European health authorities have lifted travel restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals. This is provided they completed their vaccination with Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson jabs.
But some countries have different entry procedures and accept different vaccinations than these.
Read below to know more about the requirements to enter the Schengen area and specifically Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in Europe?
Travel restrictions slightly vary from one country to another within the European Union. That said, as a general rule of thumb, the vaccines here below are widely accepted:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
The countries that accept these vaccines are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Furthermore, some other European countries have approved the vaccines recognized by the WHO (World Health Organization) for emergency use. These emergency vaccines are Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in Germany?
Different vaccines are approved by the German government which are the 4 ones accepted by the European Union:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
In order to be recognized as a fully vaccinated traveler, each individual must have received the final dose of Covid-19 in 14 days at most before traveling. In addition, the proof of vaccination must include the information below to be considered as valid:
- Date of vaccination
- Name, surname, and date of birth
- Number of vaccine doses administered
- Name of the disease vaccinated against
- The institution responsible for providing the vaccine certificate
Moreover, the proof of vaccination must be in either English, German, French, Spanish, or Italian. It can be shown in either digital or paper format.
Apart from that, in order to enter indoor spaces in Germany, individuals must have received their vaccine or tested negative and be able to show the proof on the EUDCC. Children younger than 6 years old are exempted from this rule.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in France?
Just like in neighboring Germany, the 4 vaccines approved by the French administration are the ones accepted by the European Union:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
Travelers with a different vaccination do not qualify as fully vaccinated individuals. In order to enter indoor venues with more than 1000 people, a Green Pass is needed. The Green Pass is given to the ones who were fully vaccinated for Covid-19 as well as the ones that recovered in the past 6 months.
Also, a green pass is needed for everyone willing to take the train and go to the restaurant and bar.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in Italy?
In Italy, only certain vaccinations against Covid-19 were approved by the government and these are:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
After receiving their inoculation, individuals are provided with a Green Pass. The Green Pass is needed to enter all indoor public places around the country like museums, parties and concerts, and sporting events.
The Green Pass essentially shows that you received your vaccination (one dose will get you the pass), had a negative test within the past 48 hours, or that you recovered from the disease in the past 6 months.
Which Covid-19 Vaccines are Accepted in Spain?
Spain has been one of the most flexible European countries in terms of vaccination choice in 2021. The vaccines previously approved by the Spanish government are:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- AstraZeneca
- Johnson & Johnson
- Covidshield
- Sinopharm
- Sinovac
Unlike in France, Germany, or Italy, most parts of Spain do not require people to get a health pass. However, there are a few rules in place that everyone must follow and we list them here:
- Wearing a mask is mandatory in indoor spaces and crowded outdoor venues
- The social distancing of 1.5m has to be respected
- Follow the local restrictions that vary between regions – Curfews, Capacity limits at venues, number of people allowed on the beach.
Naturally, we recommend checking with the local authorities for the latest updates when traveling.
As opposed to mainland Spain, the Canary Islands have to show evidence of being vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19, or got a negative test done recently.
Travel Restrictions When Traveling to the Schengen Area
There are different restrictions in terms of travel whether the individuals come from EU countries or Non-EU ones.
First of all, all EU countries are now participants in the EU Digital COVID Certificate program. This means that every person willing to travel has to provide the health pass gotten after being vaccinated, a negative test issued in the past 48 hours, or a recovery certificate. This allows individuals to travel freely within the Schengen Area.
International travelers coming from non-European countries will be subject to other rules that apply. All fully vaccinated travelers are allowed to enter the EU for all purposes. For specific countries with, since their situation improved, travelers are able to enter the EU without having to be vaccinated. The current countries are:
- Australia
- Canada
- Chile
- China (subject to confirmation of reciprocity)
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- New Zealand
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
Of course, other restrictions may apply depending on the specific country, and these above-stated rules may not exempt international travelers from the need of quarantining or getting tested.
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