Earlier this month, Ireland became the latest European country (joining the likes of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece) to announce its plans for opening up to international travelers, including those from the United States.
According to the Irish government, beginning July 19, Ireland will begin welcoming travelers from within Europe who have the EU Digital COVID Certificate—a digital health pass issued to EU residents who have been vaccinated for COVID-19, tested negative for the virus, or who have recovered from COVID-19. Travelers with the EU Digital COVID Certificate will not be required to quarantine.
Travelers from all non-European countries, including the U.K. and the U.S., will also be allowed to enter Ireland as of July 19 as long as the country is not on the European Union’s “emergency brake” list—countries that have new or renewed restrictions applied to them due to a worsening epidemiological situation.
Travelers arriving from the U.S. will have to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to bypass otherwise mandatory COVID-19 testing and quarantine. Those without proof of vaccination will need to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. They will then need to quarantine after arrival and take a second post-arrival test.
Ireland has recently begun easing some of its COVID-19 restrictions. On June 2, overnight accommodations were able to reopen, and on June 7, outdoor service at restaurants was allowed again along with outdoor sporting events and smaller 25-person weddings. Beginning on July 2, indoor service at bars and restaurants will be able to resume, and in August the country anticipates that public transit will return to full capacity, 100-person weddings will be allowed, and indoor and outdoor events will be able to have larger attendance numbers (the government hasn’t yet specified what those numbers will be).
European countries, including Ireland, will be using a cloud-based system for its EU Digital COVID Certificate, which gives users a QR code for their COVID status that they can access through an app. The Irish government has not yet said what kind of vaccine documentation or verification will be required for entry for those arriving from non-EU countries and whether or not it will be a digital document or if a paper certificate will suffice.
Before traveling internationally, Americans should check the U.S. State Department’s country-specific advisories and should be aware that all international passengers age two and older flying into the U.S. (including returning U.S. citizens and permanent residents) must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test procured within three days before boarding their flight to the U.S.
The CDC also has detailed recommendations for travel during the pandemic, both for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.
>> Next: AFAR’s Ultimate Guide to Ireland
