These are the global coronavirus travel restrictions by country
If it seems like all anyone can talk about these days is the novel coronavirus from China, well, you're not wrong. The infectious disease is spreading around the world — and nations are doing whatever they can to stop it in its tracks.
As of March 15, you'll need a clean bill of health to visit many countries, and some have completely closed their borders. French Polynesia (including Bora Bora and Tahiti), Thailand, Israel, Saudi Arabia, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Italy and the Maldives have all enacted similar measures limiting travelers. The measures will be in effect through at least March 31, when the government will reevaluate the situation and potentially extend the requirement to a later date.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Even the U.S. has taken comparable precautions. The CDC recommends U.S. citizens do not travel to major centers of the outbreak, such as Italy, China, Iran and South Korea. And, if you've traveled to any of these countries recently, you'll be asked to stay home for a period of 14 days from the time you left the area, according to CDC guidelines. Even more shockingly, the U.S. has banned most travelers from Europe for a period of 30 days.
We've compiled a list of all the restrictions countries have imposed on travel, taken from the IATA travel center and updated from Timatic. If you still have upcoming international travel plans, here are the countries currently enforcing travel restrictions —some of which you may not be allowed into at all.
Countries restricting entry based on travel
These are the countries restricting entry based on passengers' recent travels:
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Aruba
Bahamas
Bahrain
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bolivia
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
China (People's Republic)
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Comoros Islands
Cook Islands
Croatia
Curacao
Ecuador
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Gabon
Georgia
Grenada
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Indonesia
Iraq
Jamaica
Japan
Kyrgyzstan
For full details of restriction by country, click here.
Countries requiring a clean bill of health or quarantine to enter
These are the countries that are mandating a medical certificate stating a clean bill of health be filled out before your arrival. Also included are countries that are requiring quarantine for passengers on arrival:
Aruba
Austria
Australia
Belize
Chile
Ecuador
Egypt
French Polynesia
Israel
New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Peru
Uruguay
For full details of restrictions by country, click here.
Countries changing visa requirements for entry
These are the countries that have changed the visa process (such as no more visa-on-arrival, or e-visas are invalidated) for entry:
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Hungary
India
Iran
Italy
Paraguay
Sri Lanka
For full details of restrictions by country, click here.
Countries with fully closed borders
These are the countries that have fully locked down their borders:
Czech Republic
Denmark
El Salvador
France
Poland
Spain
Ukraine
For full details of restrictions by country, click here.
Countries that have suspended air traffic
These are the countries that have suspended air traffic in and out of the country:
Argentina (all flights from EU member states, Schengen, UK and North Ireland, the U.S., Korea, Japan, China and Iran)
Ecuador (all flights)
Latvia (all flights)
Dominican Republic (flights to/from Europe, China, Korea and Iran)
Moldova (all flights to European destinations)
St. Maarten (all flights from the U.S., Europe and UK)
Turkey (flights to Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands)
Panama (flights to/from Europe and Asia)
Peru (all flights from Europe and Asia)
Venezuela (flights from Europe, Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic)
For full details of restrictions by country, click here.
Additional resources for traveling during the coronavirus outbreak:
- How coronavirus is impacting airline award availability
- How coronavirus has left the travel industry reeling
- Airlines scale back in-flight offerings due to coronavirus
- How to ward off coronavirus in your hotel room
- Guide to traveling during the coronavirus outbreak
- Extreme measures cruise lines are taking during coronavirus
Additional reporting by Liz Hund.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.