The European travel ban on US citizens – Is there any good news for Americans?

Considering the way the COVID-19 pandemic grasped the world, several countries had to seal their borders. Numerous restrictions were imposed to restrain travel all over the world. Are you someone who has been forced to postpone your epic vacay plan due to the European Union or EU travel ban? While the travel freaks are already finding solace in road trips and staycations to the countryside, deep down, don’t you miss the ‘Hey, I’ve checked in to Europe’ moment?

Well, for all the itchy-feet travelers, there’s some good news on your way! Though European Union leaders still disagreed on lifting the travel ban on Americans independently, yet there are few countries that are showing a green signal for American travelers. Despite knowing that, if the burning question that keeps bothering you is, “When can I travel from the US to Europe?” keep reading!

Who has permission to visit Europe?

Since the 1st of July, 2020, European nations, including all the member countries of the EU and the Non-EU European countries of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland started lifting up their ban on borders for residents of Australia, Algeria, Georgia, Canada, Montenegro, Japan, New Zealand, Morocco, South Korea, Serbia, Tunisia, Thailand and Uruguay. People from San Marino, Andorra, the Vatican City and Monaco have also been allowed to enter Europe.

China was also on the list but the decision to open European borders for China depends on whether China will open its borders for European travelers.

Residents of America, where there has been no noteworthy containment of the spread of Coronavirus, won’t be allowed to enter Europe unless they are deemed as an ‘exception’.

Will this list be reviewed frequently?

As per what the European Union reported, this list has to be reviewed every 2 weeks. There are high possibilities that the United States of America might be added to this list in case there is a significant improvement in the epidemiological state of the nation. Any country may also be thrown off the list if the situation worsens due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are there any exemptions?

The travel bans are not applicable on the European residents or citizens who are ‘independent of the purpose of travel’, as per official reports. This travel ban is also not applicable on health workers, diplomats, seasonal farm workers, asylum seekers, transit passengers, students or for people who are traveling for unavoidable family reasons. For the entire list of exceptions, click here.

Is there a way of entering Europe this summer if you don’t qualify for any exceptions?

Yes, Americans are permitted to fly to Britain and Ireland as they both lie outside the free movement zone of Europe, called the Schengen Area. However, in Britain and Ireland, visitors have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period on arrival. In the event of intentional violation of quarantine regulations, you can be fined 1,000 pounds or $1230.

Reasons why Americans are banned from visiting Europe

The primary reason behind setting this travel ban by the European Union authorities was to contain the spread of Coronavirus through the Schengen countries. Gradually, restrictions on travel were lifted on 1st of July to permit arrivals from countries including Japan, New Zealand and Canada. Nevertheless, restrictions are still there for US arrivals as the United States of America is the country that has the highest numbers of active Coronavirus cases.

Travelers from 14 different countries that have been approved can enter the EU borders and move around freely in its 27 member nations and also to the Schengen countries including Lichtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland and Norway. The US shut down all its external borders on 17th March restricting any non-important travel to limit the spread of Coronavirus.

Is there a hope for Europe to lift its travel restriction on US tourists?

More than 15 million American tourists chose Europe as their destination for vacation in 2018. Keeping in mind these numbers, it is clear to note how these restrictions on traveling, to safeguard the lives of Europeans, are setting an impact on the tourism industry. If Europe has to revoke the ban on US travelers, the epidemiological situation of the nation should improve. Their stats should at least be close to or below the average Coronavirus cases in the European Union.

If countries want to be on the approved entry list of EU, they should have credible data that include:

• A falling trend of new Coronavirus cases

• Decent and satisfying COVID response – testing, tracing of contact, surveillance, treatment, containment and reporting of cases

The travel restrictions of 2020 are nothing but a temporary attempt to stop the spread of the virus. These restrictions will be revoked by the EU as the outbreak in the US is under control.

Where can US tourists travel in Europe?

There are few exceptions that allow American travelers to visit Europe. One of the countries in Europe that allows American visitors is United Kingdom and the other is Serbia. Both aren’t members of the European Union. Tourists who worry whether or not they can travel from the US to the UK during the pandemic can certainly do so as this is permitted.

Nevertheless, there are conditions to follow while traveling from US to UK. You have to self-isolate yourself for 14 days on arrival. American visitors to the United Kingdom can be spoken to everyday by the British authorities to make sure they’re complying with the regulations and guidelines of the authorities. Not abiding by these standards will lead to a fine of $1000 USD. Few practices that are being followed in countries to slow down the spread of Coronavirus are:

• No permission of buffets in hotels

• Hotel rooms have to be sanitized properly

• Disinfection should be top-notch

• PCR tests on arrival of guests

• Contactless check-in of hotels

Travelers should also be aware of the requirements that are needed to get back to the US. From the 26th of January, 2021, travelers from Europe and other parts of the world will need to offer a negative COVID-10 test report before boarding a flight to the US.

Author Bio:

Abhirup Banerjee is an experienced content writer. He is associated with many renowned travel blogs as a guest author where he shares his valuable travel tips with the audience.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes