Quarantine Upon Arrival: 9 FAQs Answered

Your bags are packed, and you’re ready to go! It’s time to put international travel stamps into your passport again—and the suitcase that’s been tucked away all this time is ready to come out of wherever it’s been while you were waiting for the all-clear to go abroad and see the world.

open suitcase with airplane and passport

Let’s gooooo! We’ve been waiting for this day for a LONG time.

You’ve planned, investigated, checked, and double-checked. It’s now time to make sure you’re prepared for what your international travel quarantine experience is going to be like as you prepare to step off the plane and into your next big adventure.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the questions you might have about quarantine after travel, but this list of FAQs should help you feel more confident and more comfortable as you consider what awaits you following that upcoming international flight.

Editor’s Note: The following information was accurate as of December 2021. We suggest that you also refer to your country’s embassy website in your destination country to find out more about quarantining upon arrival.

What does quarantine upon arrival mean?

When you are informed that you will need to quarantine upon arrival, you are essentially being told that there will be a period of time after your flight lands that you will spend in a controlled environment before you are allowed to move freely throughout the country or location you have chosen as your destination.

This period of time will likely include a requirement that you present a negative PCR test before traveling is allowed. Beyond that, the rules and regulations associated with your international travel quarantine will differ widely based on your destination, vaccination status, and place of departure.

Can I self-quarantine abroad? Do I need to go to a facility?

Don’t worry—quarantining isn’t *that* bad.

The short answer to this question is: “It depends.” For example, are you interested in volunteering abroad in the UK? As of the time of this writing, England no longer requires quarantine upon arrival for fully vaccinated travelers from the United States or the European Union—but only if you can present a copy of your PCR test results before traveling along with completion of a special visitor form.

But if you’re planning to teach abroad in the Philippines, you will need to spend seven to ten days in an approved quarantine facility, with proof of vaccination, negative PCR tests, and adherence to specific requirements as part of the quarantine after travel experience—and that’s only if you aren’t arriving after visiting any of the countries on their no-entry list.

In some places like the Philippines there are hotels specifically designated as quarantine-only facilities, with varying degrees of accommodations, ranging from clinic-style rooms to luxury suites. In other places, like France, as long as you can meet a list of requirements (including negative PCR test results and proof of vaccination) you can sign a declaration of intent to self-quarantine for seven days, and proceed to your destination.

Whatever you do, just make sure you check the GoAbroad embassy resource guide to get the right information as part of your pre-travel plan!

Does the government require you to stay home for 14 days after traveling?

If you’re a U.S. resident returning from abroad, international travel quarantine is going to look a bit different based on where you’ve been (and when you were there), but even more importantly, whether or not you’ve been vaccinated.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has a comprehensive list of requirements based on vaccination status, duration of stay, point of entry, places visited, and timeline. You can find that on the CDC “After International Travel” website, where you can also find updated information on issues specific to COVID variants as they emerge.

As for the governments of other countries, the information about quarantine after travel varies greatly. The best place to find the most current information about what to expect when returning to your country of origin is the GoAbroad embassy resource guide and the World Health Organization’s Guide to COVID-19, which includes specific information for international travel.

Will I be quarantined if I travel to the United States?

Quarantine protocols vary based on destination.

When you’re thinking about the requirement for quarantine upon arrival in the United States, the requirements are going to vary significantly based on where your point of departure was and where you’ve been traveling over the past two weeks.

The CDC categorizes regions of the world according to a set of criteria that determines whether or not it’s advisable to travel to a specific location. That data can be viewed in an interactive map on the CDC website. This makes the rules upon entry (including whether or not entry is permitted at all) transparent and reasonably easy to navigate, giving you all the necessary data to sort out what you need to know.

For example, are you a resident of the United States who recently engaged in some adventure travel in Samoa? As of this writing, the only requirement would be to self-monitor for symptoms upon arrival in the U.S., as long as you are fully vaccinated. If fully vaccinated, there is no requirement for quarantine after travel or a PCR test before traveling within the United States. However, if you’re not vaccinated, none of these same freedoms will apply.

