fully-vaccinated travellers arriving from Europe and the US will no longer have to quarantine on arrival in England — except for those arriving from France. The new rule kicks in next Monday, August 2.

Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport confirmed the move on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

Read more at: Quarantine scrapped in England for fully vaccinated EU citizens, except the French | Euronews

EU Travel: Travel Restrictions Lifted As Americans Can Finally Fly to Europe Again

The U.S. has been officially added to the European Union's list of countries considered safe for travel. The move allows Americans to visit EU nations for non-essential purposes.

Read more at: Travel Restrictions Lifted As Americans Can Finally Fly to Europe Again

Middle East: Israel Strikes 'Number of Targets' in Lebanon Shortly After Biden Sets De-Escalation Expectation

On Wednesday, Biden told Netanyahu that he expected Israel to engage in "significant de-escalation" that day in an effort to move toward a cease-fire. About 10 minutes after the White House announced the contents of the call, Israel conducted strikes on a "number of targets" in Lebanon.

The strikes were in response to four rockets that were fired at northern Israel from Lebanon, according to the Israel Defense Forces. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome, a defense system that has been credited with saving Israeli lives.

As reported by the Associated Press, as of Wednesday, about 219 Palestinians have been killed in the current fighting, while Israel has seen 12 casualties. The rising number of deaths and injuries have raised calls from around the world for Israel to mount a "proportionate" response to the attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has denied Israel has done anything beyond defending itself and vowed to continue until Hamas is deterred from future violence.

Read more at: Israel Strikes 'Number of Targets' in Lebanon Shortly After Biden Sets De-Escalation Expectation

Coronavirua Travel Restrictions: Canada-U.S. border restrictions extended as U.S. congressman pushes for reopening plan

< The Canada-U.S. border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least May 21. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair tweeted the extension this morning.

"We will continue to base our decisions on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe from COVID-19," he said.

Read more at a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/borer-closed-extended-may-1.5994968">Canada-U.S. border restrictions extended as U.S. congressman pushes for reopening plan | CBC News

EU - Coronavirus Travel Restrictions: Czechia Adds Belgium & Netherlands to High-Risk COVID-19 Category

The Czech Republic’s government has announced that from April 5, Belgium and the Netherlands will be included on the COVID-19 dark red list, in which are placed countries profoundly affected by the Coronavirus disease.

At the same time, Ireland and Malta will be placed on the red list of countries, while Iceland will move to the orange list, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Czechia’s Ministry of Health decision comes after taking into account the updated data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which shows the degree of risk which countries face from the spread of the virus.

Read more at: Czechia Adds Belgium & Netherlands to High-Risk COVID-19 Category - SchengenVisaInfo.com

Coronavirus Pandemic: Netherlands Extends Travel Ban Until May 15

The Netherlands’ government has decided to extend the advice against travelling abroad for its citizens, until May 15, after taking into account the current infection rate of the Coronavirus in foreign countries.

The decision is an additional preventive measure imposed by the Dutch government to avoid travelling during the Easter holidays, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

In addition, the country’s administration has also decided to extend its restrictive measures after a rise in the number of COVID-19 infections.

Read more at: Netherlands Extends Travel Ban Until May 15 - SchengenVisaInfo.com

Europe Travel Ban: US Covid Cases Still Too High, What You Must Know - by Tamara Thiessen

 Amid fears of re-lockdowns in Europe, and roller-coasting travel restrictions within the continent, Covid infection rates in the U.S. still rule out immediate hopes of a lifting of the EU travel ban on Americans.

As EU officials again prepare to update the safe country travel list, there is little chance of the U.S., Brazil, Argentina or others being added to it, based on current coronavirus trends.

Despite huge spikes in several countries from Spain to France over past weeks, Covid outbreaks on average in the EU are still well beyond the U.S. median.

The virus epidemiology has the upper hand in determining the lifting of travel restrictions on non-European countries.

Read more at:
Europe Travel Ban: US Covid Cases Still Too High, What You Must Know

Travel: between EU and US: Americans Unlikely To Be Welcome To Europe In July, Here’s Why - by Tamara Thiessen

Europe is set to lift its border restrictions on international travelers in July. But only starting with countries with low infection levels, which rules out Americans and those arriving from the U.S.

In other words tourism and holidaying will begin in Europe from July 1, but not for everybody. The criteria for the lifting of the Europe travel ban will probably bar tourists from Brazil, Russia, Argentina and Iran too, as other holidaymakers return. Europe will also remain off limits to travelers from other high-risk countries where Covid-19 infection rates remain high.

Note, “The EU travel restriction is based on residence, not nationality,” says a spokesperson for the European Commission in Brussels. “Similarly, decisions on lifting travel restrictions would also concern non-EU nationals residing in a specific country"

Read more at: 
Travel: Americans Unlikely To Be Welcome To Europe In July, Here’s Why

Coronavirus Travel Restrictions: Trump Says Europe Arrivals Soon Welcome - by Tamara Thiessen

U.S. travel will soon be possible for some travelers from Europe says Donald Trump. President Trump says the U.S. plans to “open up” to travelers arriving from low-risk countries in Europe and elsewhere. This means many Europeans may soon be able to plan American vacations or business trips.

Trump’s travel ban has put a block on all travelers coming from 26 European countries as well as the U.K. and Ireland since March 13. Not just European citizens and residents, but anyone who has set foot in those places in the previous fortnight.

Speaking of the new Brazil flight ban on Wednesday, President Trump indicated the Europe travel restrictions will soon ease. At least for some arrivals. Travelers coming from countries with low Covid-19 risk profiles will be given the green light first he hinted.

Read more: 
US Travel, Great News: Trump Says Europe Arrivals Soon Welcome

Coronavirus: 'Viruses don't carry passports:' Why travel bans won't work to stop spread of COVID-19

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to restrict travel from most European countries to try to contain what he called a "foreign virus" isn't grounded in science and breaks international law, experts say.

Read more at
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid19-travel-bans-1.5495919

US State Dept. reverses visa revocations, allows banned travelers to enter U.S. - by R. Barnes, M.Zapotosky and A.Gearan

The US State Department says previously banned travelers will be allowed to enter the United States after a federal judge in Washington state on Friday temporarily blocked enforcement of President Trump’s controversial immigration ban.

“We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas under” Trump’s executive order, a State Department spokesman said Saturday. “Those individuals with visas that were not physically canceled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid.”

Department of Homeland Security personnel “will resume inspection of travelers in accordance with standard policy and procedure.”

Immigrant advocates said they were encouraging travelers from the affected countries to get on planes as soon as possible, since the Trump administration has said it plans to appeal the stay on the travel ban.

Read more: State Dept. reverses visa revocations, allows banned travelers to enter U.S. - The Washington Post