Planning on making a trip from Norway soon? You’ve come to the right place.
It’s now been over a year since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic in March of 2020. Regardless of vaccines being distributed to the public since December 2020, the pandemic is still ongoing. Risks like new virus variants continue to halt the world’s reopening. So, international travel isn’t yet back in full swing, and Norway, like many other countries, continues to issue rules regarding trips via air, road, and sea alike.
With frequent changes in travel rules – which countries are safe to visit, which documents are required, whether quarantining is necessary, and so on – having a reliable source is key.
Wondering where you can find accurate, up-to-date, and reliable updates? All of the information you need about traveling from and to Norway is available on Helsenorge. Norway’s own Directorate of Health publishes and quality assures each update on Helsenorge, bringing it to you directly – in both English and Norwegian, along with Amharic, Arabic, Estonian, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Lithuanian, Pashto, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Sorani, Spanish, Tigrinya, Turkish, and Urdu.
In this article, we’ll be diving into Helsenorge’s current official guidelines for traveling from Norway abroad and back. Keep in mind that COVID-19 travel rules, as published in this article on July 15, are subject to quick change. So for the latest updates, keep regularly checking Helsenorge.
General travel advice from Norway
Helsenorge relays that Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently advises against unnecessary travel from Norway, unless you’re going to countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) marked safe/green, the UK, or countries outside of the EEA marked safe/purple.
The Norwegian authorities have issued two sets of rules: one for traveling to the EEA (where green means safe) – though details depend on the country – and another for traveling outside of the EEA (where purple means safe). Read on to see exactly which countries are deemed safe to travel to and which aren’t. Of course, travel to Norway itself also remains limited.
Whether you’re entering or exiting Norway, make sure to follow regulations at your destination, and contact local authorities for all travel details and requirements. Infection rates worldwide, along with safety and travel guidelines, are still subject to rapid change.
So, when planning to travel from Norway, what’s your first step?
Check whether you’re allowed to travel
One of your first steps when planning any travel to and from Norway should be to check details for your country of departure or arrival with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). Entry regulations vary for Norwegian citizens and residents (who are allowed to enter Norway), family members, foreign workers and students, and others. UDI’s website with all the details can be accessed here.
On July 15, at the time of publishing, some general rules are as follows.
For residents of the EU/EEA/Schengen Area or the UK
Most people (including foreign tourists, along with family members, girlfriends, and spouses of Norwegian citizens) who live in the EU/EEA/Schengen Area or the UK can visit Norway now, regardless of the reason for their trip.
So, you can travel to Norway if you reside in green countries/areas (see below), and if you are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last six months – and can prove it with a valid certificate from the EEA Area.
If you reside in a non-green area of the EU/EEA/Schengen Area or the UK, you have to fall into an approved exception category to travel to Norway. Exceptions include international students, foreigners traveling for scheduled contact with their children, and family members of an EU/EEA citizen settling in Norway. The full list of exceptions, and all of the accompanying details, can be found on the UDI website as well as Helsenorge here.
For residents of countries outside of the EU/EEA/Schengen Area or the UK
Most people who live outside of the EU/EEA/Schengen Area or the UK cannot visit Norway at this time. However, several exceptions to this rule exist.
Exceptions include people residing in a purple country (see below) who are visiting family members or partners living in Norway, international students, and people who are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last six months (and can prove it with a valid certificate from the EEA Area). The full list of exceptions with further details can be found on UDI’s website and Helsenorge.
Again, keep in mind that these regulations can be modified, so it’s important to continue staying informed.
Know the color of your destination country and area
Your next step is checking the color allocated to your destination or arrival country.
The designated color – aka, safety level – Norwegian authorities have given a place will determine what procedure you’ll have to follow upon arriving back in Norway. That is – whether you’ll have to quarantine, and where, and which documents you’ll have to provide. Being vaccinated also plays a factor in the circumstances surrounding your entry back into Norway.
Green
“Green” denotes areas currently deemed the safest within the EEA.
Orange and red
“Orange” and “red” denote areas currently deemed less safe within the EEA.
Dark red
“Dark red” denotes areas currently deemed least safe within the EEA.
Purple
“Purple” denotes areas currently deemed the safest outside of the EEA.
