Is anyone hoping to go to Portugal?

[Appuskidu]

And has a plan they can share with me?!

Am I right in thinking as of the 19th July, both adults and children age 11-17 will need a pre departure test before you fly, and a test on Day 2 after returning? But won’t need to quarantine if double jabbed?

Where are you planning on getting your tests from and how much are they??

I was, but have shelved that. They are back to increasing restrictions, curfews in some areas etc.

It’s a bit of a minefield. I’m also trying to work out what tests are needed in Portugal before returning to England- none of it seems very clear.

In Portugal now. The restrictions aren’t that noticeable but I’m old so happy to be in by 11! You just need a lat flow test 48 hours before departure for UK. All very quiet and safe. Mask wearing much more adhered to than in Britain and I’m not sure they do exemptions. We’ve travelled around a fair bit internally with no issues. Really glad we came.

We have rising covid cases here in the algarve, but few deaths and people are masked etc. You need to eat outside at weekends but bearing in mind the weather, this is not exactly a hardship.

@Rachie20

In Portugal now. The restrictions aren’t that noticeable but I’m old so happy to be in by 11! You just need a lat flow test 48 hours before departure for UK. All very quiet and safe. Mask wearing much more adhered to than in Britain and I’m not sure they do exemptions. We’ve travelled around a fair bit internally with no issues. Really glad we came.

Thank you for replying! Do you have to get/do the lateral flow tests from particular place before leaving Portugal? I presume the English ones we do at school aren’t ok to use?!

Can I also ask where you got your pre departure/Day 2 tests from and what the timings was like with the pre departure one??

Thank you!

Yes, we are hoping to go to Portugal in a couple of weeks time, carried over from last year. Randox is a good website to start with. They offer an Algarve package with all the tests you need although it's a bit more expensive. We are probably going to do their fit to fly and day 2 test and just get the test to return one in Portugal. I believe they are easy to get in the resorts for about 30 euros.

There's quite a lot of info on the Portugal TripAdvisor forum.

Thank you-I will check out the Trip Advisor website.

Hoping to go beginning of august but still not sure whether it’s worth biking and paying for tests if it doesn’t actually go ahead (package)

I’m really baffled by the testing. Am I right in thinking it’s either a PCR or antigen test pre- departure? It says on the gov list that these are the approved antigen tests

ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/preparedness_response/docs/covid-19_rat_common-list_en.pdf

But I don’t know if the Boots or the Randox ones are on there?! What tests do they use!?

I’m also worried about getting a test done and not getting the results back in time?!

Check visitportugal.com

It's 72 hours in advance for a PCR or 48 hours for a LFT

Passengers from the UK (Essential and non-essential travel)
▪ All travellers to mainland Portugal (aged 12 or older) are required to show a negative Covid-19 test:
▪ - RT-PCR taken within 72 hours of departure or
▪ - Lateral flow test taken 48 hours prior to departure
▪ Comply with 14 days of prophylactic isolation on arrival in Portugal, or
▪ Have complete vaccination for 14 days.
▪ Children and young people that are yet to complete 18 years old at the time of their departure flight are exempt from quarantine as long as they travel accompanied by their parents, parent or responsible adult that are fully vaccinated/immunised as per EU directives

▪ * Children under 12 years old are exempt of testing requirements
▪ * Young people from 12 to 18 years old must comply with testing requirements
▪ All passengers must complete the Passenger Locator Card (individually), prior to departure to Portugal or on board, available at:<a class="break-all" href="https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/%20portugalcleanandsafe.pt/en/passenger-locator-card" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> portugalcleanandsafe.pt/en/passenger-locator-card
▪ Passengers required to undergo prophylactic isolation must register at https://travel.sef.pt

I think that at the moment you have to quarantine on arrival.
That may change but there’s no guarantee

You don’t have to quarantine if double jabbed 14 days before arrival. Some places now ask proof of negative covid or double vax to allow you in. Temperature testing in museums etc. is standard. But it feels very safe. You will get looks/stopped if you’re not wearing a mask inside or on the street. Only non-mask wearing I’ve seen has been from tourists.

So from 19th July you can do either a PCR or Antigen?

Do all of the usual suppliers (Randox etc) sell Antigen tests which are accepted? It’s difficult to see which is which on that list.

@CloudPop- do you know if that applies to Madeira too?

Look at the visitportugal website - it has all the relevant information for Portugal, Madeira and the Azores broken out

I was in Portugal in May and I’m going back there next week as have family there and a home there.
Antigen is fine to go as long as it certified and you get a fit to fly certificate within 48 hours of travel. Children are exempt. 48 hours before you leave Portugal you need to have another antigen I’m taking them with me from the UK and then have a video call booked for somebody to witness the negative result in an email made a fit to fly it saves all the hassle of having to find somewhere out there as even in May that was difficult and time-consuming. Randox day two tests booked for when we get back home.

Antigen is fine to go as long as it certified and you get a fit to fly certificate within 48 hours of travel

Can I ask how I’d know if it’s certified? The list here doesn’t mention any of the actual ones I’ve seen for sale, like Boots/Randox etc

ec.europa.eu/health/sites/default/files/preparedness_response/docs/covid-19_rat_common-list_en.pdf

I’m a bit worried about timings for the pre departure ones. Are you best off doing the test at exactly 48 hours before the flight out and then dropping it at the Randox drop off point (looks like there are some at Moto services?!) ASAP? I presume the 48 hours is the maximum time before flying you can test?

And do you need to to have booked and received your Day 2 test before leaving the UK? I didn’t know if you already needed that info on your passenger form when you fly out, or not?

You can use a company like c19 testing where you do the antigen test at home and show them the results and they email you the fit to fly certificate,it just has to meet the government’s standards which is on the gov website.
Randox are PCR and you get 72 hours with those due to lab processing. I did my Randox test on the Tuesday morning and flew on the Friday morning results were back by Wednesday lunchtime after I dropped the test to the courier dropbox on Tuesday afternoon.

You need to have booked your day two test before you fly home because when you book it you get reference numbers which need to be added to your locator form and you can’t fly without it you don’t physically have to receive the test but you do need to have paid for them.

@Thischarmlessgirl

You need to have booked your day two test before you fly home because when you book it you get reference numbers which need to be added to your locator form and you can’t fly without it you don’t physically have to receive the test but you do need to have paid for them.

Ah, right-thank you, @Thischarmlessgirl so you need to have booked the Day 2 test before you fly home to England, but not before you fly OUT to Portugal in the first place?

@Appuskidu yes exactly, It needs to be booked and paid for so that you can use the reference number in your locator form to come home

Has anyone been to Portugal with BA recently? I've checked in for our flight tomorrow morning, and have had all the necessary paperwork verified (Covid tests etc), but it is saying that I do not have valid travel documents 😩 spoke to the call centre and they weren't able to explain what this issue is.