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COVID-19

When will it be possible to travel to (and from) Sweden again?

Many of us are waiting for the point in the future where we are allowed to leave our homes, our countries, and go abroad. On a holiday, for work, or to visit friends and family. The big question is: when will this be possible again?

When will it be possible to travel to (and from) Sweden again?
Photo: Ole Beg-Rusten/TT

The short answer, unfortunately, is that the exact timing is uncertain, but it definitely won't be possible for some months to come.

The Swedish government has been advising against all non-essential overseas travel abroad, due to the extensive spread of the coronavirus and the rapidly changing and uncertain situation for travellers.

This advice is currently in place until June 15th, 2020, but this deadline may be extended. In fact, Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has said that we should assume it will be.

There is also a full entry ban into the EU in place for non-European residents. The entry ban applies to all foreign citizens attempting to enter Sweden from a country outside the EU or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. Sweden extended the temporary entry ban to the EU via Sweden until May 15th and this deadline may, too, be extended further.

United Kingdom nationals are still regarded as European Economic Area citizens during the Brexit transition period, which lasts until December 31st, 2020, so UK citizens are exempt from the ban along with other EU citizens. Citizens and residents of Sweden, as well as people with important reasons to come to Sweden will still be able to enter the country.

But there are other obstacles in place: there are no commercial flights running to and from many countries, including the UK, and many governments worldwide have banned their citizens from overseas travel.

And within Sweden, the official advice is to avoid all non-essential travel and domestic vacations.

So when could this change?

What does the decision mean for exchange students who are studying in Sweden but are currently abroad – can they return to Sweden?

As a rule, a third-country national who is to study in Sweden for more than three months requires a residence permit. People who hold a residence permit for Sweden will be allowed to enter Sweden if the purpose is to return home.

Can I book trips from Sweden overseas for the summer, after June 15th?

You could, but there's no guarantee that international travel will be possible that early. The June 15th deadline may well be extended, and you should also keep in mind that restrictions may be in place in the countries you hope to go to. These could change quickly. 

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told the Aftonbladet newspaper that it “will be problematic to travel abroad this summer”.

“It will be a world that is still quite chaotic with many cancelled flights, many border controls and other [measures],” he said, but he said that the chance of staycations or travel within Sweden being possible by summer was higher.  

 

What about domestic travel; can I plan summer holidays within Sweden?

Even this is uncertain. There are currently no legally enforced restrictions on travel between Sweden's regions, but the current guidelines warn against non-essential travel within the country, and this is especially important for travel to and from different regions, above all if you're travelling to a rural, more sparsely populated region.

The spread of infection is currently higher in some places than others, and authorities want to keep things that way for as long as possible. Among other things, it makes it easier for the healthcare sector to share resources as needed. Healthcare capacity is typically based on the number of year-round residents, so regions that are less densely populated and usually receive a lot of tourists in the summer have warned that they would struggle this year if travellers led to more people needing hospital care.

We don't know what the situation will be like by the summer. Domestic travel is probably more likely to be possible than international travel, but there's still huge uncertainty. 

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VISAS

Cost for getting a short-stay Schengen visa to rise on June 11th

The fee for getting a Schengen visa will rise by 12 percent in June, the European Commission has confirmed.

Cost for getting a short-stay Schengen visa to rise on June 11th

The hike means the basic fee for a Schengen visa will rise from €80 to €90 for adults and from €40 to €45 for children. The reason for the price hike has been blamed on inflation in member states.

Schengen visas can be obtained by non-EU citizens from countries that do not benefit from the EU / Schengen area’s 90-day rule such as such as nationals of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China.

Schengen visas are not required for citizens of countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia who are paying short visits to the EU, since they are entitled to 90 days of visa-free travel in every 180.

Anyone who wants to spend longer in an EU country will need to apply for a long-stay visa – but these are issued by individual countries, not the EU. The cost of these visas vary depending on the country and the type of visa (eg study visa, work visa).

In addition to raising the basic fee to €90, the EU has also proposed hiking the fee even higher for those countries who are deemed not be cooperative with receiving expelled citizens back from member states.

In this case the Schengen visa fee for citizens from that country will rise from €120/€160 to €135 /€180.

In addition, the revision of visa fees impacts the maximum amount that external service providers collecting visa applications on behalf of member states can charge, which is usually set at up to half the standard fee.

This charge would increase from €40 to €45.

The fee for a Schengen visa extension will remain at €30.

Revised every three years

Every three years the EU Commission is tasked to assess whether new fees are needed, considering “objective criteria”, such as the EU inflation rate and the average of civil servants’ salaries in EU member states.

The Commission published its proposal on February 2nd, following a meeting with experts from EU member states in December, when an “overwhelming majority” supported the revision.

The Commission says that even with the increase, the visa fees for the Schengen area are “still relatively low” compared to other countries. For instance, a visa for the USA costs €185, or €172; for the UK it starts from £115 (€134); for Canada it is $100 plus $85 for biometrics, or €130; for Australia $190, the equivalent of €117.

Digital-only visa

The EU is also planning to introduce a digital-only Schengen visa. This will allow to apply online, regardless of the Schengen country applicants intend to visit, and will replace the current sticker in passports with a digital visa.

According to the European Commission website, the digital platform will start operating in 2028.

Who needs a Schengen visa

The Schengen visa allows a stay for tourism or family visits (but not for work) in 28 European countries for up to 90 days in any 6-month period. People travelling for business trips, conferences or meetings apply for a Schengen business visa.

Anyone who wants to stay longer, or to work, needs a visa from the country they intend to visit.

The Schengen visa is required for citizens of countries who do not benefit from the ‘90-day rule’, such as nationals of South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China.

It is not needed for other non-EU nationals such as Brits, Americans, Canadians or Australians who can spend up to 90 days in every 180 in the Schengen area without needing a visa. You can see the full list of countries who need a visa here.

Schengen countries include EU member states, excluding Ireland (which opted out), Cyprus, and Bulgaria and Romania for land borders. Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland are not EU members but have also joined the Schengen Convention.

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