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Advice and rules for entry into Norway
Here you will find information about advice and rules that apply when entering Norway.
Here you will find information about advice and rules that apply when entering Norway.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travel to South Africa. It is important that you familiarise yourself well with the rules that apply before you arrive in Norway. This applies to requirements for registration, testing, rules for quarantine and documentation requirements to obtain exceptions. Be aware that the rules may change at short notice, and that you are responsible for being updated about which rules apply at the time of entry. Here you can find comprehensive information about what applies:
- International travel to Norway (helsenorge.no)
- Registration of entry to Norway (government.no)
- Quarantine check (hdir.no)
Stricter entry restrictions introduced for travellers from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini and Malawi
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises against non-essential travelsto South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini and Malawi. This advice will be evaluated on an ongoing basis in consultation with the health authorities. In order to limit and delay the spread of the new virus variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) recently discovered in South Africa, several measures are introduced for travellers from relevant countries with effect from midnight on Saturday, November 27th:
- Duty to test before and upon/after arrival in Norway for all travellers who have visited any of the relevant countries during the last 10 days of arrival in Norway. In addition, a PCR-test is required within 24 hours after arrival, and again 7 days after arrival.
- Entry quarantine duty for 10 days after arrival in Norway, for all travellers who have visited any of the relevant countries during the last 10 days before arrival in Norway. Travellers must stay at a quarantine hotel until they have a negative result from a PCR test taken no sooner than 3 days after arrival. The quarantine must be completed at home, or at another suitable place of quarantine. The quarantine can end early following a negative test taken no sooner than 7 days after arrival.
- Duty to test for SARS-CoV-2 for all travellers who have arrived in Norway after November 16th and before November 26th, after visiting any of the relevant countries. The approved test method is PCR. This duty applies even if the traveller has been tested upon arrival. The traveller must inform the test station about the reason for being tested. Entry quarantine is recommended for 10 days after the day of arrival.
- For minors under the age of 18 travelling alone, and for diplomats, the entry quarantine can be in your own home, or other suitable accommodation where it is possible to avoid close contact with others and stay in a private bedroom with a separate bathroom and kitchen or food service. The duty to test applies to all.
Entry registration upon arrival in Norway
All travellers over the age of 16 are obliged to register on arrival in Norway.
- Registration of entry to Norway (government.no)
Testing before arrival in Norway
Travellers over the age of 18, who cannot present a COVID-19 certificate with a QR code that can be verified by the Norwegian authorities as proof that they have either been fully vaccinated, or have had COVID-19 in the last 6 months, must be tested before departure to Norway. A negative test for SARS-CoV-2 must be documented with a certificate in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English, French or German. Approved test methods are PCR or rapid antigen test. The test must be taken during the last 24 hours before arrival in Norway. For people arriving by plane, the test may have been taken during the last 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for the first part of the flight. The flight can be a direct flight to Norway or a continuous flight to Norway with transfers at other airports.
Duty to test upon / after arrival in Norway
People arriving in Norway must be tested for SARS-CoV-2 at their border crossing point in Norway, regardless of their vaccination status. The test must be a rapid antigen test and the traveller must wait for a result at the test centre. If there is no test centre at the border crossing point, the test centre is closed, or the authorities have directed the person further, the test must be taken at a test centre or by self-test within 24 hours of arrival. If the test result is positive, it must be confirmed with a PCR test as soon as possible, and no later than within 24 hours.
Travellers over 12 years who arrive in Norway must use face masks when it is impossible to avoid close contact with other people, until they receive a negative test result.
For more information about test requirements and any exceptions, see helsenorge.no
Entry quarantine upon arrival in Norway
Travellers over the age of 18 who arrive in Norway from a country / area with quarantine duty must, as a general rule, go into entry quarantine for 10 days after arrival.
