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Original poster

Has anyone travelled from UK to Belgium?

20 replies

ewchoc · 20/10/2021 09:41

I need to travel to Brussels for work and I am very unclear on whether I will need to test & isolate. The UK gov website says no, the Belgium gov website says yes as we are a red country outside the EU. Has anyone successfully travelled there and can let me know if you needed to isolate? I'm fully vaccinated and would be there for just under 48 hours, travelling by Eurostar.

OP posts:

Rafting2022 · 15/11/2021 23:30

Hi @ewchoc - did your trip go ahead? I am in the same situation. I’ve booked to go to Bruges in 2 weeks and the information is different between the UK and Belgian websites about whether you have to take a test on arrival in Belgium.

Can anyone help?

MumInBrussels · 16/11/2021 02:24

www.info-coronavirus.be/en/faq/ is the official information. It's not very clear at all... My mum came to visit us a month or so ago and the rules in place then were that if you can prove you're double vaccinated, you need to test on day 1 and day 7 of your stay. You'll need to quarantine until you get your day 1 results. However, you can also do a PCR test before travel (within 72 hours before your arrival time in Belgium) and if you do this, you don't need to do a day 1 test or quarantine, but would still need to do a day 7 test.

But even the official helpline was a bit confused about the rules and we got multiple different answers about the testing and quarantine requirements when we phoned for advice. (The number is +32 78151771 if you feel like trying your luck.)

The rules in Flanders may vary, but the entry requirements should be the same for the whole country. Though they're having another security council meeting on Wednesday, with expected new restrictions by the weekend, so you might want to look again after Wednesday in case things have changed again!

MumInBrussels · 16/11/2021 02:29

If you're coming to Belgium for less than 48 hours, though, I'm pretty sure none of this applies. I don't think you need to fill out a passenger locator form if your stay will be less than 48 hours, and so won't need to test or quarantine. But I would definitely check that with the helpline people, and check it's still the case after Wednesday.

Rafting2022 · 16/11/2021 07:05

Thanks @MumInBrussels that’s good to know and glad it’s not just me that finds the info confusing! We’re only going for 2 nights (but more than 48 hours) so I’ll cancel if we have to do a test while there to avoid the risk of having to isolate in Belgium for 10 days.

Hopefully it will become clearer so I can make a decision in the next few days and go elsewhere if this isn’t going to work out.

Aderyn21 · 16/11/2021 07:13

Dh has literally just gone for less than 48 hours - he had to get a PCR test in London the day before (one of those that give you the result by midnight).

MumInBrussels · 16/11/2021 07:57

@Rafting2022 look into the pre-travel PCR tests instead of testing in Belgium. That way, if you do test positive, you'll at least not be over here when you do! And you'll avoid the need to quarantine until you get the result, which could take up a lot of your stay otherwise.

You'll also need a day 2 test after getting back to the UK, I think - but they changed the rules on that after my mum's visit so not sure what those are right now...

miafeta · 16/11/2021 09:17

I travelled mid October and at the time if the stay was under 48h no testing or self isolation was required for the vaccinated. This was confirmed by the Belgian Embassy on Twitter as indeed other guidance gave conflicting advice. Perhaps contact them.

Rafting2022 · 16/11/2021 18:47

I’m going for just over 48 hours so if I’ll need to test whilst I’m there I’ll cancel as I can’t risk having to self-isolate there. I take the point about doing a test before I go but there’s still a small risk of still testing positive whilst there. The problem is the different information between the UK website and the Belgian website. Maybe it will become clear if the rules change tomorrow as a PP mentioned above.

Should have just booked to go to Morecambe lol.

MumInBrussels · 17/11/2021 00:39

But if you test before you go, you wouldn't need to test when you're here, unless you're still there on day 7. But in any case, I'd wait and see what they decide later today, in case it affects restaurants etc. I don't think it will, the hospitality industry would be furious, but it's always a possibility. You don't want to come if you can't eat!

Bruges is lovely, though - if you can't come this time, I hope you can go another time when things are more back to normal!

