As Czech borders open to foreigners, these are the new rules of European and non-European travel

Effective today, Czechs will no longer need to produce a negative COVID-19 test when returning home from Europe except for when arriving from high-risk areas such as Portugal, Sweden, and Poland’s Silesia province.

To a large extent, the Czech borders have opened to foreigners.

On Friday, Minister Vojtech Tweeted: “We have updated the so-called traffic light, which determines the rules for returning to the Czech Republic. In most countries, the risk of infection is low. Czechs from June 15 will have to prove by a negative test only upon arrival from Portugal, Sweden, and the Silesian region on the Polish side of the border.

Upon return to Czechia, Czechs are bound to produce a negative COVID-19 test result only when arriving from the above high-risk areas.

Foreigners, on their part, have to produce the test on arrival from the countries posing a high- as well as moderate-risk of infection, the latter being Britain and Belgium, based on the Health Ministry’s decision.

The travel restrictions loosening concern the EU states, Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland for the time being. The EU’s external borders remain closed to foreigners.

As for third countries, Czechs can enter those which allow them to do so. For example, Serbia permits unlimited arrivals of EU citizens, as does Montenegro. On return home from such countries, nevertheless, Czechs have to produce a negative COVID -19 test or go to two-week quarantine.

North Macedonia, on its part, has banned unnecessary arrivals, while Ukraine has made the entry possible for its citizens and their family members only.

The EU has yet to negotiate the opening of its external border for arrivals from states with a good epidemiological situation. Those openings are expected to start in July.