Most of the World Is Open for Travel: Here are the Countries with Remaining COVID Restrictions

Image: Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Hindu temple on Bratan Lake, Bali, Indonesia (photo via Zephyr18/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (Zephyr18 / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Hindu temple on Bratan Lake, Bali, Indonesia (photo via Zephyr18/iStock/Getty Images Plus) (Zephyr18 / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Fri February 3, 2023

Most of the world has reopened to international tourism without COVID-19 related travel restrictions nearly three years since the virus was declared a global pandemic in March 2020.

In most cases, travelers can enter without any extra steps but those who have been fully vaccinated will have even more options and are less likely to require a negative test result in some cases. Nonetheless, there are still several notable destinations, including in Asia, Africa and South America, where travelers will be required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID and or a negative test result in order to gain entry.

China and Hong Kong recently reopened to international inbound travel and while visitors won't need to quarantine they will require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in addition to a negative test result taken at most 48 hours prior to departure.

Japan is also welcoming overseas travelers who have been fully vaccinated and boosted with vaccines approved by the Japanese government. Unvaccinated Americans over the age of six traveling to Japan will require a negative pre-travel COVID-19 test result taken no more than 72 hours ahead of departure.

Travelers visiting Indonesia this winter will also require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 while those traveling to the Philippines will require proof of inoculation against the virus or a negative lab-based rapid antigen test result received within 24 hours prior to the date and time of departure.

In South America, Brazil continues to require international arrivals to present proof of vaccination, either printed or in electronic form, or a negative antigen test or RT-PCR taken one day prior to boarding their flight. In Chile, adults aged 18 and over will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours of departure. Colombia has similar rules in effect with unvaccinated adults aged 18 and over required to present a negative test result upon entry.

In Africa, fully vaccinated travelers face pre-departure testing requirements in places like Angola, the Central African Republic, Niger and Sudan.

That list grows for unvaccinated individuals who will face restrictions related to COVID-19 testing in those aforementioned countries as well as popular destinations such as Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe, among others.


For more information on traveling internationally, check out our interactive guide. For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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