Belgium: COVID-19 Entry Requirements What Travelers Need To Know

Belgium has officially reopened its borders for tourism since June 15, 2020. However, travel restrictions have been changing constantly due to the unpredictable Covid-19 situation.

Currently, Belgian authorities have been allowing the entry of travelers coming from several EU countries, including the UK, and the four EFTA nations, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Norway.

Here are the current COVID-19 entry requirements and restrictions you should be aware about if you’re planning to travel to Belgium soon.

Who Can Enter Belgium Restriction-Free?

All fully vaccinated travelers arriving in Belgium coming from within the EU countries and other countries under the “green categories” can enter with no need to quarantine or undergo testing. However, they must show proof of having been fully vaccinated with one of the European Medicines Agency authorized vaccines, such as Moderna, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Janssen. They must be able to present the vaccination certificate upon arrival so they can enter without any restrictions.

Travelers who can present a recovery certificate to prove that they have recovered from the Covid-19 disease are also allowed to enter with no restrictions. Another option a traveler can enter restriction-free is to present a negative test result of the Covid-19 PCR test.

Belgium uses a color coded system to classify regions and countries according to their risk of Covid-19 infection. Countries with no risk of infection are classified as “green”. Vaccinated travelers coming from these countries are allowed to enter Belgium with no need to undergo quarantine or testing.

Here are the countries that belong to Belgium’s “green categories”.

all EU and Schengen Zone countries
Albania
Australia
New Zealand
Rwanda
Singapore
South Korea
Thailand
Israel
Japan
Lebanon
Republic of North Macedonia
Serbia
United States of America
Hongkong
Macao
Taiwan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei Darussalam
Canada
Jordan
Kosovo
Moldova
Montenegro
Qatar
Saudi Arabia

Restrictions for Travelers Coming From Countries Not on the Green List

Countries that are not on Belgium’s “green list” are categorized as either “orange” or “red”.

Those under the orange list are considered as having a “moderately elevated risk” of Covid-19 infections. Vaccinated travelers coming from these countries are also free from quarantine and testing restrictions. As of July 2021, here’s a list of countries under Belgium’s orange list:

Ireland
Luxembourg
Monaco
Andorra
The Netherlands, except Friesland, Drenthe, Flevoland, and Limburg, which are considered green regions
Sweden, except Stockholm, Middle Norrland, East Middle Sweden, South Sweden, West Sweden which are categorized as green regions
Capital Region of Denmark
The Greek regions of Attica, Crete, and South Aegean
The Spanish regions of Galicia, Castilla-La Mancha and Melilla
The Finnish region of Helsinki-Uusimaa
The French region of Guadeloupe
The Norwegian regions of Trøndelag, Adger, and South-Eastern Norway
The Portuguese region of Azore

Countries and regions that were not on the green or orange list of countries are considered “red”. Travelers coming from European regions in the red zone can enter quarantine-free if they can show proof of having been vaccinated, recovered from the virus, or a negative test result taken within 48 hours of arrival. Unvaccinated travelers will be tested upon arrival in Belgium. If they are negative, they are free to leave. But if they test positive, they must undergo quarantine. Children below 12 years old are not required to undergo testing.

For vaccinated travelers coming from countries outside of the European Union, they are required to undergo the Covid-19 test on their first or second day of arrival in Belgium. They must remain isolated while waiting for the result. Only if they test negative can they leave quarantine. On the other hand, unvaccinated travelers must undergo a 10-day quarantine upon their arrival in Belgium. They must get tested for the Covid-19 virus on their first and seventh day of quarantine and can only leave quarantine if the results are negative.

Below is a list of countries and regions in Europe which Belgian authorities believe to be at high risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus.

Cyprus
Spanish regions of Aragon, Catalonia, Cantabria, La Rioja, Andalusia, Canary Islands, Valencian Community, Asturias, Basque Country, Navarre, Communidad de Madrid, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Baleares, Murcia
French regions of Martinique, French Guiana, Réunion
Portuguese regions of North, Algarve, Center (PT), Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Alentejo

Restrictions for Travelers Coming from “Very-High” Risk Countries

Travelers coming from countries considered “very high risk” can enter Belgium but they will be subject to strict restrictions, whether they have been vaccinated or not. This includes a mandatory 10-day quarantine at a government-approved facility.

As of July 2021, here’s a list of countries that Belgian authorities considered “very high risk”: