Stop reading all those other articles on the European travel ban, cause they're horrible.
The only authorities we trust are the EU and the country ambassador. If you don't the ambassador's phone number, travelers can check the country's embassy website to check out the restrictions. Really? Getting the information straight from the government? That's possible?
For the most part, to determine whether someone is allowed to travel into Europe is primarily based on residence, not nationality, though there are exceptions.
The part where it gets tricky are "third party nationals," or, in normal lingo, expats (people who live in a country outside their country of citizenship). If you do hold EU citizenship but live in the U.S. for whatever reasons I can't still quite understand, travel is allowed back into the EU, though getting back might be difficult unless you're a permanent resident.
According to the actual documentation, these are the likely scenarios for most travelers:1
The ScenariosIf you're an American living in America, you are not allowed in.
If you're a national from one of the 15 countries living in America, you are not allowed in (though you'd most likely get away with it 😐).
If you're an American living in Europe, you are allowed in.
If you're an American living in one of the 15 countries allowed, you are allowed in.
If you're an American transiting through Europe to another destination,2 you are allowed in (don't expect to pop out for a layover jaunt).
If you're a European living in America, you are allowed in.
Here are the 15 countries allowed into Europe for non-essential travel for the foreseeable future3:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Canada
- Georgia
- Japan
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Serbia
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Uruguay
- China, subject* to reciprocity
There's no need to kill brain cells over this one. Otherwise, #stayathome.