Norway changed its travel advice for Saudi Arabia and Ukraine

Based on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s (FHI) weekly assessment of the COVID-19 situation, the Norwegian government has decided to change the status of Saudi Arabia and Ukraine from “grey” to “purple” on the map showing the status for quarantine on entry to Norway from abroad.

Saudi Arabia and Ukraine will therefore be excepted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ global travel advice. The new changes apply from August 1.

The Ministry’s withdrawal of the advice against non-essential travel to the Schengen area/EEA, the UK, and certain countries on the EU’s list of safe third countries came into effect on July 5. The Ministry’s advice against non-essential travel is still in place for the rest of the world, but exceptions are made for certain countries and regions on the EU’s list of epidemiologically safe third countries. These are classified as “purple.”

The following countries and regions on the EU’s list of safe third countries have been classified as “purple,” and are therefore also excepted from the Ministry’s global travel advice: Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Kosovo, Moldova, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

The list

From August 2, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine will be included on the list. The US, Israel, Japan, Montenegro, and South Korea are also excepted from the travel advice despite the fact that these countries no longer satisfy the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s criteria for “purple” countries.

Travelers arriving from countries classified as “purple” on the EU’s list of safe third countries will be subject to the same level of measures as travelers arriving from countries and areas in the Schengen area/EEA and UK that are classified as “red.”

That means that they will be required to take a COVID-19 test, register on entry to Norway, and go into quarantine.

If you are arriving in Norway from a country or region classified as “red” or “purple” and you do not have a valid COVID-19 certificate, then you will still be required to go into quarantine upon entry into Norway, but you do not have to stay at a quarantine hotel.

The global travel advice currently applies until August 10, 2021.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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