Latest News: Portuguese authorities reopened borders for tourists from EU member states, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and UK (SVI, 17.05.2021). British tourists allowed to travel to Portugal following negative COVID-19 test (BBC, 14.05.2021).

International Resrictions:

*From within the EU:

Portugal adopts its own national classification of risk areas, hence travel restrictions for Portugal are not based on the common "EU Traffic Lights" map.

From 1 May, road traffic between Portugal and Spain is possible again without restrictions.

Is a coronavirus test required?

All travellers are subject to the requirement for a pre-departure negative PCR test.
The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to departure.

Children aged 2 and under are exempted.

More details are available at www.sef.pt

Is a quarantine required?

Travellers from high-risk countries (with an incidence rate of 500 cases or more per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days) must complete a 14-day isolation period after entry to mainland Portugal. Isolation should take place either at home or at a place indicated by the health authorities.

Isolation does not apply to passengers on essential travel and whose length of stay in the national territory, certified by a return ticket, does not exceed 48 hours.

More details are available at www.sef.pt

Specific measures for Madeira and Azores

Passengers flying to the Madeira archipelago have to present a negative test to COVID-19 carried out within 72 hours prior to departure or they can perform it upon arrival. Specific information for Madeira islands: EN - PT - ES - DE - FR

Specific measures for Azores archipelago: Passengers travelling to the Autonomous Region of the Azores by air from areas considered by the World Health Organization to be zones of active community transmission are required to present, prior to boarding, proof of a negative result to a Covid-19 test.

Accepted test: RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure. The document issued by the laboratory that performs the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test must contain the identification of the person tested, the laboratory, the date of the test and the result of the test.

This requirement does not apply to passengers aged 12 years or less and to exceptional humanitarian situations authorized by the Regional Health Authority.

More information for the Azores are available at DestinoSeguro.azores.gov.pt

Find out more:
Portuguese Immigration Service website FAQs
www.visitportugal.com

Health cover for temporary stays *Transit:

All passengers in transit are subject to the requirement of a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours prior to boarding. Children under 24 months old are exempted from this obligation.

Foreign citizens without legal residence in Portugal, who make a stopover at a national airport, must wait for their connection flight at a proper place inside the airport.

Find out more:
Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions – The Official Website of Portuguese Immigration (sef.pt)

Travel between Portugal and other third-country destinations is permitted only for essential reasons.

Essential reason is defined as trips allowing the transit, entry into and departure from Portugal for the following persons:

• citizens of a European Union member state, Schengen Associated countries and their family members;
• citizens repatriated through consular assistance;
• third-country nationals travelling for professional purposes, study, family reunions, health and humanitarian reasons and under the reciprocity principle.

Additionally, travel from/to the following countries is allowed: Australia, China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, Rwanda, and Thailand.

All authorised travellers are subject to the requirement for a pre-departure negative PCR test. The test must be taken within 72 hours prior to departure.

Children aged 2 and under are exempted.

More details are available at www.sef.pt

For essential travel, national and foreign citizens with legal residence in Portugal, as well as diplomatic personnel accredited in Portugal who, exceptionally, do not present the test, will have to take the test on arrival, at the airport and at their own expense. Foreign passengers who embark without a test will be refused entry into the national territory.

Passengers on commercial flights from South Africa and Brazil must present proof of a negative RT-PCR test result, carried out within 72 hours prior to departure, and will have to comply with a 14-day quarantine period at home or at a place indicated by the health authorities. This requirement also applies to flights that have stopped over or transited in countries whose air traffic with Portugal is authorised, or to passengers registered as having left South Africa in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Portugal.

Specific rules for Madeira and Azores

Passengers flying to the Madeira archipelago have to present a negative test to COVID-19 carried out within 72 hours prior to departure or they can perform it upon arrival. Specific information for Madeira islands: EN - PT - ES - DE - FR

Specific measures for Azores archipelago: Passengers traveling to the Autonomous Region of the Azores by air from areas considered by the World Health Organization to be zones of active community transmission or with active transmission chains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, are required to present, prior to shipment, proof, in digital or paper support, of a document issued by a laboratory, national or international, of conducting diagnostic test to SARS-CoV-2 with NEGATIVE result. The SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test must be performed using the RT-PCR methodology within 72 hours before departure. The document issued by the laboratory that performs the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test must contain the identification of the person tested, the laboratory, the date of the test and the result of the test. This requirement does not apply to passengers aged 12 years or less and to exceptional humanitarian situations authorized by the Regional Health Authority. The lack of evidence leads to the practice of a crime of disobedience and the application, on disembarkation, of the testing procedures to SARS-CoV-2.
More information for Azores are available at DestinoSeguro.azores.gov.pt

Find out more:
Portuguese Immigration Service website FAQs
www.visitportugal.com

*Travel in Portugal: Measures are in place throughout Portugal to control the spread of the virus. You are required to observe the rules on social distancing when in public:

• Keep a social distance of 2 metres

• Use a face covering in enclosed spaces, and outdoors where a distance of 2m cannot be maintained

• Wash your hands regularly

Your temperature can be taken on access to enclosed spaces, as determined by the health authorities.

*Public spaces and services: Mainland Portugal. The Portuguese government started to ease lockdown measures on 15 March. Access to public spaces and services and the right to spend time outside and move between municipalities varies according to the COVID-19 incidence rate in each municipality.

Shops and other commercial premises, restaurants and cafés may have shorter trading hours. Leisure and cultural activities may be banned or limited to smaller groups. Check the restrictions in your municipality on the Portuguese government’s website (in Portuguese).

Bars and nightclubs remain closed. It is illegal to drink alcohol outdoors in public places, except for on pavement cafés and restaurants. Alcohol cannot be sold after 9pm unless it is with a meal.

You must wear a mask while walking along promenades and in restaurants and cafés until you are seated. At the beach, follow the one-way entry and exit signs and use a mask until you reach your spot on the sand. Use a mask and footwear while using sanitary facilities. Place your sunshade and towel 3m from the next group and keep a social distance of 1.5m when walking along the sand. Before you set off, check the occupancy levels of the beaches near you and avoid the ones that are marked “red” and “amber”.

You can be fined up to €100 if you breach the regulations.

*Madeira and Porto Santo: Measures are in place to limit the spread of the virus. Check the rules on curfew and access to shops, services, entertainment and cultural facilities on the Madeira Tourist Office website under “other information”.

*The Azores: Measures are in place to limit the spread of the virus. There are 5 levels of risk in the Azores – very low, low, medium, medium high and high. Each level has its own restrictions. Check these restrictions on the Regional Government’s website.

*Inter-island travel in the Azores: There are restrictions in place. Check the requirements on the Regional government’s website (use Google Chrome and change the language to English).

*Face coverings: You must wear a face mask in all enclosed spaces. You should wear your face covering when you enter the building and keep it on until you leave. You must also wear a face mask outdoors where it is not possible to maintain a 2m social distance from people outside your family group.

These measures apply to everyone over the age of 10 on mainland Portugal and in the Azores, and over the age of 5 in Madeira and Porto Santo. You can be fined if you breach the regulations. Exemptions from wearing a face covering differ in Portugal compared to the UK. You may be exempt from using a face mask both indoors and out on medical grounds. You will have to show a declaration from your doctor as evidence that you have a health condition that prevents you from wearing a face covering. You should observe strict social distancing and limit the time you spend in common areas in enclosed spaces. For further information (in Portuguese) on exemptions, see decree-law 62-A/2020 (Article 3(2).

*Accommodation: Check any accommodation you book meets the required hygiene and cleaning standards and look out for the Portuguese Tourist Board’s “clean and safe” certification.