Entry quarantine can be shortened by a negative PCR test taken at least 3 days after arrival. Travellers who are fully vaccinated, or have had COVID-19 during the last 6 months and can present a COVID-19 certificate with a QR code that can be verified by the Norwegian authorities, are exempt from the requirement for entry quarantine. Travellers under the age of 18 are not required to go into entry quarantine,
Travellers from countries/regions in the EEA/Schengen/United Kingdom with a sufficiently low infection rate (green and orange countries/regions in the map below) do not need to go into entry quarantine unless they have stayed in, or transited through, a country/region with quarantine duty during the past 10 days.
Travellers arriving from a green/ orange country/region who have travelled via an area with quarantine duty without using public transport, without staying overnight and without having close contact with anyone other than their travel companions, do not need to go into quarantine upon arrival in Norway.
Here you will find more information about the COVID-19 certificate and which COVID-19 certificates are accepted:
- Log in to view your COVID-19 certificate (helsenorge.no)
- Approved COVID-19 certificates (Lovdata) (in Norwegian)
Map of entry quarantine
Decisions about entry quarantine are published on regjeringen.no. The map below is updated when the advice takes effect.
Map and table that shows entry quarantine to Norway
The map below applies from December 6 2021:
In green / orange countries/regions, transmission is considered to be so low that there is no requirement for quarantine for travellers, even though these regions may have an increased risk. Travellers arriving from an red/ dark red or grey country/region must go into quarantine.
If you are coming from an area with quarantine duty, you should go straight to a suitable accommodation in order to complete your quarantine.
Islands and archipelagos in Europe
Selected islands and archipelagos in Europe will be assessed at regional level. This applies to:
- Canary Islands
- Madeira
- Azores
- Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera)
- Corsica
- Sardinia
- Sicily
- Ionian Islands (Corfu, Ithaki, Kefallonia, Kythira, Lefkada, Paxos, Zakynthos)
- Crete
- South Aegean Islands (Andros, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kea-Kythnos (Kea, Kythnos, Makronisos), Kos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Rhodos, Syros, Santorini, Tinos)
- North Aegean Islands (Chios, Lesbos and Samos)
Numerical basis for assessing the infection situation in the EEA/Schengen and United Kingdom
Every Thursday, NIPH prepares a report in order to assess which countries and regions in Europe require quarantine upon entry. The figures in the report are mainly taken from ECDC. The report is prepared in accordance with assignment number 116, sub-assignment 3. This assessment is carried out every Thursday:
Even-numbered weeks: review of countries and regions where it is appropriate to change from green/orange to red/dark red and from red/dark red to green/orange.
Odd-numbered weeks: review of countries and regions where it is appropriate to change from green/orange to red/dark red.
On the basis of the report, the government then decides which countries and regions require entry quarantine and which countries must be assessed. Updated travel advice will take effect from no earlier than the day after the day on which the government adopts a change.
After the report has been assessed, it will be published on fhi.no:
Countries outside the EEA/Schengen/United Kingdom and overseas regions
You must go into quarantine upon entering Norway from countries outside the EEA/ Schengen/ United Kingdom and overseas regions.
Overseas regions, including Gibraltar, are not covered by the travel advice for countries in the EEA/Schengen/United Kingdom. Overseas regions are subject to the same entry rules as other countries outside the EEA/Schengen/United Kingdom. Examples of overseas regions are land areas in the Caribbean and North Africa which are governed by a Schengen country, without belonging to the Schengen area as a result.
Criteria for assessing the infection rate
Green / orange countries in the EEA/Schengen/United Kingdom or regions in the Nordic countries are considered to have sufficiently low infection rates. This means that these countries/regions have had:
- fewer than 75 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents during the last two weeks, or
- 75 - 200 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents during the last two weeks, and less than 4 % positive tests
The assessment can be made at regional level where it is possible to carry out comprehensive infection control assessments concerning the infection rates in individual regions.
Rules for those who are in entry quarantine
If you do not have a permanent residence, or a suitable place for quarantine, the municipality you are staying in can help you find such a place. This may apply to people without legal residence in the country / undocumented migrants.
- More information on testing and health care for people without legal residence in several languages (Helsenorge)
When you are in quarantine, the following applies:
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For entry quarantine: You must go into quarantine for 10 days after arriving in Norway. Quarantine may be shortened if you have a PCR test with a negative result no earlier than 3 days after arrival.
