As we continue to receive a lot of questions from our readers about travel restrictions that apply during this period and new changes appear every week, we have written an update to our previous article about the conditions in which foreign citizens can enter Romania and the measures they must follow upon entry.

People who want to travel to Romania can be currently placed into three categories:

1. People who can enter the country and are not subject to any restrictions

This category includes all citizens (Romanians and foreigners) who come from the countries currently on the GREEN list and show no COVID-19 symptoms when entering the country. The GREEN list was most recently updated on July 6. All the countries in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA), including the UK and Switzerland, are on this list. The list also includes 12 other countries with lower COVID-19 risk, such as Australia, Canada, South Korea, Japan, and New Zealand.
*Luxembourg, although an EU country, was included on the YELLOW list of high-risk countries as of July 27, so anyone coming from this country will have to quarantine for 14 days.

2. People who can enter the country but must quarantine/self isolate for 14 days

This category includes Romanian citizens and EU citizens who come from countries that are not on the GREEN list, as well as people who are exempted from the travel ban imposed on foreign tourists coming from outside the EU.
There are currently 12 exceptions to the travel ban imposed on non-EU citizens (under the Government decision 553 adopted on July 15, 2020):
-family members of Romanian citizens;
-family members of EU citizens with residence in Romania;
-citizens with long term stay visas, permits or equivalent documents issued by Romanian or other EU countries;
-people who travel for work and have the documents to prove this; medical personnel;
-diplomatic personnel;
-people in transit, including those under consular protection;
-passengers who travel for “imperative reasons”;
-asylum seekers;
-foreigners who come to study in Romania;
-highly-skilled workers who are essential;
-seasonal workers in agriculture; cross-border workers; sailing crews;
-members of foreign sports delegations who participate in international competitions organized in Romania
Although they are allowed to enter the country, these categories of citizens are requested to quarantine for 14 days if they come from high-risk countries (YELLOW list). They can stay under quarantine at home, at a location they choose, or in a location provided by the local authorities.
The YELLOW list of high-risk countries was most recently updated on July 21. A total of 44 countries are on this list, including the US, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Argentina, South Africa, and Luxembourg.

3. People who are not allowed to enter the country at all

This category includes all non-EU, non-EEA citizens who plan to travel to Romania from the YELLOW countries or from other countries outside the GREEN area and don’t meet any of the 12 exceptions mentioned above.

And now, to answer the question in the title of this article: I am a US citizen. Can I enter Romania? Do I have to quarantine?

It depends: If you are also a Romanian/EU citizen, or you meet one of the 12 exceptions to the travel ban on non-EU citizens, then you will be allowed to enter the country. Still, you will have to quarantine for 14 days. If you are a US citizen and want to visit Romania as a tourist, then you may not be allowed to enter the country if you can’t prove that your trip is imperative.

Disclaimer: This article is based on official information available as of July 27, 2020. Regulations change rather often in this period, so it is advisable to consult official sources, such as embassies or consulates in your country, before making any travel plans/arrangements to Romania.

This is the website of the US Embassy in Romania and this is the website of the Romanian Embassy in the US.

The Romanian Border Police’s website includes useful information for citizens who travel to the country. Unfortunately, the English section of the website is not updated with the latest news.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: ID 175965504 © Flowertiare | Dreamstime.com)