Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

COVID-19

Sweden’s travel ban: The difference between exempt and approved countries

Sweden's travel ban can be confusing for international travellers trying to figure out if they can enter Sweden. What is the difference between an exempt and approved country, and how will this affect you?

Published: 2 November 2021 15:50 CET
Updated: 24 March 2022 12:23 CET
passport control in an airport
Do you know which documents you need when travelling to Sweden? Photo: Stina Stjernkvist / TT

Sweden’s travel ban is confusing at the best of times, with different rules for EU and non-EU countries, “exempt” countries and “approved” countries.

If you’ve had a look at the recommendations recently to see if you’re allowed to enter, you may have been left scratching your head over which rules apply to you.

As a general rule, those arriving from Nordic or EU countries do not need to show any Covid-19 documentation to be allowed into the country.

Non-EU or “third country” arrivals are not allowed to enter Sweden unless they are covered by an exemption from the travel ban or travelling from an exempted country. EU citizens are allowed to enter Sweden but must show a Covid-19 certificate if entering from a non-EU country.

If travellers are covered by an exemption from the travel ban, they still need to provide an accepted certificate of vaccination against Covid-19, a negative test or, in some cases, a proof of recovery to enter the country. For some travellers, a vaccine pass is mandatory. See below for more details.

Swedish citizens and people resident in Sweden continue to be excused from any requirement to show a negative test or valid vaccine pass.

An important point to note here is that these rules apply to the last country you were in before arriving in Sweden. So if you flew to Copenhagen Airport and are planning on taking the train to Malmö in Sweden – or changing flights and flying to Stockholm – you count as an arrival from Denmark, and not an arrival from the country where your journey began. Note that just because you’re allowed in to Sweden doesn’t necessarily mean you’re allowed in to Denmark, so make sure to check the rules for entering any transit countries before travelling.

The general rules are as follows:

Arrivals from EU/EEA countries 

This applies to all EU/EEA countries, including the Nordic countries. There is no ban on entry, and travellers do not need to present a negative test, proof of vaccination or other proof that they are not currently infected with Covid-19.

Note that non-EU/EEA citizens or residents entering Sweden from an EU/EEA country are covered by the rules for arrivals from the EU/EEA when entering Sweden, not the rules for non-EU arrivals.

This means that residents of a country subject to Sweden’s travel ban are able to enter Sweden if they enter from another country which is currently exempt from the travel ban, as long as they also have a negative test, valid vaccine pass or proof of recovery from Covid-19.

Note that this is subject to the other country’s entry requirements, so do check with relevant country authorities and make sure you are also able to enter any transit countries on your way to Sweden.

Arrivals from non-EU/EEA countries

As a general rule, people arriving from these countries are subject to Sweden’s travel ban unless one of the following apply:

  • you are a Swedish citizen
  • you are an EU/EEA citizen
  • you have long-term residence status or a residence permit in Sweden or another EU country
  • you are a UK citizen who has applied for or been granted post-Brexit residence status
  • you have a visa for Sweden or another EU country
  • you have a vaccine certificate from an approved country
  • you have a “close family connection” to someone who is in one of the above categories (this includes spouse, cohabiting partner or children under 18)
  • you live in an exempted country
  • you are applying for asylum in Sweden

If covered by an exemption, you will, in most cases, also have to provide proof that you are not currently infected with Covid-19 in the form of a negative test result under 72 hours old, a vaccine certificate from the EU or an approved country, or a valid recovery certificate, if you are arriving in Sweden from a non-EU country. See here for details on which recovery certificates are valid.

Swedish citizens, long-term residents of Sweden, and asylum seekers are exempt from testing and certificate requirements.

There are also exceptions for different professions, asylum seekers and students holding a residence permit for studies in Sweden. A full list of these exceptions are listed on the Swedish police’s website.

What is the difference between an exempt and an approved country?

Exempt countries are countries whose residents are no longer subject to the travel ban but whose vaccine certificates have not been approved. “Exempt” refers to the travel ban – they are exempt from the travel ban, but not from the testing requirement.

