High in the Viral Sky

As if health and well-being aren't huge enough concerns for someone living with HIV, somehow, the potential to go places is also a concern to many.

Yes, were talking travel here. Aside from exploring the leisure and adventure that lie beyond the Philippine shores, for some, it is the chance to work abroad and graze the greener pastures that may be bigger concerns.

Personally, I'm not too alarmed by the possible restrictions this virus may have on me when it comes to travel. But thanks to a new friend, who is himself awaiting confirmatory results and raising such concerns, I decided to revisit the stuff I'd read about HIV travel restrictions.

So prepare for information overload. Here's what I found...

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There are no restrictions for Albania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Ireland, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

There are no restrictions for/on entry for Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Cambodia, Chile, Georgia, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Kosovo, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malawi, Maldives, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, Uruguay and the Virgin Islands.

There are no entry restrictions for people living with HIV for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Senegal, Swaziland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

There is currently no information for Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana and Slovakia.


Below are the travel regulations for other countries with more specific stipulations:

Algeria
No restrictions for entry, but HIV test mandatory if applying for residence permit.

Angola
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests required for all foreigners applying for work or residence visas.

Armenia
Although there are no restrictions on entry, foreigners in the country who are found to be HIV-positive may be deported.

Aruba
No restrictions on entry, but HIV testing is required for intending immigrants.

Australia
No restrictions for entry, but HIV tests required for foreign nationals who wish to settle in Austalia. HIV tests are required for foreigners who want to immigrate permanently to Australia.

Bahrain
No restrictions for tourists, but pre-employment HIV tests for foreign workers.

Bangladesh
No restrictions on entry, but deportation possible if a person if found to have HIV whilst in the country.

Belarus
No restriction for tourist visits of under three months. All persons staying longer than three months must produce evidence of their HIV status.

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.

Botswana
No restrictions for entry. HIV testing required from students beginning their studies.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gabon
No restrictions for entry, yellow fever vaccination required.

Germany
No restrictions for short-term visits. HIV tests required in some states for stays lasting over three months.

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.

Haiti
No HIV testing on 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.

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.

Israel
No restrictions for entry. Migrants from endemic countries must have an HIV test, as must migrant workers.

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
The South Korean government has announced that entry restrictions on the basis of HIV status have been lifted, effective from January 1st 2010. Prior to this development, “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.”

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.

Lebanon
No restrictions for short-term visits. Anyone planning to live or work in Lebanon must undergo an HIV test.

Lithuania
No restrictions for entry, but HIV test may be required for applicants for permanent residence permits.

Malaysia
No restrictions for entry for short-term visits. HIV tests required for some workers.

Mali
No restrictions for entry, but yellow fever vaccination required.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 tourists. HIV tests for work or residence permits.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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So there. If you really think about it, it's not like being HIV-positive leaves you tied to your motherland. A lot of possibilities still remain at your fingertips. For more information, visit the websites of NAMLIFE and HIVTravel.

So indeed, it may seem that having the HIV bomb dropped on you may feel like someone clipped your wings, but really, you just gotta realize that you still can soar, and soar high.