Norway Adds Iceland and Lithuania to Its COVID-19 List of Unsafe Countries

‘The situation is still very far from normal and the levels of infection are changing rapidly. Therefore we have chosen to maintain our global travel advice against non-essential travel to all countries.

We will continue to make exceptions for countries in the Schengen area/EEA where the rate of transmission is considered to be sufficiently low. However, the exceptions to the travel advice are not to be taken as encouragement to travel abroad,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Until further notice, people arriving from countries outside the Schengen area/EEA (third-country nationals) that are not covered by exemptions will still be refused entry into Norway.

Changes for the Nordic region and Europe this week

The Ministry is now advising against non-essential travel to Iceland and Lithuania as well as to the regions of Keski-Suomi and Päijät Häme in Finland, and the region of Västerbotten in Sweden. These changes will apply from midnight on Friday 25 September.

Based on the Norwegian Institute of Public Health’s weekly assessment of the COVID-19 situation, the Government has decided to change the status of these countries and regions from ‘yellow’ to ‘red’ on the map showing the status for quarantine on entry to Norway from Europe.

The Ministry’s advice against non-essential travel will therefore also apply to these countries from the same time. From midnight on Friday 25 September, anyone arriving in Norway from these countries and regions will be required to go into quarantine for 10 days. See the website of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health for more information.

The regions currently classified as ‘yellow’ on the map will remain so until further notice.

In addition to Iceland and Lithuania, the Ministry advises against non-essential travel to the following countries and regions in the Schengen area/EEA: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the Vatican State, and certain regions in Sweden and Finland.

These changes will apply from midnight on Friday 25 September. The infection situation and local restrictions can both change very quickly. Anyone who is considering travelling abroad should think carefully about whether it is necessary for them to travel, and make sure that they know what the situation is in the country they are planning to visit.

People who have returned to Norway from a country that becomes ‘red’ after their return must monitor their health for symptoms of COVID-19. It is very important that they get themselves tested if they experience any symptoms, and that they practise good hand hygiene and maintain a distance of at least one metre from other people.

For an updated overview of countries in the Schengen area/EEA and the Nordic countries and regions that are excepted from the travel advice, see the Institute of Public Health’s map showing the status for quarantine on entry to Norway from Europe and the Ministry’s travel information.