and “by a professional” suggests that I can’t use the standard DIY Randox/Chronomics tests,
I know nothing about Belgium but I would agree that is what the words mean. They don’t want a DIY test (with obvious workarounds) or even a PCR test (what they call NAAT) which could have been taken by another person.
The Home Office advice site is normally accurate.
Does anyone have recent experience of flying from the UK to Belgium?
GENDEC to police and another GENDEC to customs, maybe @LFHNflightstudent knows in/out?
Travellers who are fully vaccinated with a Belgian, EU Vaccination Certificate or an NHS COVID Pass or certificate with a QR code (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
If you do not have Belgian residency you must:
Complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF), unless you fall under a very limited list of exemptions listed on the Belgian government website (under the Transport and International section).
Do a pre-departure test. This can be a rapid antigen test (lateral flow test) either the day before arrival or the day of arrival or PCR test no more than 72 hours before you arrive in Belgium. This test must be negative.
Take a PCR test on day 1 after arrival and quarantine until you receive a negative result.
Take a further PCR test on day 7 after arrival.
If you remain in Belgium for less than 48 hours you will not be required to take a PCR test on day 1 after arrival or to quarantine until you receive a negative result.
If you have Belgian residency, you do not have to take a pre-departure test. Travellers who are not coming to Belgium via a carrier (for example, those travelling by car via France) and who have been abroad for a maximum of 48 hours or who will be staying in Belgium for a maximum of 48 hours, do not need to fill in a PLF and therefore do not need to present a test certificate or test on arrival. You should continue to follow the guidance for any country which you will be travelling through.
The Belgian Government guidance defines a “carrier” as:
a public or private air carrier;
public or private maritime transport;
an inland waterway carrier;
a public or private train or bus operator for transport from a country outside the European Union and the Schengen area (this includes the Eurostar)
If any of the test results are positive, you must self-isolate in line with Belgian government guidance.
Further details are listed on the Belgian government’s website.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/belgium/entry-requirements#entry-rules-in-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19
NicR wrote:
The “official laboratory” and “by a professional” suggests that I can’t use the standard DIY Randox/Chronomics tests, or am I reading too much in to that?
This means PCR test in Belgium…
“by a professional” suggests that I can’t use the standard DIY Randox/Chronomics tests, or am I reading too much in to that?
I find it a low self esteem not to count yourself as “professional”? at least as “aircraft crew” you should tick 99% of the box (ignoring what you do for living 
)
Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention I had already of course read the guidelines on gov.uk but I feel it’s important to ensure that you don’t use that as the canonical source of information. Nobody wants to land in a foreign country and find they’ve misunderstood the local laws and regulations. Saying you’ve followed the guidance from gov.uk is no defence!
So for example the gov.uk info says Belgium will accept a lateral flow or pcr test, but that doesn’t correlate with the faq entry on the Belgium site.
Has anyone here actually flown UK – Belgium recently?
In case anyone’s interested, I’ve spoken with the FBO at EBOS and they have confirmed:
PLF must be submitted before arrival.
A PCR test from lab/pharmacist will be needed, no home test will be accepted.
Passengers must have:
– a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken at most 36 hours before arrival. The test result must be in Dutch, English, French or German; or;
– a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. The test result must be in Dutch, English, French or German.
This does not apply to passengers residing in Belgium.
This does not apply to passengers younger than 12 years.
NicR wrote:
In case anyone’s interested, I’ve spoken with the FBO at EBOS and they have confirmed:PLF must be submitted before arrival.
A PCR test from lab/pharmacist will be needed, no home test will be accepted.
Passengers must have:
– a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken at most 36 hours before arrival. The test result must be in Dutch, English, French or German; or;
– a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. The test result must be in Dutch, English, French or German.
This does not apply to passengers residing in Belgium.
This does not apply to passengers younger than 12 years.
Does the same apply to crew members?
Emir wrote:
Does the same apply to crew members?
From the FBO: “All crew are exempt from any regulations.”
Not sure I fancy testing that out though… I was planning to fly next with with 2 POB, both ‘crew’ in the sense of one would fly the outbound leg and the other the return leg.
NicR wrote:
From the FBO: “All crew are exempt from any regulations.”
All crew? Really all? In many countries Air Crew is limited to crews of commercial air transport or flying in a professional capacity.
