Iceland to Lift All Travel Restrictions

Starting tomorrow, the island nation will no longer require travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test to visit.

Iceland to Lift All Travel Restrictions 

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall is one place travelers can visit in Iceland.

Photo by Yves Alarie/Unsplash

On February 25, Iceland will lift all of its coronavirus travel restrictions, meaning visitors no longer have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test (nor do they need to be vaccinated) to enter the country.

“No disease prevention measures will be in place at the border, regardless of whether individuals are vaccinated or unvaccinated,” Iceland’s Ministry of Health said in a press statement on February 23.

Previously, those traveling to Iceland were required to submit proof of vaccination (defined as either the initial one or two doses completed within the past nine months or a booster shot). Unvaccinated travelers, without proof of recovery from prior infection, needed to present negative PCR test results on arrival, then take another PCR test upon arrival, then quarantine for five days at an approved accommodation, and then test again at the end of quarantine to be released.

Similarly, all domestic measures will be done away with, ranging from restrictions on social gatherings to mandatory quarantine for those who test positive for COVID-19.

Iceland joins a growing number of Asian and European countries that have recently lifted or eased restrictions both domestically and at the border. Some of those countries have included Norway, which dropped its quarantine requirement for international arrivals on January 26 (removing the last of any and all entry requirements), and Israel, which will allow unvaccinated travelers to visit starting March 1 (subject to pre- and post-arrival PCR tests).

This news comes days after Icelandair, a major airline that operates near the capital city of Reykjavík, announced its spring fare sale. Until March 8, the air carrier is offering round-trip fares for as low as $379 on flights from 12 U.S.cities (and three Canadian ones) to 20 destinations spanning Europe. With all Icelandair flights, it’s possible to add a free stopover in Iceland (which can range from one to seven nights) to any itinerary.

>> Next: The Best Things to Do in Iceland

Bailey Berg is a freelance travel writer and editor, who covers breaking news, trends, tips, transportation, sustainability, the outdoors, and more. She was formerly the associate travel news editor at AFAR. Her work can also be found in the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, the Points Guy, Atlas Obscura, Vice, Thrillist, Men’s Journal, Architectural Digest, Forbes, Lonely Planet, and beyond.
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