Norway Unveils Plans to Reopen Travel

Norway has relaxed its notoriously tight COVID-19 border rules to allow more people from the EU/EEA and the UK to enter the country.

Since January of this year, Norway has barred entry for almost anybody who isn't a Norwegian citizen or resident of Norway and very few other exemptions in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus in the country.

On 18 June, the Norwegian government announced that it will relax its COVID-19 border rules, lift restrictions, and allow more guests to visit homes, as part of the move to step three of the four-step plan.

My main news today is that we are ready to go to step three. In fact, we will open a little more than what was originally planned for step three.
Norway Prime Minister Erna Solberg at a press conference

The move to step three comes after both the Norwegian Directorate of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health recommended that Norway move to the third step of its roadmap to lift coronavirus measures. Step three will come into effect on 20 June.

Norway’s Relaxed Rules

Step three will see the recommended limit on the number of visitors you can have at home double to 20, up to 100 people can gather at a private event in public, such as a wedding, and up to 1,000 people can be present at an indoor event with a fixed seating plan in place.

Bars, restaurants and pubs will also be able to serve alcohol past midnight. However, venues are prohibited from letting anyone in past midnight.

The government has also said that workers can slowly start migrating back to offices, provided workplaces can comply with infection control measures.

Grassroots sports for adults will be making a comeback. Participants can now train and compete, and will be exempt from the one-meter social distancing rule while doing so.

The new rules that increase capacity for events using testing and COVID certificates will also come into effect.

Travel to Norway

Norway will allow travellers from the EU/EEA and the UK to visit family and partners living in Norway. That includes parents, children and grandparents, who will be allowed to visit.

Partners can also visit from these countries if they have been together for 9 months and have met in person before.

We know that many have been waiting for this.
Norway Education Minister Guri Melby at the press conference

Furthermore, on 24 June, EU citizens who have had COVID-19 in the last six months or have been fully vaccinated and have a valid coronavirus certificate can enter Norway.

We now see that we will be able to check the corona certificate from other EEA countries as early as 24 June.
Norway Education Minister Guri Melby

From 5 July, the government will also no longer advise against travel to the EU, EEA and UK and countries on the EU’s safe travel list. They will, however, still advise against travel to areas not in the EU/EEA or the UK, as well as countries with high infection rates.

For third-countries outside the list, the Travel Advice will be extended until 10 August.

The government has also decided to end quarantine hotel requirements for arrivals from the EEA and Schengen countries, while arrivals from other countries can check themselves out of the quarantine hotel three days after the entry.

Since 19 June, travellers who, on the last 10 days, have only stayed in an EEA or Schengen country that has less than 500 cases per 100,000 people are exempt from the quarantine hotel. Travellers from other countries are obliged to undergo a quarantine hotel until a PCR test is taken within three days of arrival.

Norway to Harmonize With the EU

Another opportunity for Norway to reopen travel will be when it fully harmonises its COVID traffic light classification and travel advice with the EU’s.

Norway will launch the EU COVID Certificate on 24 June, following the example of the majority of countries in the EU.

People who have been fully vaccinated with the European Medicine Agency authorised vaccines and those who have recovered from the virus in the last six months can travel without undergoing quarantine requirements to entry control forces in Norway.

The EU is now open to most travellers, which country do you want to visit? Talk to us in the comment section below.

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