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When you are in entry quarantine, you should keep a distance from older children and other adults. For children and people in need of healthcare, however, the need for care must be given the highest priority.
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Avoid visits to the home
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Do not go to work, school, childcare centre or other activities outside the home.
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Do not take long trips in Norway.
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Do not use public transport.
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You can go for a walk, but maintain a distance of 2 metres from others.
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Avoid places where it is difficult to maintain a distance from other people.
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As a rule, you should not visit public places like shops. If there is no alternative, you may go out to carry out essential errands to the supermarket or pharmacy, but ensure that you maintain a distance (at least 1 metre) from other people, wear a face mask and avoid queues.
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Be alert for any symptoms. If you develop an acute respiratory tract infection with fever, cough, shortness of breath or loss of sense of taste or smell while in quarantine, you will be considered to have probable COVID-19 disease. You should be tested as soon as possible and go into isolation at home until your test result is available. If you test positive for COVID-19 during your quarantine period, you must continue your home isolation, and the contact tracing team in your district or municipality will carry out full contact tracing. With a negative test result, you must continue your quarantine as planned.
Suitable locations for quarantine
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The most important requirement for accommodation to be considered suitable for spending quarantine is that you must be able to maintain a safe distance from other adults and older children throughout the entire quarantine period.
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For those with a permanent residence in Norway, it is normal to spend quarantine at home. If you live with others but do not have much space, you can get help to find a suitable place.
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Halls of residence/shared housing can be suitable accommodation if it is possible to keep a distance to other adults and older children. You should use communal areas as little as possible.
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Student housing made available by the Student Association is probably not suitable as quarantine accommodation. Student housing belonging to Student Associations must be assessed under the exception in Section 5 fourth paragraph (a), which stipulates requirements for private rooms with their own toilet and kitchen, in order for the student to be able to complete their quarantine in student housing.
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Overnight accommodation where you need to interact with other guests is not suitable for quarantine use. Staying in a motorhome, caravan, tent or cabin on campsite without a private bathroom/toilet and kitchen facilities is not acceptable for quarantine if you have to share these facilities with people other than your close contacts/travel companions. The same applies to staying at addresses where you have to share rooms/facilities with people other than those you normally live with, such as halls of residence and other accommodation with a shared bathroom or kitchen.
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Barracks may be suitable as accommodation, provided that you have a private room with your own bathroom/toilet/kitchen, or you have organised food delivery. See below regarding the organisation of adapted accommodation for quarantine use where many people live together.
- Quarantine hotel service for visitors to Norway who need a suitable place to quarantine
Infection control advice for places of quarantine where many live together
Here are some points to consider when arranging accommodation where many people are to spend their quarantine period, e.g. quarantine hotels. Legal and financial conditions concerning such stays are provided by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
Risk assessment
- Anyone who is responsible for accommodation for people in quarantine should carry out a risk assessment of the facilities and adapt the conditions to ensure adequate infection control. The risk assessment of the accommodation must cover the following:
- Which areas are suitable for those who are to be quarantined.
- How current infection control measures will be observed (social distance requirements, hand hygiene/cough etiquette, ventilation in the room, food serving, handling of laundry and waste).
- Plan for the wearing of face masks for people in quarantine and protective equipment.
- Action plan if quarantined people or employees become ill with COVID-19.
The manager/employer at the accommodation must ensure that their employees are aware of the organisation and responsibilities associated with those who are in quarantine.
The Municipal Medical Officer has medical responsibility for those who are to be quarantined in their municipality.
In collaboration with the person responsible for the accommodation, the Municipal Medical Officer must establish routines that protect employees against infection.
Social distancing requirements
Assess the need for the marking of corridors and communal areas and whether there is a need to put up notices concerning social distancing requirements.
Hand hygiene
Hand hygiene facilities must be available where people in quarantine spend time and in other communal areas where appropriate.
Written information should be prepared concerning when and how hand hygiene should be practised by both people in quarantine and staff.
Protective equipment for employees
There is no routine need for the use of protective equipment.
