People returning to Austria will be required to present a negative test for coronavirus, which should not be older than 72 hours, the health ministry said.
Austria had already imposed tight testing requirements for arrivals from other Balkan states in July, after it saw an increase in infections among people returning from the region. It has travel warnings for Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia in place, as well as for European Union member states Bulgaria and Romania.
For all those who arrive from Croatia in Austria after August 17th, a new regulation will be in force, under which they must show a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours) when entering the country, or get tested within 48 hours from arrival.
Travellers from the following countries do not need to show a negative COVID-19 test or commit to quarantine: Andorra, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City.
The regulation applies only to people who are residents in the listed countries or Austrian citizens. It is also a prerequisite that you have not been in any country other than Austria or those European countries in the past 10 days.
You do not need to show a test if you are only transiting through Austria without a stopover.
If you were unable to get tested before entering Austria, you are required to get tested within 48 hours after arriving, and you have to self-quarantine until your test results arrive.
The following are considered high risk areas by the Austrian government: Albania, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kosovo, Mexico, Moldavia, Montenegro, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China – Province Hubei, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain mainland only, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and USA. ■