Detailed below is information on individual countries' policies regarding entry for people with HIV. It is based upon information gathered by Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, and NAM would like to thank this organisation.
You can find more information about entry and residence regulations for people with HIV in English, French, German and Italian at www.hivtravel.org, an initiative of the Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, the European AIDS Treatment Group and the International AIDS Society.
Update January 2010: The US HIV travel ban has now ended - read story on aidsmap.com.
Afghanistan
There is currently no reliable information on restricted entry.
Albania
No restrictions.
Algeria
No restrictions for entry or residence. Returning nationals and army members have to undergo HIV testing.
Andorra
No restrictions for short-term tourist stays. No work or residency permits granted to people with HIV, hepatitis, cancer or diabetes. Restrictions apply to all foreigners, including EU citizens.
Angola
No restrictions for entry or residence.
Antigua and Barbuda
No restrictions for entry or residence.
Argentina
No restrictions for entry or residence.
Armenia
Although there are no restrictions on entry, foreigners in the country who are found to be HIV-positive may be deported.
Aruba
No known restrictions for entry or residence.
Australia
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests required for foreign nationals over the age of 15 who wish to settle in Austalia. People with HIV wanting to immigrate permanently to Australia will have their case decided based on criterion used for all pre-existing conditions.
Austria
No restrictions for entry.
Azerbaijan
No restrictions for entry.
Bahamas
There are some entry restrictions for visitors to and foreign residents of the Bahamas, but immigration services do not always require testing for people staying less than 30 days. You should check with the embassy before travelling.
Bahrain
No restrictions for tourists, but pre-employment HIV tests for people applying for residence permits (the test must be done in Bahrain).
Bangladesh
No restrictions on entry, but deportation possible if a person if found to have HIV whilst in the country.
Barbados
No information is available.
Belarus
No restriction for tourist visits of under three months. All persons staying longer than three months must produce evidence of their HIV status.
Belgium
No restrictions for entry.
Belize
No restrictions for entry, HIV tests required for those seeking work or residence permits.
Benin
No restrictions for short-time tourist stays. HIV testing required for work or residence permits.
Bolivia
No restrictions for entry or residence, but HIV tests required for intending immigrants.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
No entry restrictions for HIV-positive people.
Botswana
No restrictions for entry. HIV testing required from students beginning their studies.
Brazil
There are no entry restrictions for people living with HIV.
Brunei
No testing for short-term tourist stays, but people with HIV are not permitted entry. HIV tests are required for those seeking work and residence permits.
Bulgaria
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests required for foreigners who wish to stay longer than 30 days.
Burkina Faso
There are no entry restrictions for HIV-positive persons. However, in order to obtain an entry visa, foreigners must be vaccinated against yellow fever, a live vaccine which is not recommended for those with compromised immunity.
Burundi
No restrictions for HIV-positive people. Proof of yellow fever vaccination required.
Cambodia
No restrictions for entry.
Cameroon
No restrictions for entry, but yellow fever vaccination certificate required.
Canada
No restrictions for short-term tourist visits.
Mandatory HIV testing of all prospective immigrants occurs.
Chile
No entry restrictions.
China
The situation is unclear. China has said that it will remove entry restrictions for people with HIV, but in the summer of 2008 random checks were still being conducted. HIV tests required for a work permit.
Colombia
No information for short-term visits. A medical certificate is required for those who are applying for a long stay visa, work permit or residency.
Costa Rica
No entry restrictions for short-term visits.
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
No restrictions for HIV-positive individuals.
Croatia
No restrictions.
Cuba
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV tests required for students seeking a scholarship in Cuba. HIV tests required for renewal of residency permit.
Cyprus
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV test required for residency, work and study.
Czech Republic
No restrictions.
Denmark
No restrictions.
Dominican Republic
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests is required for residency.
Ecuador
No restrictions for entry. Those applying for a long-term residency are normally requested to test for HIV.
Egypt
No restrictions for short-term tourist visits. HIV tests required for study and work permits.
Eritrea
No restrictions.
Estonia
No restrictions.
Ethiopia
No restrictions.
Fiji
No reliable information about entry for short-term visits. HIV tests required for visits lasting over five months.
Finland
No restrictions. However, a residence permit may be denied to a foreigner thought to be a threat to public health.
France
No restrictions.
Gabon
No restrictions for entry, yellow fever vaccination required.
Georgia
In practice no restrictions on entry.
Germany
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV tests required in some states for stays lasting over three months.
Ghana
No restrictions.
Greece
No entry restrictions. Sex workers wishing to work in Greece are the only group tested. If positive, a sex work permit will be refused, but free HIV treatment will be offered.
Guatemala
No restrictions.
Guinea
No restrictions.
Guyana
No information currently available.
Haiti
No HIV testing on entry.
Honduras
No restrictions for entry.
Hong Kong
No restrictions for entry.
