News item | 15-02-2022 | 19:30
The corona situation in a country is no longer decisive for the color of the travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All safety and health risks weigh in again. This makes traveling to countries outside Europe possible again in the short term. The quarantine obligation upon return to the Netherlands will expire on 25 February.
‘We largely disconnect the color in the travel advice from the corona situation in a country. In this way the world will become a lot less orange and travel to more destinations will be possible,’ says director Dirk Jan Nieuwenhuis of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The exception is countries where a new, worrying virus variant appears. In that case, a country is still automatically color coded orange: only strictly necessary trips. Travelers must be quarantined again when they return from such a country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will gradually adjust the travel advice from 16 February. This is done, among other things, on the basis of advice from Dutch embassies and consulates worldwide. All safety and health risks are taken into account, including corona.
Travel within and outside Europe
Countries outside the European Union/Schengen zone that had the color codes green or yellow before the corona pandemic will get them back – if the security situation allows. The quarantine obligation upon return to the Netherlands will expire on 25 February. Travelers are required to have a negative test certificate with them.
The European countries currently have a yellow travel advice (travel is possible, but there are risks). Travelers within the EU need digital corona proof: a vaccination certificate, proof that you have recovered from corona, or a negative test result (test proof). This will remain the case, even if countries in the EU receive green travel advice. This has been agreed at European level.
Corona not gone
The advice to travelers is and remains: go well prepared for your trip. Corona is not gone. There are still measures in place abroad. Think of test obligations, QR codes and mouth caps. There are also countries that do not yet allow (tourist) travelers. If travelers abroad unexpectedly contract corona, the corona rules apply in the country of destination.
So read the whole travel advice for the destination country on NederlandWereldwijd.nl or in the Travel app.
‘The travel advice largely goes back to the situation before the pandemic,’ says Nieuwenhuis. ‘We make countries and areas red and orange because of security risks such as war, terrorist threats and natural disasters. And we pay attention to the health risks. So still read the entire travel advice: before you book, just before departure and during your trip.’