Tag Archives: Travel Restrictions

Pressure grows for Biden to ease pandemic travel bans

Airline / Travel, Business News, ,

The Biden administration is coming under pressure to ease travel bans for international tourists that were originally put in place to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Europe opening its borders to American tourists and vaccination rates increasing in the U.S., public health experts and travel industry groups are saying the time is right to restart international travel. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the U.S. is looking to the advice of medical experts on the best course of action, but that a group of American and European officials are working together on an agreement. 

Read more HERE

WSJ: Finland and Norway Avoid Covid-19 Lockdowns but Keep the Virus At Bay

Business News, Government, Health, ,

Tight controls on travel and borders—and political consensus—helped the Nordic nations fight the pandemic

While the U.S. and Europe struggle to contain an autumn surge in coronavirus infections, two small nations are bucking the trend, keeping cases under control without stringent restrictions.

In the north of Europe, Finland and Norway boast the West’s lowest rates of mortality linked to Covid-19 and a low incidence of coronavirus infections even though they have kept their economies and societies largely open while lockdowns returned to the continent.

Read the full story

Royal Norwegian Embassy: New Travel Restrictions to Norway

Business News, Government, ,

Norway introduces new restrictions on travel from Monday 9th of November. Requirements for testing upon arrival are being introduced and travellers may be placed in quarantine hotels after entry to the country.

Norway introduces new restrictions on travel from Monday 9th of November. Requirements for testing upon arrival are being introduced and travellers may be placed in quarantine hotels after entry to the country.

The Office of the Prime Minister has released a press statement that outlines new measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19. Read the full press statement here.

We expect these rules and requirements to be updated in the coming days. Make sure you get the latest information from regjeringen.no before you travel to Norway.

Those who plan to travel to Norway should be aware of the following requirements:

  • Work travellers who have been in an area where the level of infection is particularly high during the 10-day period before their arrival in Norway will no longer be able to be exempted from the duty of quarantine during work hours on the basis of undergoing a test for Covid-19 once every three days, see Section 6c of the Covid-19 regulations. The general requirement to go into quarantine on entry to Norway will therefore apply in principle to all workers arriving from these areas.
  • For workers who may make use of the exemption from the duty of quarantine set out in Section 6c of the Covid-19 regulations, the following amendments to the rules have been made: workers who are allowed to work but must be in quarantine during leisure time are to be tested once every three days and must be given accommodation in a single room for the first 10 days of their stay in Norway. The employer must ensure that it is possible to maintain social distancing when workers are undergoing quarantine during leisure time. There is no longer any exemption to the requirement to go into quarantine on entry to Norway during leisure time.
  • Travellers from red countries must present a certificate of a negative Covid-19 test when they arrive in Norway. The test must have been taken less than 72 hours before entry. If the person does not present such a test, he or she may be refused entry. This will be implemented from midnight, Monday 9 November. (New)

  The requirement will not apply to Norwegians, persons who reside in Norway or persons in transit.

o   The requirement does not apply to people who regularly come to Norway from Sweden and Finland to work.

o   The requirement applies to health personnel who commute to Norway and who have been outside Norway for more than seven days.

o   Personnel with jobs critical to society may be exempted when necessary to avoid danger to life and health.

  • Persons who come to Norway must have a permanent residence in the country, or the employer or client must provide a guarantee of a suitable place of residence upon arrival in Norway. Persons, including tourists and visitors, who do not have their own residence or employer or client in Norway must stay in quarantine hotels and get tested during the quarantine period. This also applies to family members who come to visit relatives in Norway. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has been tasked with studying how these requirements can be introduced. Until this is established, border controls will be strengthened in accordance with existing regulations. (New)