Hungary
No restrictions for short-term tourist stays. No HIV testing on entry. An HIV test is required for anyone who wants to stay in the country for more than one year. Additionally, some employers may require their staff to undergo HIV testing.
Iceland
No restrictions for entry.
India
No restrictions for entry.
Indonesia
No restrictions for entry.
Iran
No restrictions for European nationals visiting for tourism or business for under three months. Foreign nationals intending to work in Iran or to stay for more than three months must produce an HIV test certificate.
Iraq
HIV tests are required for those wishing to visit for more than ten days.
Ireland (The Republic of)
No restrictions.
Israel
No restrictions for entry. Migrants from endemic countries must have an HIV test, as must migrant workers.
Italy
No restrictions for people with HIV.
Jamaica
No restrictions for people with HIV.
Japan
There are no restrictions for people with HIV who wish to travel or work in Japan.
Jordan
No restrictions for stays of 30 days or less. HIV tests required for stays of over two months or for work or residence permits.
Kazakhstan
No restrictions for short-term visits, but HIV test required for work or residence permit.
Kenya
No restrictions for entry, proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required.
Korea (Democratic People’s Republic)
There is no legal provision regarding the entry of people with HIV. Not everybody is requested to present a medical certificate or a specific document of an AIDS examination when entering the country. However, if a person’s HIV-positive status becomes known, he/she is sent back to his/her country of origin. The reason given for this is the lack of experience with HIV and the lack of treatment options.
Korea (South)
Update: The South Korean government has announced that entry restrictions on the basis of HIV status have been lifted, effective from January 1st 2010. People with HIV are not permitted to enter the country. However, for a stay of up to three months, it is not mandatory to prove one’s HIV status (for those visitors who do not require a visa). There are controls at the border regarding the HIV status. If a person’s HIV-positive status becomes known, he/she is expelled.
Kosovo
No restrictions for entry.
Kuwait
No HIV testing is required for visitors or business travellers. The visa application for a long-term stay requires a doctor’s certificate. In the case of an HIV infection, no visa is granted.
Kyrgyzstan
All foreigners excluding diplomats staying more than one month are required to provide evidence of their HIV status.
Laos
No restrictions for entry.
Latvia
No restrictions for entry.
Lebanon
No restrictions for short-term visits. Anyone planning to live or work in Lebanon must undergo an HIV test.
Lesotho
No restrictions for entry.
Libya
No restrictions for entry.
Liechtenstein
No restrictions for entry.
Lithuania
No restrictions for entry, but HIV test may be required for applicants for permanent residence permits.
Luxemburg
No restrictions for entry.
Macedonia
No restrictions.
Madagascar
No restrictions.
Malawi
No entry restrictions. A health certificate is not required for longer stays and applications for residence permits either.
Malaysia
No restrictions for entry for short-term visits.
HIV tests required for some workers.
Maldives
No restrictions for entry.
Mali
No restrictions for entry, but yellow fever vaccination required.
Malta
No restrictions.
Marshall Islands
No restrictions for short-term visits, but HIV test may be required for visits over 30 days.
Mauritius
No information about short-term visits, but it is thought that there are likely to be few problems. HIV test required for foreign nationals who want to work in Mauritius or who apply for permanent residence.
Mexico
No restrictions for entry.
Micronesia
No restrictions for entry. Anyone staying over 90 days is required to undergo an HIV test.
Mongolia
No information about short-term visits, but few problems anticipated. Tests required for longer visits or work, residence or study permits.
Monaco
No restrictions.
Moldavia
Foreign nationals who are HIV positive are not allowed to enter Moldavia. A medical certificate is required on entry, although tourists are exempt. In addition, foreign tourists need to pass a health exam conducted by the Moldavian Health Authorities. Such a certificate is also necessary if a foreign national wishes to get married in Moldavia. HIV testing is required of anybody wishing to stay longer than three months.
Mongolia
A test result is requested on entry. However, this law is apparently not applied. Foreign students must have an HIV test on arrival, repeated several months later. Foreigners staying longer than 30 days may also be required to undergo testing, though this is not an official law and is only selectively applied.
Montserrat
No restrictions for entry. Foreign nationals, including university students who are applying for or renewing work or residence must produce a negative HIV certificate.
Morocco
No restrictions.
Mozambique
No restrictions.
Myanmar
No restrictions.
Namibia
No restrictions.
Nepal
No restrictions.
Netherlands
No restrictions.
New Zealand
No restrictions for stays of up to three months.
From early 2005, New Zealand started undertaking HIV screening for migrants. The full set of changes, including screening for HIV, and a wider and updated set of tests for other expensive-to-treat conditions, was implemented for people seeking to be in New Zealand for longer than twelve months.
Nicaragua
No restrictions for short-term stays. For stays of more than three months, the residence permit has to be extended by the immigration authorities. In this case, the presentation of a medical certificate is requested.
Extended residency will only exceptionally be granted to HIV-positive people.
