Covid-19 information: Portugal

Latest News: Government extends flight restrictions from countries with high COVID-19 cases until 16 May (Reuters, 01.05.2021). Land border between Portugal and Spain to fully reopen 1 May (Reuters, 29.04.2021). Government will end COVID-19 state of emergency on 30 April (Reuters, 27.04.2021). Portuguese government lifts ban on flights to, from Brazil for business and study trips (Rio Times, 17.04.2021). Portuguese government lifts ban on U.K. flights (The Independent, 16.04.2021).




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

Documents you need to travel in Europe
Health cover for temporary stays



*Transit:

As a general rule, passengers in transit in the EU+ area should be exempted from temporary travel restrictions. EU citizens entering the EU from a third country, as well as their family members, irrespective of their nationality, are exempted from the travel restrictions regardless of whether or not they are returning to their country of nationality or residence.

Passengers travelling from a non-EU country to another non-EU country may transit through the international transit area of airports located in the Schengen area. Rules regarding airport transit visa requirements continue to apply.

More specifically for Portugal, 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)

*From Third Countries:

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

Internal Restrictions:

*Travel in Portugal: The Portuguese government implemented a 4-stage plan for easing COVID-19 restrictions on 15 March. Most of mainland Portugal entered the fourth stage on 1 May. There are additional restrictions in some municipalities where the infection rate is higher. See the Portuguese government’s website for details of the 4-stage plan.

Measures are still in place throughout Portugal to control the spread of the virus. There remains an ongoing civic duty to remain at home, whenever possible, and 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 workplaces, healthcare facilities, and other enclosed spaces, as determined by the health authorities. You can also be asked to provide a negative COVID-19 test.

You can be fined if you breach the regulations.

*Public spaces and services: -Mainland Portugal: Access to public spaces and services and the right to spend time outside and move between municipalities vary according to the COVID-19 incidence rate in each municipality. The following measures are currently in place:

-In the municipalities of Odemira and Portimão: • Shops and other commercial premises, with the exception of supermarkets, grocery and hardware stores, pharmacies and petrol stations, are closed. • Restaurants and cafés are closed, except for takeaway and food delivery services. Food that is collected must be eaten at home. The sale of alcohol is prohibited. • Travelling outside these municipalities is not allowed, except for essential purposes, such as to go to work or for medical treatment. If you have to travel outside your municipality, be prepared to show evidence of the nature of your journey, if asked.

-Additional restrictions in São Teotónio and Longueira-Almograve in the municipality of Odemira:
Due to an increase in the number of infections, travel to, from and through the parish towns of São Teotónio and Longueira-Almograve in the municipality of Odemira is not permitted. If you are already visiting or living in São Teotónio or Longueira-Almograve, you can leave home for essential shopping, to go to the pharmacy or health centre, or to go to work if you cannot work from home.

If you need to leave home, ensure you maintain the recommended 2m social distance, wear a face covering and stay close to where you are living.

For further details see the Portuguese government’s website (in Portuguese).

-In the municipalities of Aljezur, Carregal do Sal and Resende: • Supermarkets, grocery and hardware stores, pharmacies, petrol stations and small high street shops are open; • Restaurants and cafés may open their terraces. Gatherings are limited to 4 people per table; • Groups of up 4 can take exercise together outdoors. Gyms are open.

For further details, see the Portuguese government’s website (in Portuguese)
-In the municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Paredes and Valongo: • All shops and commercial premises are open; • Restaurants and cafés are open. Gatherings are limited to 4 people per table indoors and 6 people per table outdoors; • Cultural venues, including museums, art galleries, cinemas, theatres and auditoria are open; • Outdoor events are permitted provided attendance is limited to 5 people per 100m2; • Groups of up to 6 can take exercise together outdoors. For further details, see the Portuguese government’s website (in Portuguese).

-In all remaining municipalities in mainland Portugal: • All shops and commercial premises are open until 9pm on weekdays and 7pm on weekends; • Restaurants and cafés are open until 10.30pm. Gatherings are limited to 6 people per table indoors and 10 people per table outdoors. • Cultural venues, including museums, art galleries, cinemas, theatres and auditoria are open. • Group exercise outdoors and in gyms is permitted; For further details, see thePortuguese government’s website (in Portuguese)

-Madeira and Porto Santo: Measures are in place in the autonomous region of Madeira to limit the spread of the virus. You are obliged to remain at home every day from 11pm to 5am the next morning. Shops and other commercial premises, with the exception of pharmacies, health centres and petrol stations, close at 10pm. Restaurants and cafés can remain open until 10pm for takeaway and food delivery services only. Further details can be found on the regional government’s website (in Portuguese). See also these FAQs (in Portuguese). Information in English is available on the Madeiran Tourist Office website.

-The Azores: Measures are in place throughout the autonomous region of the Azores to limit the spread of the virus. There are 5 levels of risk in the Azores – very low, low, heremedium, medium high and high. Each level has its own restrictions. São Miguel is currently the only island classified as high risk. All other islands are very low risk. Until further notice, you should stay at home: • On weekdays from 8pm to 5am; • On weekends from 3pm to 5am; Restaurants and cafés are closed, except for food delivery and takeaways services. Shops close at 8pm during the week and at 3pm on weekends. Keep up-to-date with any changes to the risk levels in your area and related restrictions on the Regional Government’s website. Change the language to English using the translation option at the bottom left-hand corner of the page.

*Inter-island travel: If you are travelling from a high or medium risk island to a low risk island, you will need to: • show a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test taken, at most, 72 hours before you travel, or • take a PCR COVID-19 test on arrival, or • show a medical report which proves you have recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 90 days. You will also need to complete a passenger questionnaire before you depart. If you are staying for more than 7 days, you will have to repeat the test 6 days after the first test. If you are staying for more than 13 days, you will have to repeat the test 12 days after the first test. If your flight is cancelled or delayed and your PCR COVID-19 test exceeds the 72 hour timeframe, you will have to take a test on arrival and self-isolate until you receive confirmation of a negative result. This does not apply to children aged 12 and under. If you are travelling from a low risk island to another low risk island and you transit a medium or high risk island, you will not need a PCR COVID-19 test provided you remain airside throughout.

*Face coverings: On mainland Portugal and in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, 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. 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: If you are booking accommodation, check it meets the required hygiene and cleaning standards and look out for the Portuguese Tourist Board’s “clean and safe” certification .