Key points
- A number of countries restrict the entry and/or residence of people with HIV.
- Tourism or business trips are generally possible, even in countries with entry bans.
- Long-term restrictions related to work or study permits are strictly enforced.
- Undetectability is never taken into account.
Some countries limit entry for people with HIV. However, the number of countries restricting travel by people with HIV has reduced in recent years. Short-term trips usually have fewer restrictions and checks may be less consistently carried out. The rules tend to be more strictly enforced for longer-term stays, such as those requiring a work visa.
Can I travel if I am living with HIV?
Yes. Many countries clearly state that your HIV status will not affect whether you can visit, stay, or work. Most countries do not require any type of medical tests for short-term or long-term stays.
However, there are still some countries which do limit entry for people living with HIV. A small number of these have an entry ban. This means that if you travel to these countries and you are living with HIV, you might not be allowed to enter.
In other countries, restrictions only apply to longer stays. You might be allowed to enter for a short time (such as for a holiday), but not be allowed to work or live there. In these countries, you may have to take an HIV test or declare your HIV status when applying for a visa or residency permit. In some cases, you might not be asked for information about HIV, but if you are found to have HIV you could be deported (made to leave).
Travel restrictions for people living with HIV are complex and they change from country to country. Not all countries have specific immigration laws relating to HIV, but declaring your HIV status can still sometimes cause issues.
Travel restrictions apply even if you have an undetectable viral load.
Which countries have HIV travel restrictions?
This page has general guidance on current regulations across different continents, based on information from the website www.hivtravel.org. This is provided by Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, the European AIDS Treatment Group and the International AIDS Society.
Please note that the regulations may have changed since the time of writing. Before you make any travel plans, including to live or work abroad, we recommend you check the www.hivtravel.org website for up-to-date details by country. There is also a feedback form for those who need additional advice or have information to improve the site.
North America
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to North America.
In the US, people entering with prescription medication, including HIV medication, need to carry a doctor’s certificate in English, stating that the drugs are required to treat a personal condition.
In Canada, you have to take an HIV test if you plan to stay for more than six months. All long-term visitors are assessed in terms of how much ‘excessive demand’ they might put on the Canadian health service. A cost of more than CA$24,057 a year is considered ‘excessive’, but the cost of many publicly funded HIV medications is less than this amount.
Central and South America
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to Central and South America.
There are restrictions on long-term stays in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. In Paraguay, for example, those travelling to the country because they want to apply for permanent residency have to take an HIV test. A residence permit won’t be granted if the test is positive, unless you can pay for your treatment yourself.
For Aruba, Belize, Nicaragua, and Suriname, the regulations are unclear or inconclusive. Contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
Caribbean
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to the Caribbean.
Cuba, the Dominican Republic, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos, and the Virgin Islands all have restrictions on long-term stays. For example, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, work permits are not renewed in the case of a positive HIV test result and HIV-positive foreigners have no access to treatment and services.
In the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines, regulations are unclear or inconclusive. No information is available for Bermuda. Contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
Sub-Saharan Africa
There are generally few restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to sub-Saharan Africa. However, in Equatorial Guinea, you may have to present an HIV test certificate. If you are HIV positive you might be refused entry or deported.
The following countries have restrictions on long-term stays: Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sudan.
Regulations are unclear or inconclusive in Angola and there is no information available for São Tomé and Prinicipe. Contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
North Africa and the Middle East
Most of the countries that restrict entry based on HIV status are in North Africa and the Middle East.
Living with HIV may mean you are not allowed to enter Jordan, Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, or Yemen, even for a short stay. However, there are no restrictions if you’re passing through Dubai in transit as an airline passenger.
Countries with restrictions, or potential restrictions, on long-term stays include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Tunisia. Almost all these countries will also deport people based on their HIV status.
Note that regulations are unclear or inconclusive in Iran, Qatar, and Tunisia. You are advised to contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
Western, northern and southern Europe
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to western, northern, or southern Europe.
In Cyprus, people from outside the EU who are applying for a temporary residence permit have to prove they don’t have HIV before a permit will be issued. However, this rule doesn't apply to diplomatic personnel and high-ranking company employees.
Central and eastern Europe
In Russia, no HIV testing is required for short-term tourist stays (up to three months), but foreign residents found to be HIV positive are expelled. You are required to present a negative HIV test result for a stay longer than three months, or if you are using a multi-entry visa.
