Ghana has been excluded from the list of countries affected by the Netherlands international travel ban to and from the Dutch onboard its national flag carrier, KLM.
Ghana’s exclusion was announced by the Netherlands Embassy in Accra via a communique shortly after the travel ban on international travels.
“This does not apply to Ghana,” said the Embassy.
The travel ban according to the Dutch government is to curb the emergence and spread of new covid strains in the country.
For travels from Ghana to the Netherlands, the Embassy further noted that air passengers ought to undergo a PCR test and a speed test.
“The speed test must be taken up to four hours before departure. This obligation comes in addition to the pre-existing PCR test 72 hours before departure.”
“The speed test is controlled by transport companies. If there is no option to take a speed test before departure from the flight, for example, because there are no testing facilities (open), there can be no travel,” it added.
However, it stated that some groups are exempted from this obligation. They include;
• Persons under 13 years.
• Border workers, border students and border school students.
• Holders of non-Dutch diplomatic passports.
• Holders of Dutch diplomatic passports, when travelling in office or when travelling to or from their activities.
• Heads of State and members of a foreign government.
• Seafarers on board a ferry or passenger ship that don’t leave the ship and don’t make travel moves to and from that ship. The exceptions do not apply to seafarers on commercial yachts and pleasure boats.
• The crew on board airplanes provided they don’t leave the plane and immediately fly further (back).
• Passengers on a flight who do not have the Netherlands as their final destination, but have to swerve to a Dutch airport due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Passengers with a NATO Travel Order or NATO-2 visa.
The suspension of long-haul flights to and from the Netherlands by KLM, begins Friday, January 22.
