NORDIC NEWS
NORWAY
Updated 21 December 2020
In the Government’s latest update on travel restrictions, it has been decided that people travelling to Norway from abroad shall be in quarantine for 10 days, with the exception of specified countries in Europe with sufficiently low transmission (yellow areas and countries).
If you travel to Norway and do not have a place of residence, you must stay in quarantine at a hotel for 10 days after arrival. The cost of staying at a quarantine hotel is NOK 500 per night for both private individuals (adults) and employers.
Anyone arriving from “red” countries must present a certificate for a negative corona test when they arrive in Norway. You must take the test no more than 72 hours before you enter the country. You can be denied entry if you cannot provide this documentation. The requirement does not apply to Norwegians, residents in Norway, people in transit or people who frequently cross the border into Norway from Sweden and Finland to work.
Note that especially strict rules may apply to travellers from some countries, after the identification of a new variant of the virus.
For more information about rules and exemptions, see The Norwegian Directorate of Health’s official website or the Government’s Q&A page, which answers questions about entry to Norway. If you don’t have to stay at a quarantine hotel, it is important to remember that you still have to complete your 10-day quarantine at a suitable place. You should also avoid close contact with others in that residence, for instance your family.
On the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH)’s official website, you’ll find a colour-coded map and the latest information about quarantine regulations. It also includes information for workers from Sweden and other countries in the EU/EEA/Schengen area that arrive in Norway. The page will be updated at least every second week.
DENMARK
Updated 21st December 2020
SWEDEN
22nd December 2020
There is a temporary entry ban in place for non-essential travels to the EU via Sweden until 31st March 2021, but travel from another EU country, a country part of the EEA, UK and Switzerland to Sweden is possible.
For more information, please visit:
Visiting Sweden during the covid-19 pandemic (krisinformation.se)
FAQ page of the Swedish Government
Sweden currently has no quarantine obligation for travellers. For more information about preventive measures recommended in Sweden, please visit the FAQ page of Public Health Agency of Sweden.
FINLAND
Updated 21st December 2020
On 10 December, the Finnish Government decided to extend the restrictions on entry into Finland until 12 January 2021. This applies to Schengen countries, non-Schengen EU countries and the United Kingdom.
Free leisure travel to Finland allowed from 8 countries
Finland welcomes leisure travelers from a number of countries where the coronavirus situation has eased. There is no mandatory quarantine or testing for the residents from these countries on arrival in Finland: the Vatican, Australia, Japan, Rwanda, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand.
Restrictions are also lifted for residents of China and for Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions who are traveling from these regions to Finland, provided that reciprocity is confirmed by the Council of the European Union.
Flights between the UK and Finland will be discontinued for 2 weeks starting 21 December 2020 at noon until 11.59 on 4 January 2021. The decision has been made based on guidance from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare to stop a new strain of COVID-19 from spreading to Finland.
Countries’ infections rates are reviewed weekly
Finnish health authorities will review countries’ infection rates weekly. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s traffic light model show which countries it is possible to travel to Finland from.
Finnish health authorities may enforce mandatory COVID-19 testing and quarantines of 10 days on people arriving from travel-restricted countries if there is suspicion that they may have been subjected to the virus, for instance during their flight.
ICELAND
Update 21st December 2020
All information, developments, and advice about Iceland and COVID-19 can be found at the website of the Directorate of Health and the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management as well as the designated COVID-19 website for Iceland maintained by these institutions.
New rules for international arrivals
Iceland is open to passengers inside the Schengen Area but all arriving passengers must choose between a 14-day quarantine or a double testing procedure with a quarantine for 4-5 days. The double border-screening procedure requires all passengers arriving in Iceland to undergo two PCR-tests: one upon arrival and another 4-5 days later to minimize the risk of a false negative causing infection to spread in the community. During this period, all arriving passengers must stay in quarantine in case of a possible infection. Passengers are charged ISK 9.000 for a single test at pre-registration but ISK 11.000 if paid on arrival. The second test is free of charge. This process was designed to prioritise safety, but also to work for visitors and Icelanders, based on Chief Epidemiologist’s medical and scientific guidance.
More information: Double border screening for all arriving passengers
See also: Instructions for persons under home-based quarantine and Appropriate housing while in quarantine
All passengers traveling to Iceland are required to fill out a pre-registration form before arrival, which includes their contact information, address(es) during their stay in Iceland and a declaration of health.
During these unprecedented times, the easing of travel restrictions is constantly being evaluated.
Find out more here: Travelling in Iceland
ESTONIA
Updated 21st December 2020
Estonia admits people with no Covid-19 symptoms arriving from the European Union, the members of the Schengen area or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as from a small number of countries outside this area - but quarantine requirements may apply.
From September 1 foreigners can also have a COVID-19 test done for a fee in order to shorten their self-isolation (the general 14-day self-isolation obligation). Coronavirus test results from before arriving to Estonia are not accepted. All contact with other people must be avoided while waiting for the test results, which can take up to 48 hours. Pre-booking for COVID-19 test can be made via phone +372 678 0000.
