From 21 January, Sweden will no longer require travelers to present a negative Covid-19 test result in order to enter the border. However, most travelers will now need to present a digital certificate proving full vaccination, while travel from some countries is still prohibited.

The news will certainly be met with joy in the neighboring countries of Norway and Finland, as cross-border trade has more or less stalled in recent weeks.

Omicron now dominates in Sweden

The requirement for a negative test result was introduced less than four weeks ago was intended to slow down the spread of the Omicron variant. But after weeks of increasing infections, Omicron now dominates in Sweden.

The Swedish Public Health Agency no longer considers travelers a major risk of spreading Omicron and has recommended that the test requirement be removed as it was no longer a proportionate measure, according to a government statement. .

Instead, Sweden has chosen to strike within its borders and introduced a number of national restrictions. From 14 January, all licensed premises will close at 23.00, with seated service only for small groups. There are additional restrictions for public gatherings and events.

A total of 15,558 people have died from Covid-19 in Sweden so far. There are 110 patients in intensive care, 12 more than a week ago.

Rules for entry into Sweden from 21 January

Although the test requirement has been removed, many other entry rules remain. The rules have mainly returned to those that applied before 28 December when the test requirement was introduced.

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From 21 January, all adults who do not have citizenship or residence in Sweden will be required to present proof of full vaccination (two doses), recovery from an infection within the last six months or a result of a negative test performed during the last 72 hours. This must be done through the EU Digital Covid certificate or one of the compatible systems.

The entry ban to Sweden for non-necessary travel outside the EU / EEA remains. This means that people traveling outside Europe must comply with one of the exemptions from the entry ban.

The exceptions include urgent family reasons and travelers from an approved list of countries, which are updated regularly. Please note that most people who benefit from an exemption from the ban must still present a digital vaccination certificate.