This means that residents of these countries are allowed to travel to Sweden, but must provide a negative Covid-19 test less than 72 hours old, an EU Covid Certificate or a vaccine certificate issued in the EEA or an approved country. Note that a vaccine certificate from an exempt country is not valid for travel to Sweden, unless the holder is entering Sweden directly from an EU/EEA country.

This list is not based on citizenship, so if you are a foreigner living in an exempt country, you just need to prove your residency (and present a negative test or an accepted vaccine certificate).

Approved countries are countries where vaccine certificates have been approved as being equal to an EU-issued certificate.

Fully vaccinated travellers entering Sweden with a vaccine certificate issued in an approved country at least 14 days ago are also exempt from the travel ban and do not need to show a negative test for Covid-19 in order to enter Sweden.

You do not need to be a resident or citizen of an approved country for this to apply.

Note that this only applies to fully vaccinated travellers – travellers who only show a negative test from an approved country will not be allowed to enter Sweden, unless entering from a country that’s also on the exempt list. At the time of publication, the only countries on both lists are New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but this may change.

For a list of current approved and exempt countries, see here, under “Exempted countries and approved countries”. This list is regularly updated, so make sure you check that your country is still listed if planning a trip to Sweden.

The above information was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Please be aware that we are not a government authority and cannot issue any guarantees about whether or not you will be able to travel to Sweden. We always advise readers to also consult the official information on the Swedish border police’s website HERE and HERE before travelling.

If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact our editorial team at [email protected]. We may not be able to reply to every email, and we cannot advise on individual cases, but we read all emails and use them to inform our future coverage.

Originally published November 2nd, 2021. Updated March 24th, 2022. 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WHAT CHANGES IN SWEDEN

Tax deadline and Eurovision tension: What changes in Sweden in May?

Swedish passports are about to become more expensive, but on the other hand the economy could be on the road to recovery depending on what happens on a few crucial dates in May. The Local rounds up the main points you need to know.

Published: 29 April 2024 11:59 CEST
Tax deadline and Eurovision tension: What changes in Sweden in May?

Don’t miss: Sweden’s tax deadline

Tax returns were sent out weeks ago, so you may already have declared your taxes. But if you haven’t, May 2nd is the final deadline. 

If you’re unable to file your tax return on time, then you need to apply for a two-week extension by the May 2nd deadline. If the Tax Agency approves your extension, you’ll have until May 16th to submit it. You can apply for this extension online using your digital ID, or call the agency.

If you’ve already submitted your taxes, but you realise you need to make changes, you can do so online until December 18th. In fact, you can make changes to tax returns from up to six years back, but in that case you need to do so by sending a letter to the Tax Agency.

Before you click submit, make sure you’ve not missed out on these essential deductions.

Time to slash the interest rate?

Sweden’s central bank, the Riksbank, will announce its next decision on the country’s so-called policy rate on May 8th. 

This is a crucial announcement as the policy rate is the bank’s main monetary policy tool. It decides which rates the banks of Sweden can deposit in and borrow money from the Riksbank, which in turn affects the banks’ own interest rates on savings, loans and mortgages. 

Sweden’s policy rate is relatively high at the moment, 4.0 percent (the highest since 2008), because of the Riksbank trying to bring down inflation. If bank interest rates are high, it’s expensive to borrow money, which means people spend less and as a result inflation drops.

But now that inflation is on its way down, Riksbank chiefs themselves have said that they think it’s likely that they will cut the policy rate in either May or June, and several economists predict that the cut is going to come sooner rather than later, which would mean in May.

Once the cut comes, you should be able to see a knock-on effect on, for example, the cost of your mortgage, so lenders and home-owners will be keeping a close eye on what happens on May 8th.

Swedish passports set to get 25 percent more expensive

The cost of getting a Swedish passport is set to be hiked by 25 percent on May 1st, from 400 to 500 kronor.