Detailed information on countries, self-isolation and testing requirements for passengers can be read from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From Monday, 19 October - in situations where the infection rate of countries is higher than 1.1x the Estonian average, or above 50, a person is allowed to come to Estonia from Latvia, Lithuania or Finland without the self-isolation obligation, if the person has taken a coronavirus test within 48 hours before arriving to Estonia, and the result of the test has been negative. At that, it must be taken into account that the person must not have travelled outside the Baltic states or Finland in the past two weeks.
When travelling from Estonia to Latvia, Lithuania or Finland, and returning to Estonia, a person may take the coronavirus test in the home country as well, and in the event of a negative result, they may return to their normal life. Until the test result is known, a person must remain in self-isolation.
When arriving from Latvia, Lithuania and Finland, the exception will remain in effect, in the case of which a person travelling to Estonia is not required to remain in self-isolation or to take a test in five cases: they are coming to Estonia to work, study, visit a health care institution, in the case of unavoidable family events, or for the purpose of transit.
LATVIA
Updated 21st December 2020
I
In order to curb the spread of Covid-19, the state of emergency is declared in Latvia for a time period from November 9 until January 11!
Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation, as well as people with permanent residence status in those countries, when travelling from their home countries to Latvia no longer face 10 days self-isolation period, if 14-day cumulative number of COVID-19 cases per 100 000 inhabitants does not exceed the rate in Latvia.
Epidemiological data is updated every Friday on the website of SPKC (Latvia’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) website. Arriving from other countries 10 days quarantine is still necessary, until further notice.
Electronic questionnaires are available from any smart device to be filled in on a special website covidpass.lv. People crossing the border of the Republic of Latvia must fill in a questionnaire and show the received QR code to border guards! Completion of the certificate is mandatory for all immigrants, and it must be completed no earlier than 48 hours before crossing the border of the Republic of Latvia. The data indicated in the questionnaire will be automatically transferred to law enforcement authorities - the State Police (VP), the State Border Guard (VRS) and Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC). Personal data will be stored for 30 days for the purpose of using the information received for epidemiological security and traceability of contact persons. After 30 days, personal data will be automatically deleted.
LITHUANIA
Update 22nd December
A nationwide lockdown in Lithuania has been announced on the 16th of December to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Domestic movement within the country is limited and entry of foreigners remains restricted. Work and educational institutions, as well as some businesses, close or reduce their operations. The list of restrictions is available here and will be valid until 31 January 2021.
All persons, planning to arrive or return to Lithuania by air, sea, or land, must electronically submit a form with their data to the NPHC (National Public Health Centre) and receive a QR code which will have to be presented at the time of the boarding. Obligatory registration is required when entering individually by land within 12 hours of arrival to Lithuania.
People, who arrive from COVID-19 affected countries, should isolate themselves for 10 days or present a negative COVID-19 test result, which has to be received not earlier than 48 hours before arrival. It is possible to get tested in Lithuania within 24 hours of arrival, yet isolation measures apply until the negative test result is obtained.
The official list of affected countries can be found here. There is no need for self-isolation or negative test result if you travel by air transport and you do not leave the transit area at the airport. Other exceptions regarding transit and unaffected countries may apply, which can be found in the links provided below.
Please note, that as of 21st December 2020 up to the scheduled end of nationwide lockdown, passenger flights from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are suspended.
EUROPEAN UNION
LINKS PROVIDED COURTESY OF OUR PARTNERS ETOA (EUROPEAN TOURISM ASSOCIATION)
9th November 2020
-
For an overview on internal and cross-border travel allowed/restricted:
-
EC (map) for EU27 countries, Norway and Switzerland (includes which services are open in destination and health and safety guidance), for United Kingdom see here,
-
OECD (map) for countries worldwide (includes information on government financial support),
-
IATA (map) on air travel for countries worldwide.
-
Government foreign affairs webpages (for EEA countries see below) should also be monitored as the final decision on border entry and issuing travel advisories/warnings remain matters of national competence.
WTTC WORLD TRAVEL & TOURISM COUNCIL
Global Protocols for the New Normal
WTTC works alongside its Members, governments, health experts and other industry associations are working together to achieve effective recovery protocols by developing meaningful action plans that optimise sector-wide recovery efforts.
Part of the WTTC protocols include providing the public & private sectors with the insights & toolkits for interaction & implementation to ensure that people are and feel safe. It is paramount to have common rules. Ultimately, we envision a future of travel which is safe, secure, seamless and provides an authentic and meaningful experience to the traveller across the journey; one which supports the livelihoods of millions and contributes to sustainable economic growth.
We will create short protocol reports for at least nine industries within Travel & Tourism to align the private sector behind common standards to ensure the safety of its workforce and travellers as the sector shifts to a new normal.
OTHER RESOURCES
-
Mischon de Reya. Practical Covid-19 guidance, Legal or operational questions