However, the manager/employer should carry out a risk assessment of the need to use protective equipment (face masks, gloves, overalls, visors) and establish routines for their use. Employees must have received training on how to use protective equipment and in which situations it is required.
Systems must also be established for the purchase and suitable storage of protective equipment.
Food service
People in quarantine must eat in their room and must not use communal dining rooms or buffet service. Food should be served in the room by placing the serving tray on a table outside the room. Employees should knock and then move away from the door area.
In the room, written information must be provided indicating that used serving trays should be placed outside the door after use. Employees must transport the serving trays to the areas where they are will be cleaned
Laundry
Existing routines for handling used linen, etc. should be reviewed, both with regard to internal routines and in connection with agreements with external laundry services.
People in quarantine should change their bed linen and put dirty linen, etc. in the collection bag which must be provided in the room. In the room, written information must be available stating which linen, etc. the person in quarantine can place in the bag (e.g. that personal clothing cannot be placed in the bag) and that full bags must be tied up and placed outside the door.
Employees must transport the bags to the laundry or other storage area, separated from other objects until washing.
Waste management
Existing waste routines should be reviewed to ensure adequate infection control.
People in quarantine should place rubbish in a refuse bag which must be provided in the room. In the room, written information must be provided stating that full refuse bags must be tied up and placed outside the door.
Employees must transport the bags to the appropriate waste containers.
Cleaning / disinfection of the room
Quarantined people should clean their own room using disposable cloths.
For the accommodation, it is sufficient to clean the room at the end of the quarantine period. Follow existing cleaning routines, in addition to enhanced cleaning of surfaces that are frequently touched.
People in quarantine
People in quarantine must be given information about infection control measures, including:
- The need to keep your distance.
- Hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
- Regularly ventilate the room if possible.
- Wear a face mask if the employee must enter the room or when moving.
- What to do if they become ill.
- Healthcare personnel from the municipality should preferably follow up those who are in quarantine.
- It is not recommended that employees enter the rooms of anyone who is in quarantine. If employees must enter the room, the person in quarantine must ventilate the room first, put on a face mask and keep their distance.
- Employees must consider whether there is a need to use protective equipment if distance cannot be maintained.
- The person who is in quarantine should not mix with other people. Visits should be postponed until the infection status has been clarified. Information on how people in quarantine should behave can be found under Advice for people in quarantine.
- Routines if someone in quarantine or an employee becomes ill
- Via the manager/employer at the accommodation, the Municipal Medical Officer must establish routines which explain how both the person who is in quarantine and employees at the accommodation are to respond if the person develops COVID-19 symptoms.
Public transport when you are in entry quarantine
If you are in entry quarantine, you should normally avoid using public transport, and must never use it if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
You may use public transport to reach your quarantine accommodation within or outside Norway. For these journeys, the following apply:
- Take the quickest route.
- Face masks must be worn during the entire journey in these cases, except for children under 12 years. Wear the recommended type of face mask and follow the advice concerning correct use.
- Be particularly careful about maintaining good hand hygiene and cough etiquette.
- Try to avoid departures where it is not possible to keep at least one metre distance. Use pre-booked/registered seats where possible.
- If you must stay overnight on the way, use pre-booked accommodation in accordance with the requirements and recommendations applying to quarantine.
FAQ about entry quarantine and travel abroad
- Chat service (helsenorge.no)
- Telephone 815 55 015 (Mon-Fri 08.00-15.30)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Alphabetical list of countries and the rules that apply when travelling to a country.
- Re-open EU - EUs official website for travel regulations for different countries in the EU and the Schengen area
Infection control advice for travellers
Earlier versions of maps
Information for the general public
For general advice about coronavirus: our topic page and helsenorge.no
Information helpline for questions about coronavirus: 815 55 015 (weekdays 08-15.30)
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration has answers to many frequently asked questions about travelling to Norway, and a helpline 23351600 that is open on weekdays from 10:00-14:00.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also has answers to many frequently asked questions.
If you need acute medical attention, contact your doctor. If you cannot reach your doctor, contact the emergency out-of-hours clinic on 116117. If life is in danger, call 113.