South Africans and Australians are still not allowed to fly into Portugal.

[jsalt]

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/covid-19-measures-implemented-portugal

Our postponed (from Jun 2020) flight leaves Johannesburg for Lisbon on 23 April, in less than 2 weeks time.

Our travel agent says we are allowed to transit through Portugal.

We already have a flight (bought with TAP vouchers from previously cancelled flights) to Bilbao 24 hours later.

But that is not counted as a connecting flight.

So we have to write those off now (after nurturing them for two whole years) and buy new ones.

Rant over. Thanks for listening.

 

[J Willhaus]

Disappointing.

 

[Carla M.]

Please check this site, you put i) the origin ii) the destination and iii) the dates you are travelling, and you get the travel restrictions for Portugal, including the covid restrictions.

Visa and Travel Requirements for every destination

apply.joinsherpa.com

From South Africa you can enter if you hold a valid vaccination certificate.

Hope this helps

 

[jsalt]

From South Africa you can enter if you hold a valid vaccination certificate.

Thanks, but the official Portuguese website still has us red-listed:

COVID-19 | Measures implemented in Portugal | www.visitportugal.com

Measures Implemented in Portugal[Updated on 19 September] To enter in Portugal (including Azores and Madeira), it is no longer required a proof of a negative COVID test or to present a COVID-EU digital certificate or vaccination or recovery certificate issued by third countries, accepted or...

www.visitportugal.com

I – ACCESSIBILITY

1) Arriving to Portugal by Plane

MAINLAND Portugal

Allowed air traffic
- Flights to and from European Union countries or a State associated with the Schengen Area (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland), Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, United States of America, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, United Kingdom and Sao Tome and Principe;

- Flights from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, People's Republic of China, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay, as well as Taiwan and the administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

Flights to and from countries not mentioned are allowed exclusively for “essential travel”, i.e. to allow the entry into Portugal of citizens travelling for professional, study and family reunion purposes, and for health or humanitarian reasons.

 

[Carla M.]

Thanks, but the official Portuguese website still has us red-listed:

COVID-19 | Measures implemented in Portugal | www.visitportugal.com

Measures Implemented in Portugal[Updated on 19 September] To enter in Portugal (including Azores and Madeira), it is no longer required a proof of a negative COVID test or to present a COVID-EU digital certificate or vaccination or recovery certificate issued by third countries, accepted or...

www.visitportugal.com

I – ACCESSIBILITY

1) Arriving to Portugal by Plane

MAINLAND Portugal

Allowed air traffic
- Flights to and from European Union countries or a State associated with the Schengen Area (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland), Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, United States of America, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, United Kingdom and Sao Tome and Principe;

- Flights from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, People's Republic of China, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay, as well as Taiwan and the administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

Flights to and from countries not mentioned are allowed exclusively for “essential travel”, i.e. to allow the entry into Portugal of citizens travelling for professional, study and family reunion purposes, and for health or humanitarian reasons.

Jill, if you look in that site, there is a paragraph just after those you copied:

Travel, for any reason, to Portugal is also allowed by travellers with an EU COVID Digital Certificate - vaccination or recovery modes - or a digital certificate recognized by the European Commission, with a complete vaccination schedule, for more than 14 and less than 270 days, or with a vaccine booster.

 

[trecile]

Jill, if you look in that site, there is a paragraph just after those you copied:

Travel, for any reason, to Portugal is also allowed by travellers with an EU COVID Digital Certificate - vaccination or recovery modes - or a digital certificate recognized by the European Commission, with a complete vaccination schedule, for more than 14 and less than 270 days, or with a vaccine booster.

But the vaccination certificate has to be the EU Digital Certificate or a certificate from one of these countries.
Unfortunately, South Africa along with a number of other countries, like the US and Australia are not on the list.

 

[jsalt]

Jill, if you look in that site, there is a paragraph just after those you copied:

Travel, for any reason, to Portugal is also allowed by travellers with an EU COVID Digital Certificate - vaccination or recovery modes - or a digital certificate recognized by the European Commission, with a complete vaccination schedule, for more than 14 and less than 270 days, or with a vaccine booster.

Thank you for your time, but sadly Trecile is correct. The very experienced Travel Agent I am dealing with here assures me that we will not be allowed into Portugal, only to transit to another country.

 

[Carla M.]

Thank you for your time, but sadly Trecile is correct. The very experienced Travel Agent I am dealing with here assures me that we will not be allowed into Portugal, only to transit to another country.

Sorry I could not help. I thought the vaccination was accepted.

 

[Ellann]

My understanding is that there are Australians who are currently on the Camino, as well as Americans??? I don't really understand the rationale.

 

[trecile]

My understanding is that there are Australians who are currently on the Camino, as well as Americans??? I don't really understand the rationale.

