Over the last few weeks, Belgium, France and The Netherlands have re-opened their doors (and pubs!) to travelers from the USA as well as a number of other countries.
We have been talking often with our suppliers and everyone seems confident that more and more of the current restrictions will be relaxed as time marches forward. However, it is best to be prepared for whatever surprises and changes may occur before and during your trip as well as upon your return, so that you can travel with peace of mind.
Below, we have shared a few snippets of info from embassy websites to give you an idea of information currently available. Please note that although we will try to update those of you traveling with us as we get closer to our actual beercation dates, information and travel restrictions are changing daily, so this information is only here to give you an idea of how things are being handled in the countries we plan to visit this fall on our Amsterdam to Bruges Beercation Cruise and Belgium & France Beercation Cruise. The snippets below may change by the time you read them. For updated info, we suggest checking the links from both the US embassies in the countries you are visiting, as well as the sites for embassies of the countries you are planning on visiting, to find the most up-to-date info. These sites may also contain info about social distancing, mask requirements, openings, etc.
In Europe, the EU Digital Covid Certificate seems to be a promising option for carrying Covid vaccination and/or test results, or proof of recovery from Covid digitally. In the US The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Travel Pass is now downloadable from the Apple store or Google Play. This app seems to be designed more for airline travel, however, it also has the functions of finding info about travel, testing and vaccine requirements for your specific flight journey as well as locating Covid testing centers and labs at departure and/or arrival locations. Air France and British Airways are currently part of this program, but other carriers heading from the US to European locales may have their own apps. Check with your airline carrier, as they may have their own requirements and restrictions in place for travel as well as their own digital Covid app options.
We will continue to update guests traveling on our European tours regarding specific requirements/restrictions for each country as we get closer to tour dates. If you are traveling with us from outside of the US and need some assistance finding information regarding restrictions from/to your country, please contact us and we will do our best to help.
With a little more than 3 months ahead of us before we head over to Europe, it is good to keep an eye on things but realize that much may change and hopefully it will be for the better.
Belgium:
Snippet from the website of the Embassy and Consulates of Belgium in the United States, dated July 1, 2021:
From June 21st, travel to Belgium from the United States is allowed. An Essential Travel Certificate is no longer needed.
What documents do I need to travel?
√ Your travel documents (passport, residence card, visa if applicable…)
For visa application see Visa for Belgium
√ Negative PCR test result depending on the color attributed to the United States :
-> red = negative PCR test
-> green or orange = no negative PCR test needed
See : https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/colour-codes-by-country/
√ Passenger Health Locator Form
To know if you need to present a negative PCR Test before travelling to Belgium, you need to check the color (red, orange or green) given to the United States at the moment of travel.
If red, a negative PCR test is needed.
If orange or green, no PCR test needed.
Currently the United States is green/orange.
This means that the PCR test is not requested.
Check the colour on the following website : https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/colour-codes-by-country/
All travelers to Belgium, regardless of the means of transport chosen, must complete the Passenger Health Locator Form no earlier than 48 hours before arriving in Belgium.
Please note that airlines decide on the conditions under which they carry passengers. The Belgian Embassy and Consulate Generals have no influence over their decision.
We therefore recommend that you enquire with your airline about the conditions that they apply before booking your flight.
The Netherlands:
Snippet from the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in the Netherlands, dated July 1, 2021
Entry and Exit Requirements
Are U.S. citizens permitted to enter? Yes, as of June 24, 2021.
Travelers resident in the U.S. will no longer be subject to the EU travel restrictions as of June 24, 2021. They will, however, still need to complete a health declaration. Travelers can review the current entry requirements for the Netherlands at https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/checklist-entry
FRANCE:
Snippet from the website of the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in France
All travelers coming from a green list country (including the United States) and fully vaccinated travelers (and minors under age 11) from an orange list country are no longer required to quarantine. All other travelers will still need to quarantine.
We hope this information is helpful to those of you planning on traveling soon and inspirational to those of you planning on future travel. We look forward to sharing the joys of traveling the world for beer with you again soon!