So in other words, if you’re about to get or renew your Swedish passport, get it done now if you can. You often have to wait weeks for an appointment, but it’s sometimes possible to get a last-minute slot if people cancel their appointments. In Stockholm, for example, when The Local looked on Monday morning, there were still a few open slots in Norrtälje before May 1st, but nowhere else in the region.

You don’t have to get a passport in the same region you live in.

The higher fee will apply for all appointments on or after May 1st, even if you booked them before that date.

According to a government press release, the higher fee is necessary to “maintain the level of service” and ensure that the police authority’s revenue from the fees covers the cost, as passport operations are funded by fees.

Controversial Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Malmö

The Eurovision Song Contest – Europe’s by far biggest music competition – is heading to Malmö Arena in southern Sweden in May, with the first semi-final kicking off on May 7th, followed by the second semi-final on May 9th and culminating in the final on May 11th. 

It’s a highly-anticipated event, albeit this year with a mix of joy and trepidation. 

The row over whether Israel should be allowed to participate after its brutal retaliatory attack on Hamas and Gaza has led to protests (at least half a dozen applications have been filed for demonstration permits) and artists pulling out of performing at Eurovision side events.

Swedish broadcaster TV4 reports that ten percent of volunteers have already pulled out, and Moriskan, an event venue that was set to organise Euro Fan Café for Eurovision fans, has also cancelled its participation, despite being in the middle of Eurovision Village. “Our assessment is that we could risk our future if we go through with the event,” its CEO Ozan Sunar told the Sydsvenskan newspaper.

Malmö is home to more than 360,000 people and 186 nationalities, and a large part of the city’s population is of Palestinian origin.

Add to that the fact that security was already likely to be tight at the event, after Sweden last year raised its terror alert to four on a five-point scale.

More than 100,000 people are expected to visit Malmö during Eurovision week, and police reinforcements are being brought in from Denmark and Norway.

Swedish economy set for Swift revival?

We hesitate to write this, but Eurovision may in fact not be Sweden’s most significant music event of the year, or even in the month of May. 

In mid-May, Taylor Swift is coming to Stockholm. The megastar is set to play three gigs at Friends Arena, on May 17th-19th, the only stop she’ll make in Scandinavia as part of The Eras Tour. And we’re not just keeping an eye on this as Swifties, but because of the economy.

“Swiftonomics” has already become a global concept, as cities where she plays tend to see a brief bump in revenue as fans descend on the city, buying hotel tickets and eating in restaurants. She’s expected to have a 417,900,000 kronor impact on the Swedish capital, according to the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. A similar phenomenon was seen last year, when Beyonce launched her global tour in Stockholm.

Whether this is good or bad depends on your viewpoint. On the one hand, it kicks the economy into action, which could bring a much-wanted GDP boost. On the other hand, it may drive up the inflation rate at a point when Sweden and the Riksbank are hoping for the opposite. 

That said, it has been questioned how much of an effect single events like these actually has on inflation.

Regardless, expect it to be a talking point in the coming month. And if you’re planning a trip to Stockholm for reasons other than Taylor Swift, you may want to consider scheduling your visit for dates other than May 17th-19th to avoid the hordes of fans and marked up hotel prices.

Holidays and other dates

May 1st, a day for celebrating workers’ movements, has been a public holiday in Sweden since 1939. Expect to see rallies organised by left or centre-left parties and organisations, but otherwise not much happens on May 1st in Sweden other than most people having the day off. 

Ascension Day, which this year falls on May 9th, is also a public holiday in Sweden. Known as Kristi himmelfärdsdag in Swedish (or colloquially Kristi flygare – “flying Christ”), it marks the day when Christians believe Jesus ascended into heaven. But as Sweden is a relatively secular country, unless you don’t go to church you’re unlikely to notice anything remarkable – again, other than getting a day off.

Mother’s Day in Sweden falls on the last Sunday of May, this year May 26th. It is not a public holiday.

SHOW COMMENTS