Changes in the travel advice for countries and areas in Europe

The following areas will therefore be excepted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ global travel advice: Poland, Romania and the Central Ostrobothnia Hospital District, Etelä-Savo Hospital District, Kanta-Häme Hospital District, Kymenlaakso Hospital District, Pirkanmaa Hospital District and Varsinais-Suomi Hospital District in Finland. The new changes apply from midnight on Sunday 20 June. Any travellers arriving from a ‘green’ country will be required to register their arrival into Norway and to take a Covid-19 test at the border, but they will not have to go into quarantine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is maintaining its global advice against non-essential travel to all countries apart from those for which an exception has been made. This travel advice currently applies until 5 July 2021. From 5 July, the Ministry will rescind its travel advice for the Schengen area/EEA and UK. The advice against non-essential travel for all countries outside the Schengen area/EEA and UK will be extended until 10 August. For an updated overview of countries in the Schengen area/EEA and the Nordic countries and regions that are excepted from the travel advice, see the Institute of Public Health’s map showing the status for quarantine on entry to Norway from Europe and the Ministry’s travel information. 

From Monday 5 July, the Government is changing the threshold for the level of infection for classifying a country in Europe as ‘green’. The Norwegian guidelines will now be harmonised with the European recommendations. Countries with fewer than 50 confirmed new Covid-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants during the past two weeks, and where fewer than 4 % of all tests are positive, will be classified as ‘green’. The same is the case if the country has fewer than 75 confirmed new Covid-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants during the past two weeks and fewer than 1 % of all tests are positive.

People travelling from a ‘green’ country are already exempted from quarantine on their arrival in Norway. Non-nationals who reside in a green country and have been there for the past 10 days may also travel freely into Norway. However, there will be a requirement to register on arrival in Norway and to take a Covid-19 test at the border.

The change in this threshold will enable more countries to be classified as ‘green’ more quickly. In practice, this means that a greater number of people will be able to travel internationally. See here for more information.