Tag: Vaccine

Colombia Drops Vaccine Requirement For All International Travelers
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After three years of imposing strict health controls at its outer borders in a bid to keep COVID variants from being imported, Colombia has dropped the vaccine requirement, allowing all international travelers to visit without disclosing their immunization status.

Authorities have silently removed all vaccine and most pandemic-related mandates affecting tourists seeking entry into the South American country – as per the latest update published by IATA. This has been confirmed by one of our staffers who just entered the country without restriction.

But what does this mean in practice, and are there any requirements left for visiting Colombia now that vaccination is no longer mandatory?

What Has Changed Since The Latest IATA Update?

According to the Travel Regulations Map maintained by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), where changes in border rules are tracked, Colombia has ceased requiring foreigners to present COVID proof of entry, based on the update dated May 4, 2023.

In other words, tourists will no longer be expected to present proof of vaccination boarding a Colombia-bound flight in their home country, or instead, undergo pre-travel testing, nor be subject to further checks landing at their destination.

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This is great news for unvaccinated travelers, particularly those coming from the United States, who had had their movements into and out of Colombia restricted before, from being banned to being forced to present a negative test for entry later on.

There is still one requirement that hasn’t been done away with:

The CheckMig Form Remains Mandatory, But No COVID-Related Questions

While pandemic-era entry rules are no more, the Colombian Government has kept the CheckMig form in place, and completing it is now the only requirement for flying to Colombia. Additionally, questions related to immunization have been removed from the form.

Whether you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated, you must simply fill it out at most 72 hours and up to one hour before departure.

The CheckMig platform is Colombia’s pandemic-era solution for pre-travel registration. It serves as a travel permit, seeing that without completing it, you may be denied boarding or entry into Colombia. Fortunately, it is free to apply for, and all travelers are now treated the same, irrespective of vaccination.

You can find the form here.

No Vaccination Or Testing

To sum it up, traveling to Colombia, you are no longer expected to present a:
- Vaccination certificate indicating a complete vaccination course; or
- A negative antigen test undertaken prior to departure; or
- Undergo isolation upon arrival when unvaccinated, or having failed to complete a vaccination course; and
- Present mandatory COVID health insurance
As confirmed by the Colombian Consulate in Paris, France, the country has officially reinstated its pre-pandemic entry regulations. As long as they satisfy visa requirements and present a valid and ‘undamaged’ passport, foreigners will be granted entry hassle-free.

As a matter of fact, one of our editors-in-chief has just landed in Colombia today and has been able to verify that a vaccine or test certificate is indeed not required, either upon check-in at the airport or crossing the international border.

It is worth noting U.S. and Canada passport holders can remain in Colombia for up to six months without applying for a visa in advance, making it one of the easiest South American countries to travel to, unlike neighboring Brazil, which has recently shut its doors to North Americans by imposing a new tourist visa.

Why Visit Colombia In 2023?

Home to breathtaking and surprisingly diverse scenery, which comprises Andean peaks, dense tropical jungles, including a sizable portion of the Amazon rainforest, and a pristine coastline bounded by the Caribbean Sea, Colombia is the perfect natural world destination.

In Guatape, the historical heart of the Antioquia department, guests will find colonial-era, cobblestone towns and the landmark Rock of Guatape, which boasts a stunning panorama of the lakes below, while those crossing the Tatacoa Desert will be mesmerized by a Mars-like arid landscape.

Within driving distance of the town of Nobsa, in the Valley of the Sun, tourists will be met with rolling green hills dotted with vineyards and small traditional settlements.

Those venturing as far North as the Caribbean coast, on the other hand, will find vibrant city breaks, crystal clear beaches, remote islands surrounded by turquoise waters, and a rich Afro-Colombian heritage.

Recently, Colombia also launched a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV), enabling remote workers to stay in the national territory for up to two years as long as they can prove a stable source of income and meet the remarkably low financial threshold for visa applicants.

At last, following years of uncertainty and COVID regulations, Colombia is open and eager to welcome you.

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May 5, 2023
These Are The Last Countries That Still Ban Americans Without A Vaccine
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Now that the world’s top tourist hotspots have reopened their borders for travel and axed their vaccination requirements, it is easy to forget the same does not necessarily apply to the entire globe. Indeed, the vast majority of countries still have restrictions in place, with four of the major ones going as far as banning Americans without a vaccine.

While it’s true Covid no longer poses the same threat it did two years ago, prior to the development of vaccines and the roll-out of new treatments, the health scare has prompted some national governments to keep stricter rules in place for longer – or, in some cases, continue banning all forms of tourism.

