Frequently asked questions
Preparation
Travelling abroad remains a risk. After becoming infected with coronavirus it can take 10 days for symptoms to show. So it’s important to stay at home for 10 days. There are also people who have coronavirus without showing any symptoms at all. They could infect others if they don’t stay at home.
Self-quarantine means that you stay at home and do not receive visitors. You should do this if there is a risk that you may have been infected with coronavirus. By staying at home you prevent the virus from spreading further. Read here what you need to arrange for your self-quarantaine.
No, even if you have been vaccinated you must be able to show a negative test result when you travel back to the Netherlands from a destination with a (very) high corona risk and you must still self-quarantine after your trip.
Anyone who has travelled to a destination with a (very) high corona risk.
During your trip
You must show a negative test result if you are travelling to the Netherlands from a (very) high corona risk country. This is because there is a risk that travellers arriving from these areas will import and spread coronavirus. The mandatory test results are not a substitute for other coronavirus measures, such as the entry ban, self-quarantining and vaccination.
There are requirements regarding the negative test result.
Get tested at an official testing centre (such as a laboratory, doctor or health service) at your destination. Make sure the test meets the Dutch requirements.
Stay in your accommodation and avoid contact with others. You should also contact your local municipal health service (GGD) in the Netherlands and follow the measures and advice of the health authorities at your destination. The other members of your household and/or your travelling companions may also need to go into quarantine. If you no longer have any symptoms and you test negative for coronavirus you may return to the Netherlands.
Some people continue to test positive after experiencing corona. Even if all the symptoms are gone and someone is no longer contagious. If you have experienced corona and therefore cannot present a negative NAAT test result, you can still travel if you can show the following documents:
- Positive NAAT test results of at least 2 and a maximum of 8 weeks old;
- Positive NAAT test results of up to 72 hours old on arrival in the Netherlands;
- Negative rapid test result before departure of up to 4 hours old when boarding.
In case of a permanent positive result on the rapid test, you can travel to the Netherlands if you can show the following:
- Positive NAAT test results of at least 2 and a maximum of 8 weeks old;
- Positive NAAT test results of up to 72 hours old on arrival in the Netherlands;
- Doctor's declaration that a traveller is no longer contagious of up to 72 hours old when boarding.
Back home
After becoming infected with coronavirus it can take 10 days for symptoms to show. So it’s important to stay at home for 10 days. After 10 days it’s very unlikely that you will still get symptoms. You can end your self-quarantine sooner if you get tested on day 5 after arriving in the Netherlands and the test result is negative. If the test result is positive, stay at home and follow the advice of the municipal health service (GGD).
Yes. A test is a snapshot of a particular moment in time. It can take 10 days for symptoms to show. When you were tested abroad, it may have been too early to tell if you were infected. That’s why you still need to self-quarantine for 10 days on arrival in the Netherlands. You can end your self-quarantine sooner if you get tested on day 5 and the test result is negative. If the test result is positive, stay at home and follow the advice of the municipal health service (GGD).
Yes. A test is a snapshot of a particular moment in time. It can take 10 days for symptoms to show. When you were tested abroad, it may have been too early to tell if you were infected. That’s why you still need to self-quarantine for 10 days on arrival in the Netherlands. You can end your self-quarantine sooner if you get tested on day 5 and the test result is negative. If the test result is positive, stay at home and follow the advice of the municipal health service (GGD).
Yes. You can end your self-quarantine sooner if you get tested on or after day 5 after arriving in the Netherlands and the test result is negative. If the test result is positive, stay at home and follow the advice of the municipal health service (GGD).
Yes, because if you don’t self-quarantine while infected with coronavirus you can infect others. You might infect family or friends if you visit them, or people at the supermarket or on the street. Even if you don’t feel sick yourself, other people can become seriously ill or even die if they get coronavirus. The high number of infections is also putting too much pressure on the healthcare system.
No, only people who travelled abroad to a destination with a (very) high corona risk themselves need to self-quarantine.
No, getting tested before day 5 is not reliable. It may be too early to trace the virus in your nose and throat. In most cases symptoms appear within 7 days. A PCR test can trace the virus from 2 days before symptoms appear.
Yes, some travel destinations and countries are subject to exceptions to the self-quarantine rules.
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