The Swedish Government has announced that the entry ban on travel against arrivals from the European Union and European Economic Area countries has been extended.
However, the entry ban only applies to those who are not able to present a vaccination certificate, a negative COVID-19 test result, or a certificate confirming the previous recovery from the virus.
The entry ban against arrivals from the two aforementioned areas enters into force on June 30 and remains effective until August 31, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“The Swedish Government has decided to extend the entry ban on travel to Sweden primarily due to the continued uncertainty concerning COVID-19-infection. The Government had already decided that the entry restrictions within the EU/EEA should be scaled back cautiously to reduce the risk of a setback that would necessitate new restrictions,” the Government’s statement reads.
The entry ban extension for arrivals from EU/EEA countries has been carried out in line with the EU’s recommendation, and primarily due to the continued uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Swedish Government had already decided that the entry restrictions within the EU/EEA should be lifted gradually and cautiously in order to diminish the risk of a setback that would require the implementation of new restrictions.
In contrast, arrivals from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway will not be subject to any entry restrictions when entering the territory of Sweden, not even to the testing requirement.
“Opening up for travel in the Nordic region is the first step in the opening of travel to and from Sweden, which must be done gradually and responsibly. At the same time, the Government is maintaining a close dialogue with the Public Health Agency of Sweden,” the Swedish Minister for Home Affairs said.
Based on the EU regulation, travel within the region without being subject to strict restrictions is possible if the travellers present one of the following certificates:
- Certificate of vaccination against the COVID-19
- Certificate of a negative Coronavirus test result
- Certificate proving the previous recovery from the virus
In line with the EU Council’s recommendation, Sweden has just recently lifted the entry ban for Japanese travellers as well. However, arrivals from Japan still need to present a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival in Sweden.
Except for Japan and other Nordic countries mentioned above, the following countries are also exempt from Sweden’s travel ban:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Israel
Based on World Health Organization (WHO) figures, as of June 23, Sweden has registered 1,084,636 COVID-19 cases and 14,574 deaths.
Until now, Sweden has administered at least 6,731,352 COVID-19 vaccine doses with a rate of around 70,334 doses per day during the last week. This means that 42 per cent of the entire population have received at least one dose of the vaccine, whereas 23.5 per cent have been fully vaccinated.