Information about Covid-19

Information regarding international travel to Norway (incl. Svalbard)

Updated 09.06.2022

The Norwegian Government’s web pages on the Corona Virus situation provides travellers with the most recent official information on rules and regulations.

Helsenorge provides detailed information regarding international travels to Norway here.

Similarly, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health is a valuable source of updated information with short and to-the-point explanations of which rules apply for travellers from within the EU/EEA/Schengen area, as well as from overseas regions and countries outside EU/EEA/Schengen; how to register for arrival in Norway, what rules apply for quarantine hotels etc.

The Q & A page set up by the Norwegian Government (The coronavirus situation: Questions and answers about entry to Norway) provides concrete answers to frequently asked questions.

The Norwegian Directorate of Health has set up a quarantine check to help you find out the rules that will apply if, for example, you arrive in Norway from a country or region which is subject to a quarantine obligation, have come into close contact with someone who is infected, live with someone who is in quarantine, or have recovered or been vaccinated.

The travel restrictions upon entry to Norway have been lifted. The same rules as prior to the corona pandemic now apply.

If you are fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19, and have a COVID-19 certificate approved by the Norwegian authorities (Norwegian COVID-19 certificate, EU Digital COVID Certificate or certificate from England/Wales/Northern Ireland/Scotland), the following rules apply:

You do not need to go into entry quarantine
The entry quarantine is no longer in use in Norway from January 26. Those who are in entry quarantine at this time can end the quarantine. (If you have a verifiable COVID-19 certificate, you will also not have to take a test before arrival.)

You must complete the entry registration form
You must fill in the entry registration form before entering Norway. This also applies if you have been fully vaccinated / had COVID-19. Once you have completed the registration process, you will receive an acknowledgement, which must be shown to the police at border control. Travel may only be registered less than 72 hours prior to arrival in Norway.

You must be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in Norway
You must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Norway. This also applies if you have been fully vaccinated / had COVID-19. It is free to get yourself tested at the border crossing point and at a public test centre.

For all other travellers, the following rules apply:

You do not need to go into entry quarantine
The entry quarantine is no longer in use in Norway from January 26. Those who are in entry quarantine at this time can end the quarantine.

You must have a certificate of a negative test
Persons over 18 years of age must present a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test result upon entering Norway. You will not need to do this if you have been fully vaccinated or had COVID-19 during the past six months and have a COVID-19 certificate approved by the Norwegian authorities.

Your certificate must meet the following requirements:

Approved test method: PCR or rapid antigen test.
The test must have been taken in the last 24 hours prior to arrival in Norway. For persons arriving by air, the test may be taken in the last 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the first leg of the flight. The flight may be a direct flight to Norway or a series of connecting flights to Norway with stopovers at other airports. The certificate must be in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English, French or German.

You must complete the entry registration form
You must fill in the entry registration form before entering Norway. This also applies if you have been fully vaccinated / had COVID-19. Once you have completed the registration process, you will receive an acknowledgement, which must be shown to the police at border control. Travel may only be registered less than 72 hours prior to arrival in Norway.

NB! Please note that while the UDI on their web site describe exemptions from the entry restrictions, they also state clearly that “neither UDI, embassies, the police or anyone else can issue such a guarantee in advance. Nor is it possible to submit an application to ascertain whether you can travel to Norway if you are visa-free or already have a valid visa.” The final decision regarding entry is made by Norwegian police at the border.

Anyone travelling to Ny-Ålesund should bring a formal letter from their employer confirming their employment status, and detailing why travel to Ny-Ålesund is necessary.

NPI, as the official Norwegian host in Ny-Ålesund will be able to issue letters of support. For us to do this in an efficient manner, please send a request to research.nya@npolar.no.

NB! To clarify, such a letter of support is not a guarantee that you will be allowed entry. Reiterating the information provided on the UDI web site, “neither UDI, embassies, the police or anyone else can issue such a guarantee in advance. Nor is it possible to submit an application to ascertain whether you can travel to Norway if you are visa-free or already have a valid visa.“

Please contact the airline you will fly with to check what documentation they require for you to board a flight to Norway.

Final decision regarding entry is made by Norwegian police at the border.

While we strive to keep the information on this page updated, regulations can change on short notice. We therefore recommend that you consult with official Norwegian websites (primarily The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI), and Helse Norge) and with your country’s embassy in Oslo prior to planning your travels.

Information regarding travel to Svalbard

Travellers to Svalbard are no longer required to take a test within the last 24 hours before the scheduled departure for Longyearbyen. Likewise, the requirement to take a test within 24 hours of arriving on Svalbard has been lifted.

Given the limited capacity at the hospital in Longyearbyen, and the logistical challenges should a medical evacuation be necessary, individuals who have not been vaccinated are encouraged to refrain from travelling to Svalbard.

Please note that you must also take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arriving in Svalbard. As specified on the web site of the Governor of Svalbard, tests are distributed free of charge to arriving air passengers from Longyearbyen local council’s distribution station for self-tests. Boarding pass or ticket receipt must be presented. The distribution station is located in the parking lot at Lompensenteret / Longyear 78°. The station is open on weekdays from 11:00 to 14:00. Friday and Saturday, the tests will be handed out at the airport. It is also possible to buy tests at the pharmacy in Lompensenteret and in Svalbardbutikken.

In the event of a positive test result, you must immediately isolate yourself and report the result to the University Hospital of Northern Norway HF – Longyearbyen Hospital.

Visitors staying overnight in Longyearbyen before continuing their travel to Ny-Ålesund the next day should take the test in Longyearbyen. (They will also have to take a test upon arrival in Ny-Ålesund.)

Visitors arriving in Longyearbyen with a short stop-over before their flight to Ny-Ålesund on the same day, can take the test upon arrival in Ny-Ålesund.

Information specifically for Ny-Ålesund

Some restrictions still apply for travellers on arrival in Ny-Ålesund. Please see the Kings Bay website for details.

It is important that anyone who is going to travel to Ny-Ålesund makes an assessment of their own health situation and thinks about the possible consequences of becoming ill and in isolation. Those over the age of 65 and those with additional disease will have a greater risk of a serious course of the disease. If a person is vaccinated, the risk of a serious course of the disease is significantly reduced.

A possible evacuation to the mainland will not be carried out until you become seriosly ill. This can lead to a demanding course of illness in isolation in Ny-Ålesund, with only one nurse available.