Status for border opening - COVID-19
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The Government has decided which countries are exempt from quarantine upon entry into Norway from 15th July.
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Go to the home pageThe Government has adjusted the criteria for entry restrictions for the Nordic countries and removed the requirements for entry quarantine for the EU/ EEA/ Schengen countries that meet a common set of criteria.
- Government press release
- Infection control advice and entry quarantine on arrival in Norway (with tables and map)
Border opening for regions and countries in Europe
- For the Nordic countries, entry quarantine is maintained for all regions in Sweden, with the exception of Kronoberg, Blekinge and Skåne. Exemption from entry quarantine continues for arrivals from all regions in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland.
- Several countries in the EU / EEA / Schengen area will be exempt from entry quarantine. Norway will continue to have entry quarantine from Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Luxembourg, Portugal and Romania.
Green does not mean it is safe to travel
The countries marked in green meet the criteria for exemption from quarantine duty. For travellers from countries marked in red, the 10-day quarantine still applies when entering Norway.
"Opening the borders will entail an increased risk of importing infection, and therefore a risk of transmission within Norway. Leaving Norway will also increase the risk of infection for travellers abroad. The greater the difference in infection burden between Norway and the destination country, the greater the risk that travellers will be infected, explains Dr Frode Forland from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
"However, just because a country is marked in green does not mean that we are encouraging inhabitants in Norway to travel there. People in risk groups should be especially careful. They are more prone to severe disease if they are infected with coronavirus, he adds.
"If you decide to travel to a country marked in green, it is important that you follow the advice from the health authorities at your destination. This is particularly relevant if there are local outbreaks with consequences for the area you are travelling to," he concludes.
Criteria for EU / EEA / Schengen countries and adjusted criteria for Nordic countries
The criteria used as a basis for assessing all countries in the Schengen and EEA are:
- fewer than 20 confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the last two weeks (14-day incidence), and
- fewer than 5 per cent positive tests on average per week, during the last two weeks
In addition, an overall assessment of the countries is made based on trends in infection rates, and other relevant information.
Some countries are marked in red because it has not been possible to obtain sufficient data to assess their infection situation.
Assessments are made at a national level. However, assessments can be made at regional level when the health authorities can make comprehensive assessments about the infection burden in individual regions. Currently, this only applies to the Nordic countries.
The situation in the countries included in the Government's resolution will be assessed on an ongoing basis, at least every 14 days. Any updates will be announced on the websites.