Additional third countries
“Additional third countries” refers to:
- All countries outside of the EEA,
- other than Switzerland and the UK,
- not mentioned in the list of purple countries.
Stay up-to-date
As statistics in each country change, so do designated colors. This can happen often.
Our recommendation is that you regularly refer to Helsenorge’s dedicated section with the latest colors given each country and area for updates.
I’ve identified the color given my destination. Now what?
Knowing your color means knowing whether you’ll need to quarantine, and where, and what rules you’ll be subject to upon your return to Norway.
Helsenorge offers a number of concrete travel situations in which you might find yourself, and what COVID-19 regulations apply depending on the color of your destination.
We’re laying out a few examples of the official information – as it stands at the time of publishing on July 15 – from Helsenorge below. In case your situation isn’t mentioned here, check the website’s designated section for more.
Remember that regulations can change quickly, so continuously follow Helsenorge for all of the newest information before and during your trip.
Arriving in Norway from a “green” country/area in the EEA, or Switzerland
If you’re a resident of a country or area designated “green,” you can enter Norway. However, simply traveling from a “green” place – but not being a resident – is not sufficient.
Travelers from a “green” country or area within the EEA, or Switzerland, are exempt from quarantining and do not have to provide a negative test result before arriving in Norway. This applies even if you aren’t vaccinated or haven’t had COVID-19 in the last six months.
If you aren’t vaccinated and haven’t had COVID-19 in the last six months, you’ll need to complete this travel registration form and take a COVID-19 test at the border upon arrival to Norway.
If you are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 in the last six months, you don’t need to fill in the travel registration form or take a COVID-19 test at the border. However, you will need to document your vaccination or positive test result from the last six months via a valid Norwegian or European COVID-19 certificate (more on the certificate below).
Arriving in Norway from a country outside of the EEA or Switzerland, without being vaccinated or having COVID-19 during the last six months
First, check with UDI (see step 1 above!) whether you’re allowed to enter Norway, under any circumstance, if you’re not a Norwegian citizen. If you’re given the green light, according to Helsenorge, you’ll need to:
- Complete this travel registration form less than 72 hours before your time of arrival.
- Provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test result. If you’re traveling by plane, the test should be taken less than 24 hours prior to your departure time (or the first flight on your itinerary in case of connecting flights).
- Take a COVID-19 at the border upon arrival to Norway.
- Quarantine in a hotel, your home, or another suitable residence. Quarantine lengths and requirements can vary. Helsenorge provides detailed information on quarantining at a hotel vs. a private residence here.
Arriving in Norway fully vaccinated or having had COVID-19 during the last six months, documented by a COVID-19 certificate
If you can provide documentation via a valid Norwegian or European COVID-19 certificate:
- You are exempt from quarantine.
- You don’t need to take a test prior to travel nor at the border upon arrival.
- You don’t need to complete the travel registration form.
Wondering how to receive a COVID-19 certificate?
As you may have noticed, having a valid Norwegian or European COVID-19 certificate makes travel between Norway and the EEA significantly easier. It also helps when reentering Norway after you’ve traveled anywhere else in the world.
With a valid COVID-19 certificate, you’re exempt from quarantining and testing when returning to Norway. Your COVID-19 certificate will provide you with the following documentation: your COVID-19 vaccinations, your past COVID-19 tests, and any COVID-19 infections you’ve had.
If you have a national ID number or D-number, you can access your digital COVID-19 certificate now by logging in at the Helsenorge website.
All further details on the COVID-19 certificate, how to access it, and how to use it are available at Helsenorge’s dedicated, detailed webpage here.
Have a safe trip
Finally, remember that it is always the responsibility of the traveler to stay updated on the latest rules for the country they’re traveling to and what (if any) documents and/or actions will be required upon return to Norway. This article provides an overview of travel rules, but it was published on July 15 – and information can quickly become outdated during a pandemic.
We recommend following Helsenorge as your official source of information for your arrival back to Norway. Directly contact official entities such as local embassies and governments for all requirements at your destination.
And – if you haven’t already but are eligible to – don’t forget to access your certificate for hassle-free journeying.
Ha en god tur!
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article. It has been written in collaboration with Helsedirektoratet.
Source: Helsedirektoratet / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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