Where can Americans go on vacation this summer? Travel chaos as Europe says it'll reopen with vaccine passports soon - but countries can still impose quarantine and testing rules

• The head of the EU Commission said travel will be open to Americans this summer but no date has been given
• Americans will need a vaccine passport to go; the EU's vaccine passport system starts on July 1 
• Americans can currently visit other countries on vacation with varying restrictions
• Greece, Italy, Iceland, Croatia, Turkey, Montenegro and Serbia are all open with some restrictions  
• Most of the Caribbean is open as is Mexico and Central America, most of South America and parts of Africa
• The Maldives and Sri Lanka are open with testing and South Korea and Thailand are open with quarantine
• Americans can go to the UK from May 17 so long as they quarantine for 10 days on arrival
• Everyone can travel to the US except from the following countries; UK & Ireland, Europe, South Africa, India, Iran and China 
• China, Japan and Singapore all remain closed to US travelers, as are Australia and New Zealand 

Americans are facing a summer of travel chaos with confusing rules on where they can go, what they need to do once they're there, and whether that country still has any lockdown restrictions or curfews that may make it an undesirable place to be. 

Across the board, if you leave the U.S., you have to obtain a negative COVID-19 test to get back in once your trip is over. 

Travel by noncitizens to America from many countries is allowed, aside from those on President Joe Biden's banned list, which includes all 27 countries in the Schengen area of Europe, the UK and Ireland, China, Iran, South Africa and India. Non-US citizens cannot come from those countries unless they have a waiver from the embassy for exceptional circumstances.

American citizens can enter the US from anywhere so long as they have a negative COVID-19 test. 

These are the countries that Americans can visit now, the countries they'll be able to visit soon, and the countries which have shown no signs of letting Americans in again any time soon.  

OPEN NOW TO AMERICANS

CARIBBEAN

Most Caribbean countries are open to Americans but they require varying forms of testing before arrival and mandatory COVID-19 insurance in case you become infected there. 

Barbados requires everyone to temporarily quarantine in a government-approved hotel or villa or apartment, until they receive a second negative COVID-19 test, taken at that property, after their first test at the airport on arrival. Then they are free to roam the island. 

Bermuda is operating on the same system. Vaccinated travelers still have to test negative twice and unvaccinated travelers have to test negative twice, four days apart, quarantining in between tests. 

The Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Monserrat are not open to US travelers. 

SOUTH AMERICA 

All of South America is open to US travelers with varying levels of restrictions like negative tests and/or quarantine with the exception of Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, which remain closed. 

CENTRAL AMERICA 

Central America, including Mexico, is open to US travelers, aside from the Cayman Islands. Mexico has had laxed COVID-19 restrictions for much of the pandemic and it has attracted many American travelers for that reason. 

The guidance once there varies state by state and there are still varying versions of lockdown across the country.  

UK 

From May 17, Americans can visit the UK provided they quarantine for ten days on arrival and test negative. 

The US has been added to the UK's 'Amber list' of countries; travel is accepted from those countries but with certain rules.

Americans can return directly to the US from the UK, but non-US citizens cannot unless they have a waiver from the embassy for exceptional circumstances. 

GREECE 

Greece has been open to Americans since April 19. Fully vaccinated Americans do not need to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test. 

Unvaccinated Americans have to provide a negative PCR test from within 72 hours of arriving. 

CYPRUS

Americans have been able to travel to Cyprus since March 1. No quarantine is needed with a negative PCR test but tourists must obtain a Cyprus Travel Pass before they can enter the country.   

CROATIA 

Americans can visit Croatia but they have to prove two things; a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of arrival or full vaccination status AND full payment of a hotel, villa or apartment for the duration of their stay.  

ITALY

Americans can enter Italy on flights operated by Delta, American and United because they offer testing for passengers. Passengers on those flights do not need to quarantine. 

ICELAND

Iceland is open to Americans but they have to test negative on arrival, whether they are vaccinated or not, and prove that they are either vaccinated or have had a previous infection by testing positive for antibodies.

Most of Iceland is open. It has become a more popular choice of among American tourists in recent years, thanks in part to many American celebrities visiting and posting their travels on social media. 

TURKEY 

Open with negative PCR test. Lockdown restrictions like curfews are still in place in much of the country after it implemented its full first lockdown just three weeks ago amid a surge in cases.  

MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, GEORGIA 

All open with proof of testing and/or vaccination and there are fewer restrictions in place than in other countries in the EU like the UK or Turkey.   

THAILAND

Americans can travel to Thailand but they have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival. It is one of the only Asian countries where travel is accepted but the two week quarantine makes it an undesirable choice unless the traveler is staying for a period of several months.  

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The UAE is open to Americans but they have to obtain a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine on arrival. Each state has different quarantine rules. Dubai enforces a ten day quarantine with negative tests on the fourth and eighth day.

AFRICA

These African countries are open to US tourists with varying degrees of restrictions; South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Morocco, Seychelles. Travel from the remaining countries is still closed.

SOUTH KOREA 

South Korea is open to US tourists but they have to quarantine in a government-designated hotel, and pay for it, for two weeks on arrival.  

MALDIVES 

Travel is allowed but testing is mandatory on arrival. The Maldives is an expensive but popular choice among many honeymooners, and may be top of the list for people who have postponed or canceled weddings because of COVID. 

SRI LANKA 

Sri Lanka has introduced the world's first 'bio bubbles' concept where international travelers can visit without restrictions, but they aren't allowed to mingle with locals. 

OPENING TO AMERICANS SOON 

EUROPE 

A date has not been formally announced and it'll depend on each country if there are rules for quarantine or testing, but the EU is introducing a digital vaccine system from July 1. 

That is likely to pave the way for Americans to visit, if not sooner.  

Even after the vaccine passport, some countries can impose rules on US travelers like quarantine and testing, even if they are vaccinated. 

Americans should also consider what the situation is in the country they want to visit; many still have lockdown restrictions like curfews.

In an interview over the weekend, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, told The New York Times: 'Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines. This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union.

'Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by E.M.A' 

They include Moderna, Pfizer and J&J's shot.   

*SPAIN - JUNE 7   

Americans can visit from June 7. No other countries have indicated yet what they will do individually after the vaccine passport program is introduced.

NO SIGN OF OPENING TO AMERICANS ANY TIME SOON  

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

MOST OF THE MIDDLE EAST (With the exception of Lebanon, the UAE and Jordan which are open with some restrictions)

ISRAEL (Closed to US citizens unless they have family in Israel) 

CHINA

JAPAN

RUSSIA

ARGENTINA

CHILE

URUGUAY

INDIA

MOST OF ASIA (Only Thailand and South Korea are open to American tourists. South Korea has a 2 week hotel quarantine rule)

.... AND WHO CAN (AND CAN'T) COME TO AMERICA? 

Travel to the US is allowed from every country in the world, with a negative COVID-19 test, except from the following countries. (US citizens can always enter America from overseas).  

A non US citizen cannot enter America if they have been in any of these countries 14 days or less before their flight;

UK 

EUROPE (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland)

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 

INDIA

SOUTH AFRICA

IRAN

CHINA