Many will be setting sail or flying from Newcastle to Amsterdam this summer after two years of lockdowns.
Almost all coronavirus restrictions have ended in the Netherlands. Shops, bars, nightclubs, and attractions are open again.
Direct flights from Newcastle International Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol and a DFDS ferry route from Port of Tyne in North Shields to Amsterdam's port make travel between the North East and the Netherlands straightforward. But the Netherlands has much tighter Covid-19 vaccination entry requirements for British tourists than the UK does for the Dutch.
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British adults visiting the Netherlands as tourists must be fully vaccinated - including boosters for many - or have recently recovered from Covid-19 to be allowed in. There is an entry ban on unvaccinated arrivals from outside the EU, although there are exceptions that allow some unvaccinated or non-fully vaccinated in, such as study, work and visiting family.
Do I have to be vaccinated to go to the Netherlands?
Tourists from the UK must be fully vaccinated or able to prove they have recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months to enter the Netherlands for non-essential travel purposes like city breaks in Amsterdam. There are exceptions for children and teens travelling with a fully vaccinated adult.
The Netherlands Government has an entry ban in place for people from non-EU or Schengen zone countries that are not on its Covid-19 safe list. The UK is not on the safe list or in the EU, so is among the countries subject to the ban. Tourists from countries subject to the entry ban are allowed to holiday in the Netherlands, as long as they are fully vaccinated.
The Netherlands Government states: "An EU entry ban is in effect for people from countries outside the European Union/Schengen area. There are exemptions to the entry ban, for example for people travelling from a safe country or people with proof of vaccination or proof of recovery. This proof of vaccination or recovery must meet certain requirements."
The UK Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) confirms: "If you’re not fully vaccinated or a legal resident of the Netherlands, you are only allowed to enter the Netherlands from the UK if you meet the requirements of an exemption category of the EU entry ban, as established by the Dutch government. Under this entry ban, non-EU/EEA nationals and nationals of non-Schengen states arriving from outside the Schengen area will not be permitted entry to the Netherlands for non-essential purposes, unless they are fully vaccinated or meet other exemption requirements."
What does 'fully vaccinated' mean in the Netherlands?
Depending on when you received your first Covid-19 vaccine shots, it is likely you will need to have had a booster to be allowed into the Netherlands. The FCO explains:
If you have received a booster (or third dose), you are considered fully vaccinated for entry into the Netherlands. There is currently no expiry date for booster jabs. If you have not received a booster (or third dose), but have received two doses of a vaccine approved for use by Netherlands, then you qualify as fully vaccinated, if one of the following applies:
- at least 14 days and no more than 270 days have passed since receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca) or;
- at least 28 days and no more than 270 days have passed since receiving the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine
Do I use the NHS Covid Pass to prove I am vaccinated to enter the Netherlands?
Yes, you can use either the NHS Covid Pass app or online as proof of your vaccination record. Alternatively, you can get a paper letter sent through the post
Can I go to the Netherlands if I am not vaccinated?
If you are not fully vaccinated but can prove you have recovered from Covid-19 in the previous 11 to 180 days, then you can enter the Netherlands.
If you a British national travelling on a UK passport, you need to prove you are either fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid to enter, unless the purpose of your visit meets an exemption category.
Exemptions include work, study and essential visits to see family. The Dutch Government lists them here.
Do children and teenagers need to be vaccinated to visit the Netherlands?
Children aged under 18 do not need to be vaccinated to travel to the Netherlands as long as they are travelling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians.
The Netherlands Government says: "If you are 12 years or older, a resident of a country that is not on the list of safe countries and fully vaccinated, you are exempted from the EU entry ban. You can enter the Netherlands if you have valid proof of vaccination showing that you have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization (WHO). Children under 18 travelling with their fully vaccinated parent(s) or legal guardian(s) do not have to be vaccinated themselves. "
Do I need to show a negative Covid test to go Holland and other parts of the Netherlands?
There is no requirement to show a negative Covid-19 test when travelling to the Netherlands. Travellers are advised to take a test after arriving and another five days later, but that is not enforced.
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