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COVID-19

What you need to know about getting a coronavirus test before overseas travel

Travellers to certain countries from Sweden are required to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test in order to enter the country. So how do you go about it?

Published: 31 July 2020 15:01 CEST
What you need to know about getting a coronavirus test before overseas travel
Not organising your test before travel to a country requiring it could seriously disrupt your plans and cost a lot of money. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum/NTB scanpix/TT

The test you need in this case is called a PCR or diagnostic test. It shows whether or not you have the coronavirus infection right now, and is different from the antibody test (which can be used to show whether or not you have previously had an infection).

Anyone with symptoms should be able to order a PCR test for free if they have symptoms via their regional healthcare service. But this won't provide you with a travel certificate (reseintyg), and you may not be able to take these tests if you don't currently have symptoms.

So for a test in order to travel abroad, you may need to use a private clinic. The Public Health Agency has published a list of clinics offering tests which can provide you with a travel certificate, including information for booking options if you don't have a Swedish personal identity number. See the full list here.

Check the requirements for the country you're travelling to. It's common that the test needs to have been carried out recently, for example within the last 24-72 hours, and that the travel certificate may need to be in English.

Some countries require incoming travellers to be tested for the coronavirus on arrival, which means that bringing proof of a recent test result from Sweden won't be enough. For example, Iceland requires travellers to either quarantine for two weeks or take a test at your own expense; bringing a negative test result from Sweden isn't sufficient to bypass this.

And if you're unable to provide the test results in a country that requires it, you may be refused entry or required to take a test (probably at your own expense) and to quarantine for a set period of time. 

For example, travellers to Austria without a test result must take the test within 48 hours of arrival (they're available at the airport), and quarantine until they receive a negative result.

Make sure that you've checked the current requirements from the country you're travelling to (and any countries you need to travel through in order to get to your final destination) and be aware that these could change at short notice as the coronavirus situation develops. Information about entry requirements for travellers from Sweden can be found from the embassies on Sweden Abroad.

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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.

Published: 4 June 2024 14:52 CEST
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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