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Sweden changes Covid-19 travel advisory for three countries

The Swedish Foreign Ministry has removed its Covid-19 advice against travel to Ukraine, but it has reintroduced travel warnings for Rwanda and Thailand.

Published: 22 July 2021 15:45 CEST

Sweden changes Covid-19 travel advisory for three countries

Travellers wait to board a plane at Arlanda airport. Photo: Erik Simander/TT

As of July 22nd, 2021, the disclaimer of unnecessary travel to Ukraine from Sweden has been lifted effective immediately. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still discourages all travel from the Crimean peninsula and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

At the same time, the Ministry is reintroducing the advice against unnecessary travel for Rwanda and Thailand.

The decision is valid until September 1st, 2021.

The advisory has been extended multiple times since it was first introduced in mid-March 2020. It applies to travel from Sweden overseas, and although it is not legally binding, it is intended to dissuade people from non-essential travel and can have implications on the validity of travel insurance if you travel against official advice.

All countries in the EU, EEA and Schengen area, as well as the UK, have already had the travel advisory lifted, although this does not mean travel to these places is encouraged.

The other countries exempt from the travel advisory are: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Macao, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.

For countries not on the exemption list, the advice to avoid non-necessary travel still applies until at least September 1st, 2021.

Even if travelling to countries on the exemption list, the Foreign Ministry advises making a personal risk assessment, reading up on local travel restrictions and Covid-19 rules, and plan for the trip home well in advance.

A different set of rules applies for travel in the other direction to Sweden, with most of the same countries exempted from entry bans.

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How would a 'youth mobility scheme' between the UK and EU really work?

Across the 27 countries of the EU, people of all ages can move countries to work, study, spend a long visit or chase the possibility of love – and all this is possible thanks to EU freedom of movement.

That freedom no longer extends to the UK. As a result of Brexit, a UK national who wants to move to an EU country, or an EU citizen who wants to move to the UK, will need a visa in order to do so.

However, a new ‘mobility scheme’ could re-create some elements of freedom of movement, if the EU and UK can come to an agreement.

The European Commission on Thursday announced proposals for a ‘youth mobility scheme’.

Who would benefit?

First things first, it’s only for the youngsters, older people will have to continue with the time-consuming and often expensive process of getting a visa for study, work or visiting.

The Commission’s proposal is for a scheme that covers people aged 18 to 30.

Their reasoning is: “The withdrawal of the UK from the EU has resulted in decreased mobility between the EU and the UK. This situation has particularly affected the opportunities for young people to experience life on the other side of the Channel and to benefit from youth, cultural, educational, research and training exchanges.

“The proposal seeks to address in an innovative way the main barriers to mobility for young people experienced today and create a right for young people to travel from the EU to the UK and vice-versa more easily and for a longer period of time.”

How would it work?

We’re still at an early stage, but the proposal is to allow extended stays – for young people to be able to spend up to four years in the EU or UK – under a special type of visa or residency permit. It does not, therefore, replicate the paperwork-free travel of the pre-Brexit era.

The Commission states that travel should not be ‘purpose bound’ to allow young people to undertake a variety of activities while they are abroad.

Under the visa system, people must travel to a country for a specific purpose which has been arranged before they leave – ie in order to study they need a student visa which requires proof of enrolment on a course, or if they intend to work they need a working visa which often requires sponsorship from an employer.

The proposal would allow young people to spend their time in a variety of ways – perhaps some time working, a period of study and then some time travelling or just relaxing.

It would also not be subject to national or Bloc-wide quotas.

It seems that some kind of visa or residency permit would still be required – but it would be issued for up to four years and could be used for a variety of activities.

Fees for this should not be “excessive” – and the UK’s health surcharge would not apply to people travelling under this scheme.

Are there conditions?

Other than the age qualification, the proposal is that young people would have to meet other criteria, including having comprehensive health insurance, plus financial criteria to ensure that they will be able to support themselves while abroad.

The visa/residency permit could be rejected on the ground of threats to public policy, public security or public health.

Will this happen soon?

Slow down – what’s happened today is that the European Commission has made a recommendation to open negotiations.

This now needs to be discussed in the Council of Europe.

If the Council agrees then, and only then, will the EU open negotiations with the UK on the subject. The scheme could then only become a reality if the EU and UK come to an agreement on the terms of the scheme, and then refine the fine details.

Basically we’re talking years if it happens at all, and there’s plenty of steps along the way that could derail the whole process.

Don’t start packing just yet.

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