Italy accepting the UK NHS Covid tests?

Hello all:

Has anyone flown into Italy since July 29th, or is anyone flying in prior to Monday? I am getting conflicting information on what is needed to get through Italiian customs, from and from very smart travel sources.

We are Flying into Italy on Tuesday. 5 of us. My wife, 3 boys 15, 13, 11. Trip of a lifetime, and celebrating my wife beating cancer last year. This trip was delayed a year bc of Covid.

Everyone except my 11 year old is vaccinated. I understood that all we had to do was bring our vaccination CDC Cards with us to enter. And my youngest simply needed the antigen rapid test.

However, I'm a centurion card member. And a senior staff member at Amex Centurion, with 30 years experience, and massive expertise in Italy, disagrees. He said we all need PCR tests (they cost 250 each), and we won't be allowed into Italy without it. Here is the email I just got 2 hours ago.

=======

"To recap, the Italy Green Pass requirements for US travelers to Italy are ALL of the following:

Your official Covid Vaccine card as authorized by the CDC. Carry this everywhere, as you will need to produce for dining, museums, shops, etc.

Proof of negative Covid PCR test for each traveler taken within 3 days of flight departure to Italy.

Same negative Covid PCR tests for each traveler taken within 3 days of flight departure back to U.S.

FAILURE TO HAVE YOUR VACCINE CARDS AND PROOF OF NEGATIVE TESTS UPON ARRIVAL TO ITALY WILL RESULT IN YOU NOT BEING ADMITTED INTO THE COUNTRY VIA ITALIAN CUSTOMS.

I left you a message stating that your 11 year old son does not have to have vaccine card, as he is too young for vaccine, which is the same for Italy. HOWEVER, he WILL have to have a negative Covid test within 48 hours of going to a museum, cultural attraction, and indoor dining.

Which means since you are in Rome for 10 days he will need multiple tests to continue to visit museums."

=====

Has anyone just landed in Rome that can tell me if this is correct? Or is anyone traveling before Monday I feel sick about this. Delta says only CDC Cards needed for those the are vaccinated. I would rather not pay the $1250. And don't want my son to be swabbed every two days. But more than anything just want the right answers. Thanks in advance.

Approved COVID-19 tests include a nucleic acid amplification test (e.g. PCR test) or a viral antigen test that is approved by the local health authority--- so in italy this chain offers

BIANALISI

PCR, Antigen & Antibody tests PCR-PCR

Nasal/Throat Swab

24 Hours

EUR

€70

Antigen

Saliva Swab

20 Minutes

EUR

€28'

SO is the 28 euro test acceptable for flight(antigen saliva swab)

Just realised for our BA flights to Naples tomorrow (05 June) that our covid tests were done 2 hours too early and show on the negative test certificates the exact time of 50 the swabs were taken. Will we be allowed to travel? or are they just interested in the date?

If you are planning on traveling on a COVID tested flight ticketed by Delta: the DL website is pretty thorough with info and steps to take regarding advance PCR tests and day of departure procedures. Take a look at the page and choose your applicable route and departure date category: https://www.delta.com/us/en/travel-planning-center/know-before-you-go/italy-covid-tested-flights

Beware… rapid-result PCR tests are not cheap. IME the cost can range from USD 150 to USD 300+

I hope you all make your arrangements correctly so that you will be able to board on your scheduled departure date.

Hello,

I am a fully vaccinated American, I arrived in Milan from the US on August 31, and have been in Italy since.

I am traveling to Sardinia (via plane) on September 4. When I booked these flights, I was aware that all I needed to show was my equivalent of the Green Pass. However, now, there are new regulations for vaccinated Americans needing to show a recent negative tests if they have been in the US within the past 14 days. I know this applies to Americans entering Italy from overseas, but does it apply to Americans who have only been in Italy for less than 14 days?

I know I do not need to fill out a new passenger locator form, but I am confused about the test.

I can't seem to find that information anywhere.

If anyone has any information on this, it would be much appreciated!

I was told on a post on here last night from someone who travelled back from Italy last week that you had to have a PCR test (and only that) to be able to leave Italy.

That a rapid antigen test was not sufficient and people were turned away from flights back to England .

I can not find anything about this online. I have tried ringing the Italian covid hotline and they say they can't understand English!!! I'm really stuck with what to do as I have already arranged return tests at Naples airport 3 hours before flight and I am worried this won't be enough.

From what I have read on the embassy sites, a vaccinated US citizen can travel to Italy, I see "Last updated: 05/25/2021 Travelers departing on COVID-tested international flights between the United States and Italy are not currently subject to quarantine upon arrival in Italy. I see the same thing for Greece. But once I've traveled from the USA to Italy and then from Italy to Greece, will Greece have an issue with me because I am not flying direct to Greece? I look forward to any comments/feedback, thanks

I’m posting this for information as we had mixed messages before leaving for Italy.

2 of my children only have (just under) 5 months left on their passports. Before booking Ryanair flights to Italy I checked the gov.uk website and Ryanair website that both stated 3 months left on passports was needed. When we came to check in online with Ryanair, there is tick box to confirm you have 6 months left on your passport. Also stated in several places that you must have 6 months remaining. Various further web searches gave both answers. Calling Ryanair I was told, yes it had to be 6 months and we would not be able to travel. Having already booked airport hotel, parking and Covid tests we decided to try to fly.

(We had our Covid tests with collinsons at Stanstead which were excellent and efficient- they take swabs, email results sent in 30 minutes)

The result is - we are in Italy. No one cared/ mentioned the less than 6 months remaining on the passports.

Incidentally no one asked to see our Covid results (they asked if we’d had them before checking in but no evidence asked for)

Hope this helps someone. We had a very stressful preceding 48hours!

Okay, looks like most of us vaccinated American's will be free to travel to Europe later this summer. My big question though is what do we need to do in order to return to the US? Will the US still require us to get a negative Covid test before flying home?

My big worry is two fold. First, where do I get one especially if I'm traveling around the country with a set travel schedule already in place? Secondly what happens if we happen to test positive even though were vaccinated? What happens to us then?

I was all excited about these re-openings but the required tests are the big dilemma for me now. Anyone have any insight as to how it might work? How exactly does it work right now for US travelers? Thanks.

I am planning to fly from the UK to Egypt via a transit flight at Milan Malpensa airport. If I remain within Malpensa airport for just a few hours, before catching my flight to Sharm EL Sheikh, would I need a negative Covid test certificate on arrival at Malpensa or is it not necessary? Egypt allows you to take a PCR test on arrival at the Red Sea airports such as Sharm, Hurghada etc for only $30, which is much cheaper than PCR tests in the UK.