Arrival in Norway and exemption from quarantine: rules for travellers arriving in Norway

Historical archive

Published under: Solberg's Government

Publisher: Ministry of Health and Care Services

News story | Date: 11/06/2021 | Last updated: 14/06/2021

People who are fully vaccinated and those who have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months are now exempt from travel quarantine. This is conditional on presentation of a Norwegian COVID-19 certificate. In principle, anyone else who arrives in Norway still needs to quarantine. All travellers still need to be tested upon arrival, also those who are now being exempted from travel quarantine. See the list of the arrival rules that will enter into effect from Friday 11 June at 3 pm.

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The Norwegian Government still advises against international travel, also for people who will now be exempt from travel quarantine. The reason for this is the continued risk of imported cases of COVID-19. The travel advice is valid until 1 July 2021.

It is important that all travellers familiarise themselves with the rules that will apply upon return to Norway before they leave. They must also familiarise themselves with the rules that apply in the country they will be visiting. Both the infection situation and local restrictions can change quickly.

Travellers must expect long queues at the border.

People who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months:

People who can present a COVID-19 certificate as documentation that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months do not need to complete travel quarantine from Friday 11 June at 3 pm. At present, only the Norwegian COVID-19 certificate can be verified at the border using a QR code. This will be until the technology to accept certificates from the EU and the EEA is in place at the end of June.

People who are fully vaccinated and people who have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months do not need to present a certificate showing a negative test result for COVID-19 taken up to 24 hours before arrival in Norway, but they must be tested at the border.

The general rule is that all travellers must be tested at the border upon arrival, also those who are now being exempted from travel quarantine. When there are capacity issues, the border authorities will have the option to decide that people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, and can provide documentation of this, do not need to take a test at the border, but that they will have a duty to take a test within 2 days of arrival in Norway. This option will only apply in the event of capacity issues, and does not grant individuals the option to choose to take a test at home instead of at the border. The Norwegian Directorate of Health is writing guidance for border personnel regarding assessment of capacity issues.

People who have begun quarantining at home following a negative test result upon arrival in Norway, and who have presented documentation that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, will be exempt from quarantine from 11 June at 3 pm.

Fully vaccinated:

people who have received 2 doses of the vaccine, effective 1 week after the final dose
people who have received a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 using an approved laboratory method and who have received 1 vaccine dose at least 3 weeks after the test date, effective 1 week after vaccination
people who have received their first vaccine dose and have received a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 using an approved laboratory method at least 3 weeks after vaccination, and who have come out of isolation

Recovered from COVID-19: people who have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months, from the time of leaving isolation until 6 months after the test date.

People who have received their first dose of the vaccine
People who have received their first dose of the vaccine are not exempt from travel quarantine.

Shortened travel quarantine for people who have received their first dose of the vaccine and children under the age of 12
Children and adolescents under the age of 18 may leave travel quarantine if they can present a negative result from a PCR test taken no sooner than 3 days after arrival.

The same applies to people who have had their first dose of the vaccine, and 3–15 weeks have elapsed since vaccination. This exemption is conditional on the person having a Norwegian COVID-19 certificate.

Quarantine hotel
The general rule is that people who must quarantine upon arrival in Norway need to stay at a quarantine hotel for all or part of their quarantine. All travellers arriving from countries outside the EEA/Schengen and the UK must spend the entire quarantine period at a quarantine hotel. Information regarding quarantine hotels

Entry form
The general rule is that all travellers, including people who are fully vaccinated and people who have recovered from COVID-19, and who have a Norwegian COVID-19 certificate, must complete an entry form.

Reopening plan
The Norwegian Government's step-by-step reopening of society will promote predictability and keep the transmission of COVID-19 under control. The plan describes a four-step reopening. International travel is mentioned in the final step. At the fourth step, life will virtually return to normal. Despite this, travel restrictions may still apply, especially for travellers arriving from countries outside the EEA. Travellers from certain areas must expect a duty to quarantine and a duty to be tested.

The steps and arrival rules are being assessed continually based on the infection situation and the level of vaccination. The reopening pace relies on data, not dates.

The Norwegian Government's reopening plan