Explained: Who can enter Norway right now

The Local
The Local - [email protected] • 29 Jun, 2020 Updated Mon 29 Jun 2020 13:02 CEST
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Many cross-border couples are still barred from reuniting. Swedes on the border are still barred. Here's the current situation on Norway's borders.

Who can come to Norway as tourists? 

Currently, only tourists from Denmark, Finland and Iceland are allowed into Norway, and Norway's government has put in place no restrictions on them (unlike, Denmark, which insists that Nordic tourists book accommodation for six days, or Iceland, which insists arriving Nordic tourists go into quarantine or take a test).

The infection situation in the different regions of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden is assessed every two weeks. Currently there is no region in Sweden where Norwegians are advised to travel, and no region in any other Nordic country were they are advised not to. 

When will tourists from the EU/EEA and Schengen countries be allowed into Norway? 

From July 15th, tourists from any country in the above blocs which meet the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's infection and testing criteria will be allowed to come to Norway. 

What about tourists from outside the EU/EEA area? 

Norway earlier said that its travel restrictions would stay in place until August 20th, so it is possible that it might choose that date to allow entry to people from other countries. The European Union is also currently debating criteria through which to judge which countries' nationals can enter the EU, meaning this could well change sooner. 

If I am an EU/EEA citizen, can I come to visit family living in Norway? 

Spouses, partners who have lived together for at least two years or are expecting children together, parents, grandparents, great grandparents, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings under the age of 18, and Fiancé(e)s, can all come to visit family in Norway, but they cannot come to visit girlfriends or boyfriends. 

If I am not an EU/EEA citizen, can I come and visit family living in Norway? 

You can only come if you have a residency permit or if your family member is from an EU or EEA country but resident in Norway. The families of Norwegian citizens living in Norway and Non-EU citizens living in Norway cannot generally come to visit. This is true even for those married to someone living in Norway. 

If I am engaged to marry an EEA citizen living in Norway, can I enter the country? 

Yes, if you have specific plans to get married after entering, will get married within the next 6  months, and will settle in Norway.

If I am engaged to marry a Norwegian citizen living in Norway, can I enter the country? 

Yes, but only if you have already been granted a residency permit on the basis of family immigration. Norway's government on June 15th relaxed its criteria to make it possible for those engaged to marry a Norwegian citizen living in Norway to enter if they could secure a residency permit. 

However, on the instructions of Norway's government, the visa application outsourcing company VFS Global is only processing requests for residency permits, not for entry visas, making it in practice impossible for most to enter. 

My Norwegian partner is about to give birth in Norway. Can I visit for the birth? 

Yes. 

Are there any other exceptions which allow family members of non-EU residents to enter the country? 

Yes. If you have children under 18 and want to reunite with a Norwegian spouse or cohabitant and their children, you can come. You can also come to visit children living in Norway. If you yourself are under 18, you can come to visit parents living in Norway, if they are Norwegian or have a residence permit. 

You can also come to visit a close family member (either a spouse or someone related in a direct line) if they are very sick or dying.

What about funerals? 

Most relatives -- spouses, cohabitants, siblings, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, stepmothers, stepfathers, stepsiblings, stepchildren and parents-in-law can travel to Norway to atend a funeral. 
 
 
What do I need to show to document my relationship with a family member? 

You can bring anything which will help support the relationship, from birth and marriage certificates, to cohabitation documents, or a family book. If you are a fiancé(e), you can bring booking receipts from a marriage venue, or at the church. 

What about if I'm starting a course at a university in Norway after the summer? 
 
International students who have been accepted for courses at Norwegian universities in the autumn semester can enter the country from July 1st. But they must have already applied for the course from abroad and been accepted, and they also need to first get a residency permit issued. You can't travel to Norway and then apply for a course on arrival. 
 
Can I come to Norway for work if I'm a skilled worker from a visa-free country?  
 
So-called 'skilled workers' from visa-free countries will be able to travel to Norway from July 1st. The directorate will send a letter to the person who has been employed, which skilled workers can then use to enter the country. 
 
Can I come to Norway for work if I'm a skilled worker and need a visa? 
 
You will be able to travel to Norway from July 1st, but as before coronavirus, you need to get an entry visa. If you are lucky, your local VFS Global office will be taking applications for entry visas. If not, you may have to wait longer. 
 
If I live in an EEA country, can I come to Norway to carry out an assignment?  
 
Yes, but you need to either have a contract with a Norwegian company, be employed by a company based in an EEA country, have your own company based in an EEA country and an assignment in Norway, be an independent entrepreneur planning to establish a business activity in Norway. 
 
You will need bring your employment contract, a letter stating what your assignment is,  or other documentation to cross the border. 
 
 
Can I come to Norway if I'm a seasonal worker from outside the EU? 
 
Agricultural workers whose residence permit were granted before 20 April and which are now expired should contact the directorate through their employer to get new entry visas issued. 
 
Seasonal workers in the restaurant and tourism business cannot travel to Norway, and if they were previously issued entry visas which have expired, they cannot get them extended. 
 
Do I need to go into quarantine or get tested if I come to Norway for work from a Nordic country? 
 
No. People on work trips from Nordic countries, including Sweden are exempt from Norway's quarantine requirements. 
 
Do I need to go into quarantine or get tested if I come to Norway for work from another EEA/EU country? 
 
Yes. Employees from the Schengen/EEA-areas will have to spend ten days in quarantine unless they carry out two tests, one within 48 hours of arriving in Norway and the second from the fifth day. 
 
If the first test is negative, the employees and travel to work and work at an office, but they must be quarantined in leisure time. If the second test is also negative, the employee is then completely excused quarantine. 
 
Do I need to go into quarantine if I've been visiting a relative from a non 'open' country? 
 
Yes, unless you are visiting a child shared with a Norwegian resident. 
 
What about if I've tested positive to coronavirus antibodies? 
 
Those who have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the preceding six months are excused quarantine requirements. 
 
 

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