Changes in the travel advice for Saudi Arabia and Ukraine

Saudi Arabia and Ukraine will therefore be excepted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ global travel advice. The new changes apply from midnight on Sunday 1 August.

The Ministry’s withdrawal of the advice against non-essential travel to the Schengen area/EEA, the UK and certain countries on the EU’s list of safe third countries came into effect on 5 July. The Ministry’s advice against non-essential travel is still in place for the rest of the world, but exceptions will be made for certain countries and regions on the EU’s list of epidemiologically safe third countries. These will be classified as ‘purple’.

The following countries and regions on the EU’s list of safe third countries have been classified as ‘purple’, and are therefore also excepted from the Ministry’s global travel advice: Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Kosovo, Moldova, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore and Taiwan. From 2 August, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine will be included on the list. Note that the US, Israel, Japan, Montenegro and South Korea are also excepted from the travel advice despite the fact that these countries no longer satisfy the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s criteria for ‘purple’ countries.

Travellers arriving from countries classified as ‘purple’ on the EU’s list of safe third countries will be subject to the same level of measures as travellers arriving from countries and areas in the Schengen area/EEA and UK that are classified as ‘red’. This means that they will be required to take a Covid-19 test, register on entering Norway and go into quarantine. 

If you are arriving in Norway from a country or region classified as ‘red’ or ‘purple’ and you do not have a valid Covid-19 certificate, then you will still be required to go into quarantine upon entry into Norway, but you do not have to stay at a quarantine hotel. For more information about the rules relating to quarantine and travel to Norway, see Questions and answers about quarantine (only in Norwegian) and Travel to Norway.

The global travel advice currently applies until 10 August 2021.

You will find more information about the travel advice at the website Information about travel and the coronavirus.

For information about infection levels in the relevant countries and the rules and requirements relating to quarantine on arrival in Norway, see Entry quarantine and rules upon arrival in Norway (FHI). 

Please note that the level of infection in the country you plan to visit can change very quickly. New requirements relating to quarantine on entry into Norway may be introduced at short notice.