Dutch government tightens travel advice for 3 European destinations

As of Thursday, August 19, the Dutch government has tightened travel advice for a further three European holiday destinations, changing the colour codes from green to yellow. 

Dutch government's latest coronavirus travel advice

While the government has adopted a new travel policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to issue up to date travel advice for international travel. The latest information from the Ministry revealed that, from Thursday, the following three countries would go from green to yellow:

• Bulgaria
• Norway
• Adriatic Croatia (Jadranska Hrvatska region, Croatian coastline)

The change in official advice means that anyone arriving in the Netherlands from one of the above areas on or after August 21 will be required to present a so-called coronavirus certificate; proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19, or a recent negative test result. 

This marks the second time this month alone that Croatia has seen a change to its travel advice. At the start of August, the country’s advice was changed from yellow to green.

Entry requirements for Norway, Bulgaria, and Croatia 

These change in advice only has implications for anyone travelling / returning to the Netherlands. Each of the above countries also have their own travel restrictions for any holidaymakers arriving from the Netherlands. 

Norway, for example, has particularly strict entry requirements which require anyone who isn’t a Norwegian citizen or resident to present either proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from coronavirus in the past six months. Anyone who is permitted entry to the country without one of the above documents is required to go into quarantine. 

Anyone planning a trip to Bulgaria has to travel using the CoronaCheck app (i.e. present a coronavirus certificate). The same applies to Croatia, where travellers must also fill in an electronic form before arriving in the country.