The benefits of traveling are countless. It is possibly one of the best ways of learning about other traditions. Traveling around the world means discovering unknown countries, cultures, customs and getting to know people's lives in different environments. It is also one of the best ways to rest. No wonder people travel hundreds of kilometers, spend long hours on a journey just to visit some distant corner of the world. Not long ago, traveling was something exclusive. Only a specific group of society could do it because of the high costs and limited possibilities. Nowadays we have so many opportunities and means of transport at low prices, that almost everyone can travel. You can be in two different countries, in only one day. In the modern era, you can travel anywhere you want. Well, that was the case until 2020, which brought new restrictions. Let's find out what are the covid-19 current restrictions and requirements to travel to Iceland.
Iceland against Covid-19
The new virus Covid-19 paralyzed the whole world. Without any prejudice to race or social position, it affected everyone in the world. It severely restricted our freedom of traveling, even more, when crossing the borders of our countries. Iceland has primarily been one of the few countries that won the fight against coronavirus. The restrictions and orders that the government undertook turned out to be working well and slowed down the pandemic's progress. In October, the pandemic's second wave forced the government to launch even more strict rules and introduce new Covid-19 restrictions in Iceland. Today, we have 5956 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Iceland, from which 5767 people recovered from Covid-19. However small those numbers can seem to you comparing with other countries, it should not be underestimated. Iceland is a small country, with only 364.134 inhabitants.
Flights restrictions had to be introduced to avoid new cases that could be carried over by travelers. These coronavirus travel restrictions have changed several times now. We understand this continually evolving information may seem quite tricky to follow, so we gathered it all for you in one post.
Can I travel to Iceland right now?
The short answer is Yes, you can travel to Iceland right now. In Iceland, the coronavirus situation is well controlled; thanks to that, the borders remain open. All the travelers are more than welcome to come to our country and visit Iceland.
There are, however, several requirements that must be fulfilled to be able to enter the country. As of January the 15th, 2021, all travelers that enter Iceland are obligated to do double testing with five days quarantine between the two tests if they don't have their PCR Test Certificate.
The first testing takes place at the border, after which you must go under several days of quarantine. When the second testing gives a negative result, you are free to visit the country. Children born in 2005 and later are also required to go into quarantine with their parents/guardians. The quarantine obligation will be automatically lifted when the second test result is negative.
There is no longer a 14-day quarantine option, which was a former alternative to the double testing. Transit passengers who do not leave the terminal must not do the tests either go under quarantine.
From December the 1st until January the 31st 2021, the tests are free of charge for all travelers. Then, the standard test's cost will be 11 000 ISK and 9000ISK if paid in advance online.
Those actions taken by the authorities helped to contain the spread of the pandemic. Only a small number of people test positive for Covid-19 in Iceland every day. On the other hand, the number of people with positive tests at the border is higher than the daily domestic cases. That shows how optimal this decision was, making Iceland one of the safest countries to travel to.
Travelers who provide a valid certificate proving they already recovered from Covid-19 or have already been vaccinated against Covid-19 don't have to undergo border testing. They do not need to go under quarantine either. The certificate needs to meet the below requirements:
- Be in Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, English, or Swedish
- Include the first and last name as in travel documents (Id/ passport)
- Date of birth
- Date of test performance
- Place where the test was performed- city, country, and full address
- Name of the laboratory issuing the certificate
- date of issue
- Laboratory phone number
- Type of test
- Result of the tests
Passengers who cannot undergo the tests due to health reasons need to carry out a valid medical document. In that case, they will need to go under the 14-days quarantine instead of testing.
Current Travel restrictions in Iceland
There are no travel restrictions for travelers coming from the EU/ EFTA countries. There are, however, changes in regulations for British citizens. The Schengen borders are closed for all travelers coming from Canada and United States. All the passengers holding passports from the US and Canada will not be able to entry to Iceland.
Before departing to Iceland, you are required to pre-register and download the Rakning C- 19 application. The application will send you the test results and help track the infections to avoid spreadings countrywide. You can find further instructions on how to download and use the C-19 app here.
Positive tests results
Many of you worry about being tested positive in a foreign country. That is understandable. In that case, you would be informed by phone or the Rakning C-19 application about your positive result. You will then be isolated and you will be given instructions on how to proceed. The treatment and monitoring of the Covid-19 are free of charge, so you do not need to worry about that.
Here online you can find further information on public quarantine facilities, which you can use.
Many hotels and guesthouses in Iceland offer a possibility of quarantine for covid positive guests. You can find the whole list online.
Like in any other country, same in Iceland, any quarantine or restrictions violation will be subject to fines.
Iceland Covid-19 car rental
Restrictions and limitations may seem troublesome, but they are implemented to help us all. They help to contain the Covid-19 from spreading and make Iceland a safer country to travel to. There are some rules that we should always follow, regardless of a negative test result. Many of them are very easy to fulfill while traveling around Iceland.
Avoiding crowds, isolate from others, keep a distance: this is easy to do in Iceland. Most of the time you spend in the land of fire and Ice will imply outdoor activities. Especially during the off-peak season, there are places where you might not even meet one tourist.
Traveling in a campervan in Iceland, became an even more sensible option these days. In Campervan Reykjavik, we offer you free cancellation for your campervan rental. The required notice to receive your deposit refund is 48 hours. Apart from that, we are very flexible for any rental date changes and modifications.
That gives you a lot of freedom in case the Icelandic airlines change their schedules. In case you cannot fulfill the required notice or the free cancellation does not apply to your vehicle (motorhomes), you can always use your deposit for a future booking with us. We give you the possibility of freezing it and use it for your new once you can travel to Iceland again.
Traveling to Iceland: Current Covid-19 Travel Requirements and Restrictions
As you can see, traveling to Iceland these days is possible. The borders remain open, and as far as you meet the requirements, you are more than welcome to visit our country. Remember that all the restrictions are there to help you keep you and your loved ones safe so you can enjoy your visit to Iceland. Ensure that you keep the social distance, clean and disinfect your hands often and follow the local restrictions. This is very little to do compared to what emotions and experiences Iceland can offer you. It is indeed worth it!
