Mac and Mabel

RTP news reports this morning that as of this Monday arrivals from U.K. must isolate for 14 days unless they have proof of full vaccination having been completed at least 14 days ago. No clear mention of whether this applies to all arrivals, whether by land, sea or air, but as this joins U.K. arrivals with those from India, S Africa, Brazil and Nepal, and so assuming that means U.K. arrivals must fill in the same online form as those, then as that form specifies arrivals by whatever mode of transport, then we can perhaps assume Yes. However, online SEF form, to be completed prior to arrival, is not yet updated to include U.K., and unsure whether those exempt because of proof of qualifying vaccination will have to fill that in anyway.
also SEF guidance web page not yet updated

Pilotabroad

It is indeed by any means of travel.
Sadly but not surprisingly the Portuguese authorities did not and have not supplied transport companies, UK government or Portuguese agencies with any further details therefore creating chaos at UK airports this morning.
It is to be reviewed on the 11th July, but as Madeira is exempt as per UK exempting them from Amber list status I would imagine its understandably tit for tat so unlikely to change soon.
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riv

If persons with double vaccination are not permitted to travel without home quarantine on arrival - then is this Thing ever going to end at all ?

Mac and Mabel

Have a look at #1 again, it says unless you can prove full vaccination status.

My further question is: does isolation ‘at home’ mean an otherwise unoccupied property, and does it have to be owned by the person/s entering Portugal? My parents are coming by land this week and have officially printed versions of their NHS COVID pass certificates, but just in case of confusion at the border - perhaps because they’re on paper - can my parents stay with me? If not, can they stay in another separate vacant property I own, even though it is not owned by them ie not THEIR home? I realise probably none of us know the answers to any of this and it will be a case of turn up at the border and find out...

toots sweet

Can't really think this is practicable in some respects. You have no jab cert(and negative test,although that hasn't been specified if needed as well),but have negative test results.
Arrive home to an empty house with no food ( or not enough for 2 weeks). You will have to go out and buy. Not everyone lives on the Algarve or in Lisbon. Where we live home delivery and click and collect is unheard of. Our next door neighbour is an elderly man and also I would not expect or ask someone to do 2 weeks worth of food shopping for me. We will have our 2 tests when we return home in a month or 2 but if you havn't ,are you in theory ,unable to return home.

Pilotabroad

Sadly as you say "nobody knows", it seems to have caught out everyone (the details or enforcement not the rule itself)
Spoke this morning to airport manager and a manager of the border control, neither know what is acceptable proof of double jab or what "at home" or "approved accommodation" means for quarantine purpose.

I'll update if I get concrete info

sportpix

What is click and collect? I’ve just pushed myself the 1km down to the supermarket to buy groceries plus six large bottles of water and then got an Uber back. Uber is becoming somewhat tiresome now that we have tourists in Lagos. The first driver that accepted my ride this morning was on another call and so the wait was going to be 18 minutes. Once he arrived at his drop off 10 minutes later he then canceled my pick up. Another driver then picked up my ride who was only 3.5k away but after five minutes of stationary inactivity also canceled my ride. The first driver, now eight minutes away accepted my ride once again, only to cancel it two minutes later. The driver who finally picked me up was eight minutes away so all in all it took more than half an hour to get the 1km home. Oh to have two good legs again 😡

Mac and Mabel

Continente Online deliver everywhere. I do mean everywhere - I live really out in the sticks in Central Portugal and have been having a weekly delivery ever since December. 5.99 delivery charge or, if you purchase their EntregaZero product for either 100 days or whole year, you can have as many free-at-point-of-use deliveries within that period as you like, so long as they meet the minimum spend - either 35€ or 55 depending on your location. I can even get chicken feed and 15kg bags of dog food through it. So yes, home delivery is there for the taking.

Mac and Mabel

See post #8 sportpix- sounds just what you need. Hope you’re completely recovered soon.

chislenko

Pilot: So if Portugal now accepts double jabbed people without a test do the airlines accept that for flights to Portugal or do you still need a negative test to board the plane?

I get more confused by the day 😟

Mac and Mabel

Thanks, Pilot. I suggest we all share any gems we pick up along the way; it’s the only way we’ll find our ways through the minefield. I’ll certainly share my folks’ experience later in the week when we see what the story is at Vila Formoso border.

Mac and Mabel

SEF guidance is now updated to U.K. with an * that appears to apply only to U.K. re exemption for those holding evidence of full vaccination. U.K. has also been added to drop down picklist on online form for travellers from those 5 countries, although, to me at least, it’s still not absolutely clear whether someone who should be exempt based on vaccinations still has to complete that form. Nor the definition of ‘at home’.
https://imigrante.sef.pt/en/covid-19...-8876f963-fd47

Mac and Mabel

Just spoke to man at Vilar Formoso border office. I think we understood each other in Portuguese, but that’s my 1st caveat to this info. My 2nd is that I do often find in Pt that, even if an official person can!t be sure they know the answer, they will tell you what they believe they do know with absolute certainty! That said, the friendly border man said the new rules only apply to air travel, and my parents require nothing but a passport. When I pointed out that the Sef website has been updated to read that they also apply to land border arrivals originating from U.K., he said they have changed nothing yet at Vilar Formoso as they have not received any official Sef communication to change practice. So I asked if, hypothetically, they have had to change practice by the time my parents arrive, will their official NHS paper copy COVID certificates (obtained via 119) be acceptable, as they don’t have digital, and he said Yes, of course. Make of that what you will.

riv

Well it shows that some officials can be reasonable and kind. Unfortunately not all seem to possess those qualities so one would rather start out on the correct side of the letter of the law.

Did someone say it is now Portuguese policy to permit arrivals from the UK who are double vacc'd to enter withOUT the covid test requirement ?

That would surely make a lot of sense but is it the policy ?

Mac and Mabel

That seems to be a grey area regards modes of arrival that already required testing (airs but testing wasn’t required at land borders anyway, and that hasn’t changed on the Sef website guidance - and wasn’t and isn’t even required by land for those coming from the 4 countries we’re now joined with - and my earlier conversation with the border post would seem to corroborate.