THE NETHERLANDS REINTRODUCES A TRAVEL BAN FOR SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
09/07/2020
The Netherlands has reintroduced the entry ban for Serbia and Montenegro on 8 July 2020. This decision was made on the basis of a risk assessment with as objective criteria as possible about the health situation in those countries and the measures in force there. The situation in Serbia and Montenegro has deteriorated to such an extent that the government has decided to enforce the travel ban again to protect public health in the Netherlands.
The number of new infections was examined for this decision. That number must be close to or lower than the European average of 15 June last per 100,000 inhabitants over the past 14 days. Contact tracing and the number of corona tests taken are also examined. The Netherlands has also looked at possible consequences for the health situation in the Netherlands. Health organizations such as ECDC, WHO and RIVM provide the necessary information for this.
The lifting of the travel restriction, effective July 1, for travelers who reside permanently in the following countries: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay remains effective. For travelers from China, the entry ban will be lifted as soon as China itself also allows EU citizens.
For all unnecessary travel by persons from other third countries (all non EU Member States, all members of Schengen and the UK) to Europe, the current entry restriction remains in force with the aim of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This means that persons who do not have a permanent residence in an aforementioned country on the green list and who do not fall under the following exceptional position will not enter the Netherlands.
There is no quarantine obligation for the first category of exceptions, but for the second category of exceptions there is an urgent advice for home quarantine.
Exception categories without urgent advice at home quarantine:
- Healthcare personnel;
- Frontier workers;
- Persons working in the transport of goods and other transport personnel, as necessary, this includes container ships, bulk ships (e.g. ore or coal), tankers (fuels and chemicals), fisheries, persons working in the energy sector, i.e. oil and gas platforms and wind farms as well as offshore companies that provide services to this sector, and flight crew;
- Transit passengers who want to travel to another third country via the Netherlands or another Schengen country;
- Seafarers in possession of a seaman's book;
Exception categories with urgent advice at home quarantine:
- EU citizens (including nationals of the United Kingdom) and their family members;
- Nationals of Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Vatican City and Andorra and their family members;
- Third-country nationals who hold a residence card or residence permit in accordance with Directive 2003/109 / EC (the Long-Term Residents Directive) and their family members;
- Third-country nationals who derive their right of residence from other European directives or from the national law of a Member State and their family members;
- Holders of a long-stay visa, including those with a temporary residence permit (MVV).
- Diplomats;
- Military personnel;
- Personnel of international and humanitarian organizations;
- Persons who have compelling reasons to visit their family; this concerns traveling in exceptional cases. An exceptional case is visiting a terminally ill family member and attending a funeral. It is intended for the first and second degree family members. Partner and children are first degree and grandchildren are second degree.
- Persons in need of international protection; the border procedure applies in full;
- Persons admitted for humanitarian reasons;
- Students in possession of a notification letter from the Immigration and Naturalization Service;
- Highly skilled migrants in possession of a notification letter from the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
This document provides general information on the subject and does not constitute a legal opinion or recommendation. Consulting a specialist is recommended before taking an action. No claim arising from the content of or relating to this document can be asserted against NAZALI.