Where and When can we travel?

With each country imposing its own rules and its own timetable for re-opening, it is not clear where and when we can travel. HLI offers over 30 destinations, 20 languages worldwide and we have over 40 student nationalities… no need to say it’s a bit of a headache for us! We have therefore compiled a handy guide to help you decide on where and when you can book a language course (information up to date as of 15th of June)

Countries OPENED & ‘partially’ opened

Austria: Austria opened its land borders with Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and the Czech Republic on 4 June.
The country will reopen its border with Italy from 16 June, but a travel warning will be issued for the region of Lombardy. There will be no restrictions with most European Union countries.
People arriving in Austria “from any other country” however must produce a medical certificate proving a negative COVID-19 test. The certificate cannot be more than four days’ old.
Entry by air is prohibited to citizens coming from countries outside the Schengen Area.

Belgium: Belgium ​has opened​ its borders for travel to and from the European Union, including the United Kingdom​.​
The country eased its lockdown on June 8, however many restrictions, in particular for the hospitality and culture industries, remain in place until July 1.

Czech Republic: Borders with Austria and Germany reopened on June 5 and from June 15, Czech residents and EU citizens from eastern and Baltic member states, Finland and Norway​ ​can travel to and from the country without any requirements.
Those from France, Italy, and Spain, must have a valid health certificate to enter.
Test and quarantine conditions will apply for people entering from the UK and Sweden​.​

Denmark: From June 15, tourists from Germany, Norway and Iceland are allowed to travel to Denmark but must show documentation of a valid hotel booking on their arrival.
Citizens of other nations are still not permitted to enter Denmark, which imposed one of the earliest and strictest lockdowns in Europe.

Finland: Finland allow​s​ travellers from Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from June 15 ​(people travelling from these countries will not need to quarantine​)​.Restrictions for other travellers remain in place. The interior ministry said borders with non-EU countries will remain closed until at least July 14.

France​ (& Monaco​): Travellers from EU member states as well as Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, and the Vatican will be allowed to visit from June 15 without a health certificate or any form of quarantine upon arrival. Passengers from Spain and the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, President Emmanuel Macron has also announced that international borders with countries outside the EU will reopen on July 1.

Germany: On June 15, Germany will lift border restrictions for travellers coming from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom.
Germany, however, decided to extend until August 31 its warnings on travelling outside the EU.

Holland:​ The Dutch government is restricting non-essential travel until July 1, but EU citizens – including British nationals – can now enter the country.

Hungary: Hungary opened its border with Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Serbia on June 12 without the need for going into quarantine.

Ireland: The Irish health authorities currently require anyone coming into Ireland, except from Northern Ireland, to self-isolate for 14 days, upon arrival, including Irish residents.​ ​Arrivals have to complete a passenger locator form, although exemptions are in place for providers of essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff.

Italy: Italy opened its borders on June 3 to EU, UK, Schengen area, Andorra and Monaco citizens, following the nationwide lockdown which came into force on March 9. Borders also opened with Vatican City and San Marino on this date.
Travellers coming from the above countries don’t have to undergo quarantine 

Malta: Malta’s Tourism Ministry announced on May 31, that it will reopen tourism travel on July 1.​ ​Borders will reopen to travellers from Germany, Austria, Cyprus, Switzerland, the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, Iceland, Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, Hungary, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Israel, Latvia, Estonia, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.

Norway: Norway has closed its borders and only travellers for fellow Nordic countries — Denmark, Iceland, and Finland — will be able to return on June 15.
Sweden was excluded from the measure.
The government is to decide by July 20 whether travellers from other nearby countries can visit but the ministry of foreign affairs is, for now, advising against all non-essential international travel into the country until August 20.

Poland: Borders reopened for EU nationals on June 13 with no quarantine condition. Restrictions on international flights are to be lifted on June 16.

Spain: Spain plans to open its border to Schengen area countries on June 22. Portugal is an exception to this, and the border with Portugal is set to reopen on July 1.
Borders with France and Portugal have been closed since March 17, allowing access only to Spanish citizens, people residing in Spain, cross-border workers and those who can provide documentary proof of necessity.
Currently, people who enter the national territory from abroad must stay in quarantine for 14 days after their arrival.

Sweden: Sweden has introduced border restrictions but it only applies to non-essential travel from countries outside the EU/EEA, except the UK and Switzerland.

Switzerland: Switzerland, who brought in border controls on March 13, will reopen borders to all EU countries, the UK, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein on June 15, instead of July 6 as previously planned.
The Swiss authorities have not imposed any quarantine measures on persons entering the country. However, you must comply with the government’s hygiene and social distancing rules.

Turkey: Turkey has opened its border to foreign travellers, except for the land border with Iran. Arrivals may have to go through health checks.

United Kingdom: Borders are currently open. Since June 8, visitors from abroad are required to quarantine for 14 days. Those exempt from these measures include people travelling from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
The government says these measures will be reviewed every three weeks.

Countries currently CLOSED

Australia: Travellers who have a compassionate or compelling reason to travel to Australia will need to have an exemption from the Australian Border Force Commissioner. All travellers arriving in Australia must undertake a mandatory 14-day quarantine at designated facilities (for example, a hotel), in their port of arrival.​

Brazil: The Brazilian Government has banned entry for all foreign passengers. However Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro  has recently called for the reopening of the country’s borders.

Canada: Canada has now closed its borders to most foreign visitors, including those coming from the UK until 30 June. The border between the US and Canada has also closed for all but essential journeys until 21 July.

Chile: All borders are closed to international travel until 18 June. Upon arrival, all foreign visitors from countries considered a COVID-19 risk will be quarantined for 14 days.

China: Only individuals coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities, or for emergency humanitarian needs are allowed in.

Costa Rica: Borders closed until 30 June.

Cuba: Cuba is reopening to international tourism but visitors will not be able to visit the capital of Havana and will likely remain closed until August 1.

Egypt: Egypt has announced it will reopen its borders for tourism to seaside resorts starting on July 1st. They are considering a gradual resumption of international flights beginning towards the end of this month and in the first half of July.

Gibraltar: Currently only Spanish citizens who are legally resident in Spain, frontier workers or those who can prove they need to enter Spain for essential reasons are allowed to enter.

Japan: Foreign visitors are not currently allowed to enter Japan however it is said to be considering lifting current restrictions and letting travellers from low-risk countries back in. These countries would likely be Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand to begin with.

New-Zealand: The New Zealand border is currently closed to all travellers.

Portugal: Workers and supplies are being allowed across Portugal’s land border with Spain, but it is closed to tourists until ​1 July.

Russia: On June 8, Russia said it will partially reopen its borders as the country eases coronavirus restrictions. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that travelling abroad for work, medical or studying purposes will be allowed, as well as for taking care of relatives.
But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters there is “no set date” yet for resuming international flights, which were halted in late March.

South Africa: South African airspace is closed to all commercial airlines. 

USA: There is a travel ban in place across the whole of the United States of America. The US has extended its travel ban to include Ireland and the UK until 31 July .

UAE: At this point, all travellers arriving in the UAE must undergo a 14-day quarantine. Travel agents expect a full return to international travel by August and September.