In this article, you will find out which destinations continue to refuse entry to unvaccinated Americans, regardless of testing, and whether some accept recovery certificates instead:

The 17 Destinations Still Banning The Unvaxxed

According to both Sherpa’s Travel Requirements Map and IATA’s Travel Regulations, there are at least 16 international destinations barring Americans who opted for no immunization. There are others applying a blanket travel ban to all foreigners, irrespective of vaccination status, such as China, and thus they are not included on the list.

These 16, however, have either substantially eased or removed travel rules for vaccinated visitors, such as abolishing pre-departure tests, quarantine, and post-arrival testing for the group, while shutting their doors completely to the non-immunized. Other examples where the group is allowed to enter presenting tests are also excluded.

These include countries like Spain and most of South America, with the exception of Argentina, which are open to the unvaccinated with varying degrees of restriction, ranging from mandatory PCR tests in the hours leading up to their departure, random Covid tests when landing, or observation of a quarantine period.

Below, you will find a list of countries who have imposed an outright ban on unvaccinated travel:
1. Azerbaijan*
2. Brazil
3. Canada
4. Equatorial Guinea
5. Fiji**
6. Ghana
7. Iraq***
8. Liberia****
9. Luxembourg*****
10. Netherlands******
11. Papua New Guinea
12. Philippines
13. Tonga
14. Samoa
15. Solomon Islands
*Azerbaijan – Alternatively, the unvaccinated can present proof of immunity. Those who have not been infected recently, and who do not have a vaccination certificate, cannot enter.

**Fiji – Recovery certificates issued by a ‘credible institution’ are taken into consideration for entry purposes.

***Iraq – Vaccine exemption letters issued by a relevant health entity are in theory accepted. Those who can have a medical condition where a vaccine is contraindicated must still present a negative PCR test result issued within 72 hours

**** Liberia – If they are allowed to board their flights or other public transport heading to Liberia, unvaccinated passengers are returned to their point of embarkation

*****Luxembourg – Recovery certificates issued in the year preceding travel are accepted

******Netherlands – A minimum of three doses of an approved vaccine are required

We said 16 countries, and you might be wondering why the seventeenth entry has not been mentioned yet.

Allow us to explain further:

The 16th Country Is…

This may not concern Americans directly, but the U.S. does not accept unvaccinated non-Americans or residents regardless of recovery status or negative tests. Of course, Americans can still travel into and out of the States as they wish, but the same does not apply to foreigners, who must present vaccination proof.

In total, there are 17 off-limit places for unvaccinated tourists globally, and 16 for unvaccinated U.S. passport holders.

The Four Main Countries Barring Entry Of Unvaccinated Americans
- Canada
- Brazil
- Netherlands
- Philippines
As can be seen above, four major destinations issued travel bans for unvaccinated Americans, most notably Canada. For months now, the country’s tourism sector has been suffering heavy losses and struggling to recover as a result of Ottawa’s strict border policies. To put it bluntly, Americans are avoiding Canada like the plague, even if they’re immunized.

Vital rail links between the U.S. and Canada may have been reinstated, but demand has reached a historical low. The main reason? Besides the unvaccinated ban, Canada has a random testing policy in place, which can see a few unlucky travelers from the U.S. issued a 10-day quarantine order when they test positive, or even a ‘false’ positive when landing in Canada.

In South America, Brazil does not routinely test incoming travelers, but it is yet to lift border curbs which have kept the unvaccinated from visiting. Interestingly, Brazil had been open for the better half of the pandemic, despite requiring tests at one point. As soon as vaccines became widely available, this lax attitude changed.

Since then, only fully immunized U.S. citizens can visit, and while they face no other restrictions, their fellow Americans who decided not to get the shot are forbidden from setting foot in the country. Across the pond, both the Netherlands and Luxembourg have adopted a similar approach, and are currently the strictest European countries for Covid travel rules.

Unvaxxed U.S. tourists are not in the Benelux duo’ good graces, as they are the two last destinations in the Old World that remain off-limits to them, unless when coming directly from fellow Schengen Area member states. In fact, nearly all of Europe* has dropped entry requirements, welcoming visitors under normal pre-pandemic guidelines.

*Besides The Netherlands and Luxembourg, Spain still requires testing of unvaccinated Americans. While they remain at war, Ukraine and Russia have also not completely eased their travel rules, with the former officially requiring either a negative test of vaccination certificate as proof of entry.

Lastly, the Philippines has given no indication as to when it will allow for normal travel to resume. However, at a time when most of Asia is moving progressively towards a wider reopening, with several nonstop flights from the U.S. being announced, we expect the paradise archipelago to align with its closest neighbors soon.

For all the latest news on countries reopening and travel regulations, click here.

