Global travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be extended until 1 September

‘In line with the decision to delay step 4 of Norway’s reopening plan, we are now extending the travel advice. The situation in many places is still unpredictable. In some countries, the COVID-19 curve is rising and the health systems in a number of them are struggling. In addition, travel restrictions in other countries are making it difficult for Norwegians to travel safely. The proportion of Norway’s population that is vaccinated is also an important factor when we review the global travel advice,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

The Government has decided to rescind the global travel advice in stages. As of 5 July, the travel advice was withdrawn for the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK. The travel advice was also withdrawn for certain countries and regions on the EU’s list of epidemiologically safe third countries. These are non-EU/EEA countries and regions that meet the criteria for infection levels set by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

The following countries and regions on the EU’s list of safe third countries are now excepted from the travel advice: Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine and the US.

Exceptions to the global travel advice for these countries will now be assessed independently of the quarantine requirements. This means that you will be required to go into quarantine if the infection level in the country or region you have visited does not satisfy the criteria set by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, even though there are no longer any travel restrictions in place for that country or region.

In cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to provide weekly assessments of countries in the Schengen area/EEA that are excepted from the travel advice and quarantine rules. If the level of infection in a country rises above a certain threshold, the Ministry may reintroduce advice against travel to that country.

The Ministry will review the global travel advice in mid-August.