Yes, there are Australians and Americans on the Camino right now. This thread is about being able to fly to Portugal from Australia and South Africa.

 

[jsalt]

My understanding is that there are Australians who are currently on the Camino, as well as Americans??? I don't really understand the rationale.

Passengers on flights that have originated in Australia and South Africa are not allowed into Portugal. There are actually NO direct flights from either country to Portugal. We are travelling from Johannesburg to Lisbon via Angola. Angolans ARE allowed into Portugal, but because we are only transiting through Angola, the passengers originating from Johannesburg will not be allowed in. Because of that we will not be allowed to even board the plane in Johannesburg, as the Angolan Airlines will become responsible for flying us back to South Africa if the Portuguese immigration authorities refuse us entry, even though we are all vaccinated and boostered by exactly the same vaccines that are used in Europe.

Australians that are on the camino now entered Europe via other countries. It is Portugal that is being so difficult.

 

[Ellann]

Passengers on flights that have originated in Australia and South Africa are not allowed into Portugal. There are actually NO direct flights from either country to Portugal. We are travelling from Johannesburg to Lisbon via Angola. Angolans ARE allowed into Portugal, but because we are only transiting through Angola, the passengers originating from Johannesburg will not be allowed in. Because of that we will not be allowed to even board the plane in Johannesburg, as the Angolan Airlines will become responsible for flying us back to South Africa if the Portuguese immigration authorities refuse us entry, even though we are all vaccinated and boostered by exactly the same vaccines that are used in Europe.

Australians that are on the camino now entered Europe via other countries. It is Portugal that is being so difficult.

Hmm I was sure I had read in another post, or on a Facebook group that Australians had been able to enter Portugal, just had to show a negative test, and vaccination certificate and landing card filled in. One of the reasons I postponed my trip from May to September was because I was worried about Covid and restrictions. I am flying with Lufthansa from Australia to Porto via layovers in Singapore and Munich. I certainly hope that Portugal has changed things by then because it is grossly unfair that people from various countries with high daily covid cases and deaths overall, can enter Portugal but Australians and South Africans can't.

 

[LavanyaLea]

How about fly into Spain/France and enter the Schengen area from those countries? Which Camino were you planning to do?

 

[Kathar1na]

I was sure I had read in another post, or on a Facebook group that Australians had been able to enter Portugal, just had to show a negative test, and vaccination certificate and landing card filled in.

As a long-time fan of the VisitPortugal.com website, allow me a giggle. And also allow me a bit of advice: double and triple check what you read in this context in another post or on a Facebook group. Then go by what the agent at the gate before boarding wants to see, and hopefully you can present such a document.

BTW, fully vaccinated and documented Australians planning to fly to Portugal seem to get a PCR test "just in case". If they then fly to Portugal through whatever transit airport(s) and have no problems at their final destination airport in Portugal ... this may well be correct but it is not a proof that they needed the PCR test in the first place.

 

[jsalt]

How about fly into Spain/France and enter the Schengen area from those countries?

Our flights are booked into Portugal (since two years ago, postponed, postponed . . ). If you can suggest how we change them to fly into Spain or France in less than 2 weeks time I would be glad to hear it .

 

[efdoucette]

As a long-time fan of the VisitPortugal.com website, allow me a giggle. And also allow me a bit of advice: double and triple check what you read in this context in another post or on a Facebook group. Then go by what the agent at the gate before boarding wants to see, and hopefully you can present such a document.

BTW, fully vaccinated and documented Australians planning to fly to Portugal seem to get a PCR test "just in case". If they then fly to Portugal through whatever transit airport(s) and have no problems at their final destination airport in Portugal ... this may well be correct but it is not a proof that they needed the PCR test in the first place.

I'm flying to Portugal from Canada in a couple of weeks and my head is spinning regarding requirements. Air Canada is now suggesting vaccine papers and an antigen test within 24 hours of take off, well, that is their latest statement anyway. Could change.

 

[Kathy F.]

This is all so frustrating and disappointing! All I can do is be amazed at your determination and grit. I’ll say a prayer for your safe, INEXPENSIVE, arrival and have faith that this is the hardest part of your Camino. The rest will be wonderful. Keep us posted and Buen Camino.

 

[caminocdndave]

I'm flying to Portugal from Canada in a couple of weeks and my head is spinning regarding requirements. Air Canada is now suggesting vaccine papers and an antigen test within 24 hours of take off, well, that is their latest statement anyway. Could change.

We are leaving for Portugal from Vancouver on April 29th and, as of right now, need to vaccinated (no problem) and have a PCR test within 72 hours (too pricey) or an antigen test within 24 hours (which is what we are going to do). There's testing available at the airport but we are going to have a test at a pharmacy in Vancouver on the way to the airport.