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This article originally appeared on Travel Off Path. For the latest breaking news that will affect your next trip, please visit: Traveloffpath.com

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories
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September 14, 2022
10 Countries In Asia Plan On Introducing A Vaccine Passport For Travel

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Following months of speculation, the ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations has confirmed it is indeed working on a standardized vaccine passport for travel in the region. A total of ten Asian countries are part of the association, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Since Covid was first identified in early 2020, Southeast Asia has been grappling with recurrent viral surges and an endless loop of travel restrictions. While visiting the region has now become much easier again as more countries drop curbs, their ever-changing rules are still much harder to navigate than Europe’s or the America’s.

What’s Next For Southeast Asia Travel?

Like it’s usually the case with travel rules in Southeast Asia, the announcement has left tourists puzzled as it is not clear how the proposed vaccine certificate will co-exist with more relaxed rules that have been put in place in participating countries – especially those like Vietnam, where all entry curbs were removed.

Or, more importantly, whether foreigners who are not citizens of an ASEAN country would need to apply for a local vaccine passport, and how that would become operational seeing that Thailand, for instance, already struggles with issuing its controversial Thailand Passes, but here’s what has been clarified so far:

Officials Believe A Regional Vaccine Passport Will Make Travel Seamless

After months of a rumored ASEAN vaccine passport, health officials from different member states have agreed this week on both the mutual recognition, and implementation of vaccination certificates for resumption of international travel in the region. The agreement was reached in Bali, where entry rules have ironically been scrapped.

Sharing the news, the Singaporean Ministry of Health (MOH) stated ‘it is important to establish seamless travel across the region’, as countries in Southeast Asia still do not see eye to eye when it comes to pandemic-era travel. For instance, while some travelers still have to jump through a few hoops visiting Thailand, they face no restrictions whatsoever in Vietnam.

On top of that, some ASEAN countries do not necessarily recognize vaccination certificates issued in fellow member states, making international travel in the region an even bigger challenge for local residents, and sometimes even tourists. Grappling with a patchwork of entry rules when country-hopping in the region is no fun.

The Bali meeting, where health ministers and other senior officials sought to address these issues, resulted in member states vowing to ‘facilitate smooth international travel’. At the minute, however, ministers have not detailed how exactly foreigners, and Southeast Asians alike, can expect travel rules to change.

Dreams Of A Full Asian Reopening Seem More And More Unattainable

Implementing a mandatory vaccine passport would most certainly add to the woes of both unvaccinated and restriction-wary vaccinated travelers, while making the dream of a full Southeast Asian reopening unattainable. In order for that happen, countries would most certainly require a more relaxed approach to Covid, including treating it as endemic.

The fact that the collective is still discussing the implementation of a vaccine certificate, when countries like Vietnam and Indonesia have already outpaced others in fully scrapping entry requirements, is not an indication of that. Interestingly, judging by their statements, health officials in fact believe this will help boost tourism.

Besides a wider acceptance of an ASEAN vaccine passport for travel, officials also proposed a new ACPHEED – ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases, an equivalent to the U.S. CDC and the European Union’s ECDC. In their words, this would help enhance the ASEAN response to public health emergencies.

What About Foreign Tourists Visiting Southeast Asia?

As mentioned above, Southeast Asian nations have different entry requirements in place, ranging from pre-departure testing to entry passes. Unlike the EU, which has moved towards harmonizing travel across the bloc in recent months, the ASEAN has not been as successful and the lack of mutual cooperation on border mesures is evident.

The Singaporean Minister of Health, Mr. Ong Ye Kung, expressed his desire to see a regional vaccine passport modelled after the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate. The certificate helped smooth travel within Europe throughout most of 2021, with the most obvious downside being foreign travelers were sometimes also expected to apply for a local vaccine passport.

Right now, we cannot confirm travelers will also need to apply for an ASEAN Vaccine Passport ahead of flying, besides carrying their own certificates from home. Seeing that the EU certificate is an obvious inspiration, any such development wouldn’t be a surprise, especially in Southeast Asia where Covid restrictions are stricter.

Vaccine Certificates Are Becoming The Norm In Southeast Asia

So far, Asian officials have not yet established how their system for mutually recognizing each other country’s vaccines, or an ASEAN-wide health passport will be put in place, but Ong did add that ‘checking for vaccination certifications may well be the norm for travel, just (like how) we check our bags and our passports’.

Ahead of launching its own vaccine passport, Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed his support the proposal, stating that every ASEAN member should adopt a ‘standardized’ Covid certificate in order to ‘rejuvenate the aviation sector’. Other business and health groups also applauded the move, agreeing it will make travel ‘seamless’.

We will report back soon as more information is published, including whether tourists will need to add an Asian vaccine certificate to their expanding list of travel documents. For now, there is still unfortunately a lot fo question marks. For all the latest entry requirements in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, please refer to this page.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

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May 19, 2022