Regulation exempting vaccinated non-Schengen travellers from travel restrictions to come into force on 6 April

The Minister of Justice of Iceland has decided that the previously announced decision to exempt from travel restrictions those who can provide proof of vaccination or prior infection will take effect on 6 April. The change in regulation will allow travellers from non-Schengen countries, who meet the criteria, to travel to Iceland for non-essential reasons.

The Government intended for the regulation to come into force on 26 March but the decision to postpone is taken to allow scope for careful review of the procedures for evaluating and accepting documentation. The postponement is prudent in light of the importance of ensuring that the implementation of the new rules will be as smooth as possible, while maintaining the utmost caution in terms of transmission risk.

The Chief Epidemiologist has provided the Ministry of Health with recommendations on the requirements for the acceptance of documentation. Those are currently under review by the ministry.

Iceland already exempts those who travel legally to Iceland and can provide proof of previous infection or vaccination from border measures that apply generally (provision of PCR test before travel, testing at the border, a five-day quarantine and a second test). 
Significant restrictions on non-essential travel from outside the EU/EEA area will remain in place for those who do not provide sufficient proof of vaccination or prior infection.

• Exemption from border measures for vaccinated individuals to be extended to non-Schengen countries
• Further information on certificates of vaccination against COVID-19 accepted at the border
• Further information on certificates regarding previous COVID-19 infection that are accepted at the border in Iceland