Portugal reinstates testing requirement for unvaccinated travellers

The Portuguese government has reinstated a requirement to present valid certification confirming full Covid vaccination, recent recovery or a recent negative test result for inbound travellers entering the country via air or sea.

PCR tests must be performed within 72 hours of travelling, while rapid antigen tests must be performed within 42 hours, according to SchengenVisaInfo.com.

However, the requirement to present a passenger locator form has been abolished, and children under the age of 12 are exempt from the requirement. Different rules also apply to travellers visiting Portuguese islands in the Azores or Madeira.

Currently, all European Union (EU) member states and Schengen Area countries are permitted for inbound and outbound air traffic from Spain.

In addition, flights are permitted from: Angola, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Macau, Mozambique, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Principe, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UAE, UK and US, Uruguay,

Arrivals from all other countries and territories is prohibited except for essential travel.

The reinstatement of the requirement comes at a time when most countries are easing or removing their remaining pandemic-era travel restrictions. Thailand, Greece and Switzerland are some of the latest to announce significant cuts to their Covid-related travel rules from next month.