Or, are you a fully vaccinated visa-holder from Poland who secured an internship in the United States? In that case, you will need to present a negative PCR test from 3-5 days before traveling in the U.S. and you will need to self-monitor for symptoms as outlined on the CDC site.

Which countries require 14 day quarantine?

While this list is fluid and should be expected to change, as of right now, the countries that require a 14-day quarantine after travel are listed below.

In addition to the interactive map on the CDC website mentioned above, the State Department also has a comprehensive list by country, so be sure to double-check for any updates, changes, or new information being shared.

Countries that require a 14-day quarantine:

The United States
Chile
Bolivia
Iceland
Norway
Ireland
United Kingdom (other than the U.S. or EU as mentioned above)
Estonia
Germany
Latvia
Belarus
Netherlands
Belgium
Switzerland
Italy
Tunisia
Armenia
Chad
Nigeria
Central African Republic
Gabon
Ethiopia
Bangladesh
Thailand

Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 before I travel?

As you might expect, the requirements for a PCR test before traveling also vary by location, and checking the GoAbroad embassy resource guide for your specific location should help make sure you’re getting the most up-to-date information about requirements by destination. There are some countries that are requiring a negative PCR test prior to take-off. Those currently include:

Russia
Guatemala
Honduras
Panama
Ecuador
Peru
Guyana
France
Austria
Slovakia
Serbia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spain
Portugal
Morocco
Mauritania
Mali
Burkina Faso
Ghana
Togo
Liberia
Sierra Leone
Democratic Republic of Congo
Republic of Congo
Egypt
Sudan
Jordan
Somalia
Kenya
Uganda
Zambia
Malawi
Botswana
Namibia
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Cyprus
Iraq
Iran
Pakistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan

Do I need to get tested for COVID-19 when traveling within the U.S.?

A Covid test is on the menu for pretty much every international destination right now.

Just as the requirements for quarantine upon arrival in the U.S. vary, so do the requirements for PCR testing for COVID-19 before traveling in the U.S. from state to state. When in doubt, be sure to check the CDC website for more information—including that helpful interactive map.

You might also want to take a look at the “Travel Planner” guide, which will help you plot out the best course of action based on the ZIP code of your desired landing spot in the U.S., so that you can be fully informed as to what you need for vaccination status, testing, quarantine, masking, and other precautions.

Although the requirement to get a Covid test when traveling from state-to-state in lax, beginning in November 2021, non-citizen, non-immigrant inbound travelers are required to be vaccinated prior to arriving in the U.S. by air. Unvaccinated U.S. citizens will need to provide a negative Covid test taken within 24 hours of arrival. Find out more here.

Which countries are open for tourism without quarantine?

As of now, if the country you intend to travel to is not on one of the above lists for quarantine upon arrival or proof of negative PCR test before traveling, it’s possible that the country is open for tourism without quarantine—however, it could also be the case that no visitors are currently allowed entry.

So how do you know? The only way to be certain about the requirements for travel is to do what you’ve likely always done, and that’s to check with the country’s embassy and the regulatory authorities about necessary vaccinations, medical documents, and proof of health.

What are the CDC quarantine guidelines after travel?

You’ve already got a long list of links to check with guidelines from the CDC, the State Department, and embassy websites. For the most comprehensive information about what the CDC has to say about international travel quarantine, be sure to check the CDC website dedicated to that purpose.

With clear guidelines, color-coded documents, graphic downloads, requirements and recommendations, and resource guides for more information, it’s a truly comprehensive review of the information you need to feel well-prepared to enjoy yourself after wheels up and touch down.

Ready to go abroad again? Get 5 personalized program matches for FREE

In a Covid world, quarantine upon arrival is here to stay

While COVID-19 has changed the way we think about global health, the need for pre-travel medical screenings, immunizations, and paperwork has always been a part of international travel. So, bookmark your resource guides, draw up your plans, and include these FAQs in your research and review so that you can have a great time (and stay healthy) after you arrive!