Niger
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests required for foreign nationals seeking to marry citizens of Niger.
Nigeria
No restrictions for entry.
Norway
No restrictions for entry. Persons who stay in Norway for longer than three months are offered a tuberculosis test and an HIV test, in order to arrange for any necessary treatment as quickly as possible.
Oman
No HIV test required for toutists. HIV tests for work or residence permits.
Pakistan
No restrictions for entry.
Panama
No restrictions for short-term visits. An HIV test certificate is required of foreign nationals wishing to stay for more than one year.
Papua New Guinea
No HIV test required for short-term visits, but required if applying for a work permit.
Paraguay
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV test required for residency.
Peru
No entry restrictions. Those wishing to obtain a Peruvian marriage certificate are required to take an HIV test.
Philippines
No restrictions for short-term tourist stays.
Poland
No restrictions for short-term stays. Mandatory HIV tests for mothers or babies suspected to have HIV and who wish to stay for three months or longer.
Portugal
No restrictions.
Qatar
No HIV testing on entry. However, people whose HIV-status is known to the authorities are refused entry. Applicants for a work or residence permit must present a negative HIV test certificate (the date of the certificate must not be older than six months).
Romania
No restrictions, but HIV test required for a marriage license.
Russian Federation
No restrictions for entry for stays up to three months. Students and foreign employees staying longer than three months must have an HIV test.
Rwanda
There are no restriction entries to people living with HIV. However in the case of serious illness permission can be refused.
St Kitts and Nevis
Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence, undertaking study and those applying for work permits may be asked to undertake an HIV test.
Saudi Arabia
Very likely to be no problems for short-term visits, but HIV tests required for long-term work permits.
Senegal
There are no restrictions regarding entry for HIV-positive persons.
Seychelles
No restrictions for tourist visits. HIV test for work permit.
Singapore
No restrictions for short-term tourist stays lasting up 30 days. HIV testing for longer stays.
Slovakia
No specific regulations.
Slovenia
No restrictioms.
Solomon Islands
Entry can be denied if it becomes known, that the person in question has an infectious disease.
South Africa
No restrictions for tourists with HIV.
Spain
No restrictions for short-term visits.
Sri Lanka
No specific entry regulations for people with HIV. No questions asked about HIV on entry. However in cases in which an HIV infection is suspected, foreign nationals may be denied entry.
Sudan
Officially, people with HIV are not granted a visa and are not permitted to enter Sudan. A negative HIV test result must be presented at a Sudanese embassy or at Khartoum airport in order to obtain a visa. However, these regulations are unlikely to be carried out.
Swaziland
There are no entry restrictions for people living with HIV.
Syria
Foreign nationals applying for work permits and foreign students must undergo an HIV test at one of three specified centres in Syria. A foreigner wishing to marry a Syrian national is required to take an HIV test.
Sweden
No restrictions for people with HIV.
Switzerland
No restrictions.
Syria
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV test required for individuals aged 15 - 50 who require a residence permit or to settle in Syria.
Tadjikistan
No evidence of HIV testing to entry. HIV testing is required for stays of more than 90 days.
Taiwan
No short-term restrictions. An HIV test result must be presented by anyone wishing to stay longer than 90 days or applying for a residence or work permit.
Tanzania
No restrictions.
Thailand
No restrictions.
Togo
No restrictions.
Tonga
No restrictions for short-term visits, but HIV test required for visits lasting five months or more.
Trinidad and Tobago
All foreign nationals applying for residence or to stay more than one year must undergo a medical examination. Those found to be HIV–positive will be refused permission to stay.
Tunisia
No restrictions.
Turkey
No restrictions for entry.
Turks and Caicos
No restrictions for short-term visits. All foreign nationals applying for work and residence permits must have a medical examination on arrival, including an HIV test.
Turkmenistan
No restrictions for short-term tourist stays. A positive test result may, however, lead to deportation.
Uganda
No restrictions for short-term visits.
Ukraine
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV tests required for foreign nationals wishing to remain beyond three months.
United Arab Emirates
HIV tests are required for entry, but short-term visits are possible because there are no checks at borders. HIV test required for residence.
Uruguay
No restrictions for entry.
United States of America
The long-standing US HIV travel ban has ended, with effect from January 4th 2010.
Uzbekistan
No restrictions for visits of up to 90 days. HIV-negative certificate required for visits over three months.
Venezuela
No regulations regarding the entry or residence of people with HIV.
Vietnam
No specific entry or residence restrictions for people with HIV/AIDS. However the Vietnamese law requires HIV positive people to report to the health control authorities on entry.
Virgin Islands
No restrictions on entry.
Yemen
Entry will not be granted if the authorities are aware an individual is HIV-positive. A negative test result has to be presented for stays of more than one month or applying for residence.
Zambia
No restrictions.
Zimbabwe
No restrictions.
Problems getting into the UK
There are no restrictions on entry for people with HIV into the UK.
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