The flight ban on passenger flights from South Africa and the flight and mooring ban for travelers from the United Kingdom will expire with effect from Wednesday 23 December (00.01 a.m. Dutch time). Instead, all passengers, including EU citizens, must have a recent negative PCR test certificate prior to travel. After arrival, all passengers are also strongly advised to go into quarantine for ten days.
The cabinet decided on Tuesday to proceed with this obligation for a negative test statement. This must be presented when boarding a boat or aircraft in the United Kingdom and aircraft from South Africa. A designation obliges airlines and shipowners operating from these countries to the Netherlands to check passengers before boarding for a negative PCR test result. This must be taken up to 72 hours before the planned arrival in the Netherlands. If someone is not in possession of the negative test result, he or she is not allowed to come along. This also applies to Dutch and EU citizens returning from the United Kingdom and South Africa.
In addition, the transport companies provide information during the journey, stating which measures passengers must comply with upon arrival. For example, travelers must immediately go into home quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in the Netherlands. The safety regions shall monitor random checks upon arrival to ensure that passengers are in possession of a valid negative test certificate.
The government has also decided that the negative PCR test statement will be mandatory as soon as possible for all passengers coming to the Netherlands from other countries, including Dutch nationals and other EU citizens.
The obligation to provide a negative test statement before the start of the trip already applied from 15 December to people from so-called third countries (non-EU residents). The government continues to emphasize that it is urgent advice not to travel, unless strictly necessary. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management reports this on them website through this message.
Also read: Ban on air traffic for passengers from United Kingdom