Rafting2022 · 17/11/2021 02:58

Can you point me in the direction please of where it says you don’t have to test in Belgium @MumInBrussels? The UK website says this:

Rafting2022 · 17/11/2021 02:59

Travellers who are fully vaccinated with a Belgian, EU Vaccination Certificate or an NHS COVID Pass or certificate with a QR code (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

You must:

complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), unless you fall under a very limited list of exemptions listed on the Belgian government website (under the Transport and International section)

take a PCR or RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) test on day 1 or 2 after arrival and quarantine until you receive a negative result

MumInBrussels · 17/11/2021 05:02

I'm so sorry, I've told you the wrong thing. When my mum came over, there was an additional bit to that guidance and on the Belgian FAQs that said that you could alternatively take a PCR test before travel and if you did this and it was negative, you were exempt from quarantining and the day 1 test in Belgium, but would still have to do the day 7 test. But that's not there any more! They've apparently changed it and didn't announce it, which is not very helpful of them... I'm so very sorry for giving you the wrong information @Rafting2022.

If you can postpone the trip, that might be better then - you don't want to come all this way just to risk being stuck quarantining in your hotel room!

Cascascascas · 17/11/2021 05:41

@ewchoc

You need PCR test before with in 72 hours and the UK gib site is wrong.

Even if vaccinated you will get a text to do a PCR test on day two and day seven.

Plan it it advance.

I went to a company event if caught slot of people out and a sort of running around had to happen.

Yes the cops arrived to check.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 17/11/2021 05:52

DW (fully vaccinated) went to Belgium for one day last week. DS (also fully vaccinated) is currently studying in Belgium and has come back for odd weekends.

The rules are absolutely clear, for less than 48 hours in the country if you have proof of full vaccination:
No requirement to test beforehand
No need to isolate in Belgium
No need to test in Belgium
Must book a (diy) test for day 2 of your return
Must fill in a PLF for both legs of your journey before you leave the UK.

Family members have done this several times.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 17/11/2021 05:57

Apologies - answered the OP, not the later poster.
Rules sre substantially different if you are staying longer than 48 hours. (Isolation and mandatory testing in Belgium)

Rafting2022 · 17/11/2021 07:08

Thanks all. The reason for my confusion is that the Belgian website makes no reference to testing whilst in Belgium:

Are you travelling from a red zone outside the European Union or Schengen area?

Do you have a vaccination?

Get tested (PCR or RAT, see note above) on day 1 or 2 after you return from your trip. Did you test negative? Then you can end quarantine as soon as you get your test result.

Get tested (PCR or RAT, see note above) again on day 7.

Original poster

ewchoc · 17/11/2021 07:21

@Rafting2022 I'm here now (staying less than 48 hours) and haven't taken a test or anything. The only thing they checked on boarding and disembarking the Eurostar was that you had completed the Belgium passenger locator form. They didn't actually look at it or scan the we code, just wanted you to vaguely wave it in their direction. It might be different if you're travelling by plane.

I have booked a day 2 test for return to the uk, and filled out the uk locator form as I assume I'll need those to get back in

OP posts:

Original poster

ewchoc · 17/11/2021 07:24

The less/more than 48 hours seems to be the critical thing. Although there are others in my group who are staying a little over 48 hours and they haven't done anything around testing or isolating. No one seems to be checking anything. And I was warned I would need my covid passport everywhere but haven't been asked once.

OP posts:

MumInBrussels · 17/11/2021 07:34

@Rafting2022

Thanks all. The reason for my confusion is that the Belgian website makes no reference to testing whilst in Belgium:

Are you travelling from a red zone outside the European Union or Schengen area?

Do you have a vaccination?

Get tested (PCR or RAT, see note above) on day 1 or 2 after you return from your trip. Did you test negative? Then you can end quarantine as soon as you get your test result.

Get tested (PCR or RAT, see note above) again on day 7.

I think the confusion is that they seem to have written it from the perspective of people living in Belgium. So by "after you return" I think they mean "after you arrive in Belgium". Which is confusing for anyone who is going to Belgium on holiday...

Rafting2022 · 17/11/2021 09:31

Ha ha clear as mud isn’t it.

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