Travel to Portugal

[Teawaster]

My son is flying to Faro on Portugal at the weekend . He is travelling onwards to Spain to return to his placement as part of his Uni year out.
When he left in September he had to have a LFT , which he did at home with one we ordered, uploaded the result and got a fit to fly cert.
This time I ordered the same . Was just about to get him to do it and I checked the govt website to check the rules and it now says that the test has to be a laboratory test and a self administered test is not sufficient . Does anyone know if the one I ordered on line is regarded as a self administered test or would it be the NHS ones that are regarded as such ? The company , Rapidtraveltest.co.Uk says that Portugal is one of the countries that accepts its antigen tests , although it's entirely possible that Portugal changed its rules since then as I saw something about updated regs on 22/12. If he has a fit to fly cert when going through security , who would know whether it was administered at home or a lab?
Anyone been to Portugal since Xmas? Thanks

Hi OP I don't have any specific knowledge about Portugal but to me it looks from the government FCO site that you have to have a test at a facility done by a professional, and any home test isn't sufficient.

Before you travel to mainland Portugal
You must complete an online passenger locator cardd_ and be prepared to show a negative COVID-19 test result certificate (except children aged 11 or under).
You may have a RT-PCR or an antigen test. Make sure the test you choose meets the following criteria:
• all tests must be carried out by trained healthcare professionals. Self-administered tests are not acceptable
• antigen tests must be completed within 48 hours of departure. They must meet the standards set out in the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Testss_
• RT-PCR tests must be completed within 72 hours of departure
Your test certificate must contain the information set out in Annex II of the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Testt_. For example, it must:
• give your name, date of birth and passport number
• the type of test taken and the date and time the sample was collected
• the date of the result and the name of the testing facility or centre and responsible clinician
• you should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test
Your airline may deny boarding if you cannot show an appropriate test certificate when you check-in for your flight. Check with your airline before you travel.
Your entry to Portugal can also be denied if you cannot provide an appropriate test certificate unless you are legally resident, in which case you will have to take a test at the airport at your own expense and you may be fined from €300 to €800.
If your test is positive, you will need to self-isolate for up to 14 days at home or in a place indicated by the Portuguese authorities.
For further information on COVID-19 entry requirements, check the Portuguese Airport authority passenger guidee and Visit Portugal websitee.

You don't have to test at all at the moment if you go directly to Spain. I've just come back.

Thank you both. Yes I saw that you don't need any test to go to Spain , but as he is flying to Portugal , he has to abide by their rules to get in , I assume .
On his passenger locator form he has to put in a Portuguese address , even though he doesn't have one . If he tries to complete a Spanish passenger locator form , it's asking for non relevant details like flight number into Spain and other things that he can't complete . As there is a possibility that he may have to stay in a hotel for a night if he misses his bus which is 30 mins after arrival, we have put the address of the hotel . DS is very rule driven and is panicking about that ! Anyway he went to a test centre at the airport today and got his fit to fly cert . So money wanted on the self administered tests , although they also provide a fit to fly cert . Better to be safe than sorry though

They are very hot on checking whether tests were self administered or not, as are the airlines because the Portuguese government has massively increased the fines they face if they fly someone in who hasn’t had the right tests. For future reference the safe communities Portugal Facebook page is a great source of information, they update really quickly (and in English) on the latest Portuguese requirements.

Thanks @Sleepyteach . That's very useful

@pixie5121 , we are in NI. No direct flights from Belfast to Seville . DS is based in a town in Andalusia which is an hours drive from Faro so the obvious choice . Dublin to Seville was an option but flights more expensive and there is the travel between Belfast to Dublin which makes it all less convenient

I have a relative who flew to Portugal last week. He had to go to a clinic and get a test. The certificate he received confirmed it has been done at the clinic. He did this because he had heard of people being turned away with other certificates that didnt specify.

@Forgetaboutme , thank you . I'm glad we got it done at a clinic , although we paid for the self tests too. Don't want to arrive at the airport tomorrow and turned away ! Hope to go over and visit DS in a while so maybe rules will have changed by then or DS can use them for coming back