Travel to Portugal with EU Digital Certificate No-Test

[irrrina]

Hello,

Planning a trip to Portugal in a couple of weeks that requires normally PCR test OR LFT OR EU Digital Covid certificate.

Given both myself and partner are also European citizens, we have asked our birth countries to emit us the certificates - which state that we were fully vaccinated in UK with AZ.

Did anyone else travel in this way from the UK to Portugal, vaccinated in the UK, with EU certificate and without any testing? We'd like to avoid extra hassle and cost if not really required.

Airline is Ryanair.

Thank you

It's where you travel FROM that is important. Not what nationality you are. So you need to check requirements travelling from the UK.

I am mightily confused. We are going in September and from what I can see do not need tests to go as are both double vaccinated. What I'm struggling to get is what about returning?? Do we get tested there and also when we get back???

Interested in this also. We live in Dublin but always fly through the UK as we are a big family and love the great value and extra choice of locations /times from the UK. And we also love staying a night in the UK on the way !!!

Anyway,we had a voucher from EJ so had to book our October and skiing flights in January through the UK even though we are travelling from Dublin and will all have the Digital Covid Cert .

Cannot get a definitive answer from anyone . I have mailed the embassies ( Austria, Netherlands ) and no joy .

I have an EU green pass and am British but resident in Italy.
There's no way the NHS is going to provide me with anything saying I'm vaccinated in the EU surely? Why would they? So if I've understood the OP correctly, I can't see Portugal issuing the equivalent of an EU green pass for one of its citizens resudent elsewhere, vaccinated or not.
In any case, even with double vax, each country still has its own testing regulations. Like if I go to the UK at the moment, I have to go through the testing regime, before, during and before leaving again, plus a 5 day quarantine upon re-entry to Italy, despite being fully vaxxed since May.

@ninnynonny

I am mightily confused. We are going in September and from what I can see do not need tests to go as are both double vaccinated. What I'm struggling to get is what about returning?? Do we get tested there and also when we get back???

Looks like if you are fully vaccinated you still need a test to re-enter the UK www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england#amber-list That says test irrespective of vaccine status

For travel back to the Uk It’s all in the link or obtainable via the link that Geamhradh provided….

But if you want a Cliffs note version of the rules for Amber country to UK it’s basically:

Fully vaccinated adults need to have done a negative test within three days of the date of travel to UK and need, prior to travel to have booked and paid for a post arrival in UK day 2 test.

Having done the prior to travel fill in a Passenger Locator Form.

(All rules subject to change by HMG).

Thank-you!! I felt a bit thick as I somehow couldn't quite get my head round it. I hope it changes.

I am in Portugal - a negative test is a requirement of entry on top of the covid vaccine certification.

If you do not have the EU certificate then you will need an antigen or PCR test to get into Portugal. So if you have the NHS certificate you will need the test.

Thanks all for your replies. A few clarifications on my query:

1. I am not asking about re-entry to UK, I am well aware that at a minimum I need to do a LFT before departure and a PCR on day 2 after arrival, unless the rules change again.

1. We are vaccinated in the UK but our birth country (Romania) provided us with a EU covid certificate that states we were vaccinated in the UK, the vaccine brand and number, and the hospital where we had it. I've heard France does similar equivalent certificates for its citizens that are UK residents.

1. So my query is, in possession of the afore mentioned certificate, can I enter Portugal without need of another test? Someone living in Portugal mentioned on the thread that I couldn't. Is there a link for this? And who's doing the checking: airline crew before departure from the UK or border control upon arrival in Portugal?

Basically I don't understand why if they would be presented with a barcode of a valid EU certificate anyone would still ask for extra test?

Thank you

This is what I found on the Portuguese site:

Reino Unido (Viagens essenciais e não-essenciais)

Teste RT-PCR (ou teste NAAT similar), para todos os passageiros com mais de 12 anos, - 72h antes do embarque, ou
Teste Rápido Antigénio - 48h antes do embarque.
Os passageiros com Certificado Digital COVID da UE não precisam de apresentar teste no momento do embarque.

www.visitportugal.com/pt-pt/content/covid-19-medidas-implementadas-em-portugal

Cheers

Have you checked the gov website? It’s pretty clear on entrance requirements to most countries.

*Screening on arrival
All travellers, apart from children under 12, must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to or through mainland Portugal. The test can be:

a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), including RT-PCR, taken within 72 hours of travel, or
an Antigen test that meets the performance standards set out in the EU common list of Rapid Antigen Tests, taken within 48 hours of travel.
You must show your test certificate before you board your flight to mainland Portugal. Your airline is likely to deny boarding if you cannot show this at check-in. Check with your airline before you travel.

If you have an EU digital COVID vaccination certificate, you do not need to have a COVID-19 test prior to travel. Be prepared to show a digital or paper copy of your certificate when you check-in for your flight and on arrival.

You will be subject to health screening on arrival. If your temperature is 38ºC or over or you show signs of being unwell, you may be required to take a further COVID-19 test and remain at the airport until you receive your test result.*

That’s from the gov website. Looks like you need either to be vaccinated or to have a test, not both.

The link you've posted clearly states you don't need to present a negative test in order to board the plane if you have an EU Covid vaccination certificate.

It states if you have an EU COVID certificate you don't need a negative test - so you should be fine.

We had to present our vaccine certification (nhs), our negative test and passenger locator forms at check in and also on arrival in Portugal.

Perfect that makes sense. And indeed the information is pretty clear on the gov website, thought I'd double check on the Portuguese one in case I was missing anything.

Thanks again

It sounds like you’d be okay to use your EU Covid Digital Cert.

I’ve done multiple EU trips this summer and I’ve found the website ‘reopen europa’ - or something along those lines - very useful. It’s an official source of information and you can select the country you’re going to/through, and it explains all the option for EU, non-EU, vaccinated or tested… it’s very helpful and easy to navigate.