Travel was part of our life. We travelled for vacation, to relax, explore the world, and for business. And for many of us, we travelled internationally to see family or close friends.

So, where do you start when planning your first international travel? Not sure how to find out about requirements, travel insurance, and what’s happening over there?

Here is a checklist of 6 things to do before your travel during Covid:

1. Check the requirements for entry & airline and transit point

Start with researching the destination. What are the requirements to enter? It might be vaccination, PCR test, and often an additional health form.

Some countries (although very few) are only open to their own citizens.

Where to find the correct information?

The most up-to-date entry requirements are always listed on the government official website of the country you are planning to enter. Simply google “Entry requirements to (insert country name here)” and look for the official website.

For example, if you plan a trip to Israel it would be https://corona.health.gov.il/. And, if you’re planning a trip to Germany www.auswaertiges-amt.de. 

You can also go directly to the website of your Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or Government Travel website that lists information of all countries. For example, if you are Australian it would be www.smartraveller.gov.au , and if you’re from the USA travel.state.gov.

It will also give you advice regarding a visa, should you need one.

It’s also worth looking at the official tourism website of your destination which can have more details if you are travelling as a tourist. Simply search for Tourism official website “country name”.

VERY IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to check your airline conditions to travel during covid as some require you to be vaccinated and have a PCR test or both – even if your destination may not require it. 

And make sure you check your transit point as well. I flew with two different airlines connecting in Berlin and I would normally just check in for the second flight online and transit at the airport. I flew to Berlin with Scoot Airlines from Australia and then connected to another airline to fly to Tunisia. 

However, this time I had to clear immigration and check in at the airline desk as they now need to check the requirements (vaccination) for my next flight.

Travel during covid keeps us on our toes, that’s for sure.

2. Will I need a PCR Test and vaccination?

Travel during Covid is a guessing game, and information about this topic keeps changing. Checking the requirements of the official website should give you all the answers to your questions.

But pay attention to the details:

PCR test – when should you take it to be valid for your flight/destination? Some countries accept PCR tests 24, 48, or 72 hours after you take them. 

Vaccination card:

Sadly not all vaccinations are accepted by all countries. For example Sputnik, Covishield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac. Check if your vaccination is recognised by your destination and if you require a third shot these days or how long is it valid for.

The EU just ruled at the end of December 2021 that 2 doses of vaccination are now only valid for up to 9 months, then you need your third shot.

3. Get Travel Insurance that covers Covid and related events

We have always been very pro-travel insurance and from experience, it has paid itself back.

We had stolen goods, cancelled flights, and even travels that had to change because of Covid. We always got our money back. Why? We chose the right travel insurance policy and knew what we were covered for (reading the fine print).

Before the pandemic, we always booked with World Nomads Travel Insurance. 

We purchased annual policies as we travelled internationally for a year or two. These days we prefer SafetyWing Travel Insurance as they offer affordable insurance and they provide cover for Covid-19 as well as unexpected quarantine.

This is a very rare thing with travel insurance companies these days. And if you do find one, they usually force you to pay heavy surcharges to be covered for Covid. 

If you think getting the virus is bad enough, imagine doing it somewhere on the road. Falling ill with any virus when you’re away from home can be stressful too, but it happens. Knowing that you can definitely seek medical help when you need it, or maybe have some of the quarantine costs reimbursed can really ease your mind.

We’ve got enough to think about as we travel during COVID-19, so getting covered with SafetyWing is a no-brainer for us.

4. Research the conditions and restrictions of your destination before you go!

Travelling during COVID-19 is an experience. Like before, when we travelled to learn about diversity and culture and often see a different point of view, this has not changed.

Countries have different approaches to how to deal with the pandemic. There are, of course different conditions (case numbers, considering the economic impact of lockdown and general lack of trust in authority) 

What does it mean? 

You will find countries where mask mandates don’t exist and barely anyone uses them, others will only use the respirators N95 masks, which might be required on your flight. 

Some countries require proof of your vaccination to enter any nonessential businesses (about this in detail later). There might be a curfew or there might be few restrictions at all.

Or the country might be in a complete lockdown and I guess it might not be the right time to travel unless you are visiting family.

All I want to say is, know before you go and as always with travel, respect the country you are visiting and comply with the requirements. It costs nothing to be kind. 

5. Is your vaccination certificate valid or do you need to convert it?

This might come as a surprise, but if you hold an International Certificate of vaccination, even when the country recognises the vaccination, you might not be able to enter museums, restaurants, and cafes. Travel during COVID has changed so many things we’d never even considered thinking about before.

Let me explain. For example, if you have an Australian International Certificate, it will, of course be recognised by your airline to fly. However, once you land at your destination, you might require a specific QR code or an App to enter non-essential places. 

For example, an Australian International Certificate with a QR code is not valid in any EU state. Sounds crazy? Yes, it is. The issue is Australia has never agreed with the EU to have their certificate recognised.

This means you would arrive in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, France, or Slovakia, and you will not be able to enter any cafe, bar, or even shops that are not essential. You must have the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

Getting the EU recognised EU Digital COVID Certificate (Green Pass):

As many of us will most likely travel during Covid to Europe, here is how you can get your EU Digital COVID Certificate which is also known as the Green Pass.

The Green Pass confirms:

• proof of vaccination (if you are fully vaccinated); or
• proof of recovery (if you had a coronavirus infection in the last 6 months); or
• a negative test result (issued by a centre for testing for travel).

 You will need the Green Pass to travel during Covid in Europe.

From France – If you do fly to France, you can obtain the EU Digital COVID Certificate for about 36 Euros in pharmacy in France if you provide your International Certificate and passport.

From Switzerland – You can apply for your EU Digital COVID Certificate (Green Pass) here and pay 30 CHF (about 29 Euro). Takes about 5 business days and it is valid everywhere in the EU.

From Germany – You can get your International Certificate changed to EU Digital COVID Certificate for 20 euros in any pharmacy, but best at the airport. (Berlin airport is a good option)

6. Before your flight – Write a checklist

Write a checklist to ensure you are set and ready to go. Sadly we have seen people denied at the airport every time we have flown in the past month as travel during covid has its challenges. Write a checklist to ensure you are set.

Something along with this:

• Get PCR Test – Check where and what is the timeframe for your results
• Check your passport is valid/visa  
• Complete a health form for the country you are visiting (This is now common and many countries have an additional form to complete)
• Is your vaccination certificate valid for international travel? Or do you need a special one?
• Do you require an App for QR check-in or to show vaccination? Get it before you go
• Going to EU – Get your EU COVID Certificate before you go or plan how you get it
• Check the requirements throughout the final week before you fly as things change quickly!
• Plan to be at the airport earlier, than usual

And that’s it. Six simple steps to make travel during Covid less stressful. We hope this helped you plan your next travels, and if you have any comments and helpful hints, let us know in the comments. Safe travels.