Belgians can get 2 PCR-tests for free to go on holiday

Viviane Vaz for Id International

Did you know that as of June 28, following the Covid-19 rules, Belgian residents can get 2 free PCR tests for travel reasons? The idea is to help those who want to leave Belgium to go on holidays, but did not have the chance to get fully vaccinated yet.

Belgian residents can take their test at a testing center or choose to go to their own general practitioners, if they agree to perform the test at their medical cabinet. People who prefer not to be vaccinated are not entitled to the free tests.

According to the Belgian media, more than 160,000 people in Belgium had already applied for a free test and the centers are getting very busy. The head of the Inter-Federal Testing Committee, Karine Moykens, explained that the reservation tool to get the codes for a free PCR test is running perfectly, but in some centres there are only a few places left, so people may need to try other centers. “There is no guarantee that you will be able to go to the centre or at the time of your choice, but there is always somewhere close by,” she said.

However, be aware it’s not a good idea to request a code if you are not going to use it soon. “There is no point in applying for codes now to keep them for later because then you will lose them,” said the IT manager of the federal government, Frank Robben. He reminded in a press conference that most countries do not accept tests older than 72 hours.

Who can apply for a free PCR test?

– Anyone whose main home is in Belgium;

– who did not received a vaccine invitation yet;

– who was invited for vaccination less than 30 days ago;

– who has received just one of the two required doses

– who received a dose of Johnson & Johnson less than 14 days ago.

How to apply for the tests?

First, you should log on to the website:

FR: www.masante.be NL: www.mijngezondheid.be

Then, if you are are:

– a Belgian resident, click on the link ‘Request a code for a free or paid PCR test *’

– not a Belgian resident, request the activation code for a paid PCR test by clicking on: ‘Request a code for a paid PCR test (non-residents of Belgium)’.

Afterwards, you should book a PCR test at a testing center, by clicking on “Make an appointment for a test with a code”.

Enjoy a nice safe trip!