Stricter travel rules come into force in Austria
As of Monday, December 20th, the rules on which documents are needed to enter Austria are changing.
Only travellers with proof of 2G (two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or recovery from the virus) will be allowed to enter Austria. This applies regardless of the country you are entering from.
In addition, even those with 2G proof will need to enter quarantine on arrival unless they have one of the following: a booster dose or a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours on entry to Austria.
For people entering without these additional proofs, it is mandatory to fill out a pre-travel clearance form before travel and to enter self-isolation which can be ended after receiving a negative PCR test result. You can find the pre-travel clearance form by clicking here.
There are a few exemptions in place.
Austrian and EU/EEA residents and citizens are able to enter Austria without 2G proof, but in that case they must fill out the pre-travel clearance form and enter a ten-day quarantine on arrival, which can be ended after five days at the earliest with a negative PCR test result.
People who commute regularly for work or studies can show proof of 3G instead of 2G which means a negative test result can be used to enter Austria.
People who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and pregnant people, do not need to show either 2G or the additional PCR test or booster, but they need to show a medical certificate proving their exemption.
The Local has contacted the Health Ministry for clarity over what applies to people who have proof of recovery in addition to two vaccine doses, particularly those who recovered from Covid recently and therefore may still test positive in PCR tests or not yet be eligible for booster vaccines. We will update this article when we get a response.
Children aged under 12 do not need to show the above documents in order to be allowed to enter; they should follow the same rules regarding pre-travel clearance and quarantine as the adult they are travelling with.
Useful links
Austrian National Tourist Office
Travel to Austria: FAQ from Health Ministry
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Only travellers with proof of 2G (two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or recovery from the virus) will be allowed to enter Austria. This applies regardless of the country you are entering from.
In addition, even those with 2G proof will need to enter quarantine on arrival unless they have one of the following: a booster dose or a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours on entry to Austria.
For people entering without these additional proofs, it is mandatory to fill out a pre-travel clearance form before travel and to enter self-isolation which can be ended after receiving a negative PCR test result. You can find the pre-travel clearance form by clicking here.
There are a few exemptions in place.
Austrian and EU/EEA residents and citizens are able to enter Austria without 2G proof, but in that case they must fill out the pre-travel clearance form and enter a ten-day quarantine on arrival, which can be ended after five days at the earliest with a negative PCR test result.
People who commute regularly for work or studies can show proof of 3G instead of 2G which means a negative test result can be used to enter Austria.
People who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and pregnant people, do not need to show either 2G or the additional PCR test or booster, but they need to show a medical certificate proving their exemption.
The Local has contacted the Health Ministry for clarity over what applies to people who have proof of recovery in addition to two vaccine doses, particularly those who recovered from Covid recently and therefore may still test positive in PCR tests or not yet be eligible for booster vaccines. We will update this article when we get a response.
Children aged under 12 do not need to show the above documents in order to be allowed to enter; they should follow the same rules regarding pre-travel clearance and quarantine as the adult they are travelling with.
Useful links
Austrian National Tourist Office
Travel to Austria: FAQ from Health Ministry
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