These are the new requirements to travel through Europe: Covid passport, unvaccinated and exemptions

Still in a risk situation throughout the European Union, in terms of daily infections of covid-19, but with a stabilization Far from the chaos of a few weeks ago, the Council of Ministers has approved a new regulation that Completely changes the way you deal with travel between citizens belonging to the Member States of the Schengen territory.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the 26 countries that comprise the Schengen territory, in which there is freedom of movement throughout the European Union, agree on common policies regardless of their epidemiological situation and that of the States of origin. This has been agreed by the maximum hand of the EU, in new regulations that will come into force on February 1st.

Tuesday and beginning of the second month of 2022 that will put end to the traffic light of risk with which the Union has treated its member countries and external ones since all air activity was paralyzed in March 2020. Of course, only as long as you have a Covid passport or a negative test, the traffic light (green, orange, red and dark red) will continue to exist -as a guide- although will no longer impose other requirements.

What about the Covid passport to travel in the EU?

A passport that had already been becoming very important in the last year and that from now on will be essential requirement to be able to move seamlessly through any of the 26 Schengen territories. In other words, if they have it, other requirements such as quarantine or a negative test cannot be claimed, as Italy, Germany, Austria, France or the Netherlands have been doing lately.

How many doses must the Covid passport register to travel through the EU?

Therefore, by presenting an official EU passport, you can cross any border as long as you have a complete vaccination schedule. For now valid only a dose in the case of Janssen or having passed the disease in the last six months, the second dose is only required to have received it 14 days before to travel though will expire if after 270 days (9 months) the patient has not been inoculated with the third. Having this memory dose, the certificate will always be valid pending news about future doses.

What about the unvaccinated?

For their part, those people who do not have the complete guideline or have not been directly vaccinated will be able to travel throughout the Schengen territory, although under other requirements. These should file a Negative PCR made in the last 72 hours before the trip or a antigen test with a maximum of 24 hours (until now it was 48 hours).

Are there exempt people?

Finally, the Council of Ministers has stated that there will be certain people who are exempt from presenting the certificate or a negative test. These are the travelers”with an essential function or need, cross-border travelers and children under 12 years of age“.

Some new rules that come into force on February 1 for all EU citizens and thus end the quarantines or other requirements that many countries demanded beyond being vaccinated or having a negative test. Of course, the Union remembers that these measures could be withdrawn in case “a new variant of concern appears”.