Romania lifts restrictions for vaccinated tourists

Medical, health and other tourists who have received their final vaccination for COVID-19 more than 10 days ago, are exempt from quarantine in Romania. Proof of vaccination, including the dates, is required.

Entry from EU Member States or Schengen Associated countries is allowed without restrictions, with the exception of high risk countries.

Romania’s Committee for Emergency Situations (CNSU) has different rules for those arriving from countries with a high number of coronavirus cases.

Green, yellow and red countries are all permitted to enter Romania but with very different entry requirements. Red and yellow countries are listed but all others are regarded as green.

Green nations have cumulative incidence rates of new cases over the past 14 days of less than 1.5 per 1000 population. Yellow is between 1.5 and 3 per 1000, and Red is over 3 per 1000.The list is updated weekly.

Those arriving from countries on the Yellow List must show a negative PCR test carried out at most 72 hours before entering the country.

All travellers arriving from a Red country are expected to quarantine for 14 days. There is an option to shorten the 14-day quarantine down to 10 days by taking a PCR test on Day 8. People from Red countries may also need to provide a 72-hour negative PCR test to board an airline.

Exemptions to the 14-day quarantine are:

• Proof of vaccination (at least 10 days from the final shot)
• Proof of recovery (positive test from 14-90 days prior to entry)

Travellers who arrive from countries on the Yellow or Green lists do not need to quarantine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) recommends that Romanians to travel abroad only if absolutely essential; greatly reducing outbound medical and health tourism. But Romanians who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can travel abroad without having to quarantine on their return.

One in four medical tourists are estimated to be Romanian diaspora. Most patients are from Italy and Spain, two countries with large Romanian communities. There are also visitors from Israel, Germany, UK and Switzerland. According to the National Association of Travel Agents, most health tourists come from the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Israel and are aged between 40 and 60.