Argentina will open to international visitors from November

September 25, 2021 Seoul

After 18 months of closure because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Argentina will reopen to international tourists on November 1st.

The news comes after cases, and fatalities in the South American nation continue to fall. Officials from the government declared that Argentina would loosen pandemic restrictions, approve a gradual reopening of borders, and allow most social activities to continue without restrictions.

Argentina’s health minister, Carla Vizzoti, stated the move would allow more activities in closed places and boost economic activities. She said, “We are in a very positive moment; we know that the pandemic has not ended; we have to maintain care.”

The Argentinian economy has lost 9.9 percent of its GDP in the previous 18 months because of lockdowns and border closures — so this is more than welcome news.

The Border Reopening Dates

From the 1st of November, all fully vaccinated foreigners will be able to enter Argentina if they provide evidence of full vaccination. The government will allow unvaccinated visitors to enter Argentina, but they will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine period.

Travelers who’ve received both vaccinations will need to have taken their second dose at least 14 days before arriving in Argentina.

The health minister also stated travelers from neighboring countries would be allowed to enter Argentina from October if they’re fully vaccinated. Argentina is planning to reopen its land border on a staggered basis.

Furthermore, the health minister said the reopening is due to a decrease in infections within the country and the advancement of Argentina’s vaccination program.

The COVID-19 Situation In Argentina

Argentina has witnessed multiple waves of COVID-19 in the previous 18 months. The most prominent wave was in May, where cases peaked at a seven-day average of just under 33,000.

Today, Argentina has the cases down to a 7-day average of only 1,844. Argentina has had 114,579 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began, with over 5 million reported cases of the disease.

That said, the country has now fully vaccinated around 55.3 percent of its entire population, successfully administering 49,729,347 vaccination doses.

At the current vaccination rate, it will take Argentina another 32 days to vaccinate a further 10 percent of its population.

The Current Restrictions Inside Argentina

The government will drop the mandatory face mask requirement while walking on the street and outdoors. Masks will still be mandatory in cinemas, workplaces, large outdoor events, and public transport after October 1st.

What’s more, Argentina will allow all economic, commercial, religious, industrial, cultural, recreational, and sports activities in closed places to resume full capacity.

All outdoor events with more than 1,000 people can operate at 50 percent capacity. Nightclubs, discos, and entertainment venues will also reopen to the fully vaccinated at a 50 percent capacity.

South America and Central America’s Reopening

Although some South and Central American nations have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic, many remained closed to international visitors.

Chile recently announced it would reopen to foreign tourists from October 1st thanks to its fast vaccination rollout.

However, travelers will need to show a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival, undergo a mandatory 5-day quarantine, have medical travel insurance, and show full proof of vaccination.