"Travel restrictions for people living with HIV are complex and they change from country to country."
In Bosnia and Azerbaijan, there are restrictions on long-term stays, and in Slovakia, people from outside the EU applying for a temporary residence permit have to prove they don’t have HIV before one is issued.
In Hungary, you have to report your HIV status when applying for a residence permit. However, being HIV positive can’t be used as a reason for denying your permit application.
Central Asia
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan all have restrictions on long-term visits, but the rules are unclear or inconclusive. Contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
East Asia
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to east Asia.
China used to ban short-term visitors with HIV, but it doesn’t anymore. However, the website www.hivtravel.org recommends that you don’t declare your status on visa application forms. It also advises that you should be careful with voluntary status declarations, such as wearing red ribbons. An HIV test is required for work and study visa applications of more than six months. However, Hong Kong and Macau have separate entry and visa regulations without any restrictions.
The only country in east Asia that deports people because of their HIV status is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea).
South and south-east Asia
There are generally few restrictions on entry and short-term stays for people living with HIV travelling to south and south-east Asia.
However, people living with HIV are not allowed to enter Brunei and people who are found to be HIV positive can be deported. In Bhutan, you have to present the results of an HIV test that was taken in the six months before your visit if you want to stay longer than two weeks. People who test positive may be deported.
In the Maldives, Malaysia, and Singapore there are restrictions on longer-term stays.
The regulations in Malaysia and Sri Lanka are unclear or inconclusive. Contact their respective embassies prior to travelling for guidance.
Oceania
For entry and short-term stays, there are generally no restrictions for people living with HIV travelling to Oceania. The exceptions to this are the Solomon Islands, where entry may be denied on the basis of HIV status, and the Marshall Islands, where HIV testing is required for temporary visitors staying more than 30 days.
In Australia, all long-term visa applicants over the age of 15 have to take an HIV test. For those under 15, an HIV test might also be carried out if you have a history of blood transfusions, your mother is living with HIV, or there is a medical sign that you might be living with HIV.
Long-term visa applicants who have any long-term health condition, including HIV, are considered according to how much they might cost the Australian health system. Information on this can be found on the Australian government’s website.
In New Zealand, people with HIV are assessed on a ‘case by case’ basis. If you are living with HIV and in a ‘long-term stable relationship’ with a New Zealand citizen, you will be granted an automatic medical waiver. This means your HIV status isn’t considered as part of your application for a visa or residency permit.
The following countries also have restrictions on long-term stays: Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands.
In the Solomon Islands and Tonga, the regulations are unclear or inconclusive. For French Polynesia and Kiribati there is no information available on travel restrictions relating to HIV status. Contact their respective embassies for guidance before travelling.
Can I travel into a country with entry restrictions?
If you’re living with HIV and you decide to travel to a country that does have entry restrictions you may be refused entry or deported. Some countries will offer waivers that let you visit in certain circumstances, such as if the trip is to visit family members, but they can be difficult to get.
Travel restrictions for people with HIV can change quickly and so they need to be checked before any trip. In countries where restrictions have been recently changed, you should take extra caution discussing your HIV status.
If you’re living with HIV you might have travelled into a country when a travel ban was in place. In this case, it’s important to know that there is still a risk of being deported even if the travel ban has now been lifted. This could happen if there was proof you knew your HIV status and still entered the country. In this case, you could be deported for breaking the law.
Can I travel with PrEP medication?
We are not aware of any countries that ban people who are travelling with PrEP. However, most countries limit the amount of prescription medication you can travel with. Usually, you will be able to take enough medication for up to a three-month stay. But should always check the rules for the countries you are travelling to and from, as some have stricter rules. It’s usually a good idea to bring your prescription with you.
If a country has entry restrictions for people with HIV, travelling with PrEP might cause problems. This is because customs officials might think the medication is for treating HIV. In extreme cases, it could even mean you are deported (made to leave the country). A letter from your doctor explaining PrEP is for HIV prevention might help.
Other useful information
When you contact an embassy or consulate to ask about travel restrictions, you can keep your name or HIV status anonymous. For British Overseas Territories, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website is a good place to start.
It may be helpful to contact an HIV organisation in the country you are travelling to and ask them for information.
There is more information about accessing HIV services and medication in some European and central Asian countries on the Stay on ART website.
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