As the second wave of Covid-19 infections sweeps across Europe, all three Scandinavian countries are taking steps to stop the unfold.
European residents are able to go to Sweden, but Denmark and Norway have a lot stricter border restrictions in place. At current, non-European residents cannot go to the area for the needs of tourism, with some exceptions for Denmark.
Every nation has various exemptions for important travel, akin to business journeys, visiting family and beginning a job or program of research.
Denmark
Denmark distinguishes between “open” and “banned” countries relying on the present coronavirus state of affairs in that nation. The policy allows people in from open countries without quarantine. Countries outside the EU and the Schengen area are all on the banned list, with the exception of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Uruguay.
Within Europe, only residents of Estonia, Finland, Greenland, and Norway can freely enter Denmark, together with residents of two regions in northern Sweden.
People from banned countries may enter Denmark if they have a “worthy purpose” such as starting a job or a program of study. However, they must current proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival.
Norway
Any non-residents arriving in Norway must quarantine for 10 days, effectively ruling out tourism. There are exemptions in place for EU/EEA/Schengen countries with low rates of transmission, but at current just Greenland and a handful of regions in Finland fall into that category. The list is updated weekly and you can find the newest exemptions on the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Norway remains closed to tourists from countries outside of the EU/EEA/Schengen area.
In late October, Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg introduced stricter measures for the month of November in an try to give her fellow citizens a shot at a “normal Christmas.”
The new measures include a clampdown on business vacationers, who were previously exempted from the quarantine interval. Now, the majority of business travelers will have to quarantine for 10 days upon the arrival.
Sweden
The ban on non-essential travel to Sweden from outside the EU/EEA/Schengen area has been extended until December 22. However, all residents of EU/EEA/Schengen countries together with the U.K. are permitted to enter Sweden for any purpose.
For individuals who do go to Sweden in November, it’s important to know the local restrictions for the region(s) you visit. A few weeks ago, the Swedish government allowed county administrators to set their very own rules and many have taken up the option.
