Press release from Ministry of Justice
In response to the European Council’s and the European Commission’s call for travel restrictions, the Government decided on 17 March to temporarily stop non-essential travel to Sweden so as to mitigate the effects of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and reduce the spread of the disease.
The decision takes effect on 19 March and will initially apply for 30 days. This is an exceptional measure that will not apply for longer than necessary.
All travel to Sweden will not be stopped. Swedish citizens and people who are resident in Sweden will be able to return to Sweden. Nor will the entry ban apply to people who have particularly important grounds for travelling to Sweden. This includes diplomats, people in need of international protection and people who are to carry out essential functions in Sweden, such as health care professionals and people transporting goods to Sweden.
The entry ban applies primarily to foreign citizens attempting to enter Sweden from a country outside the EEA or from Switzerland. Citizens from the following countries are therefore allowed to enter Sweden: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The entry ban does not affect travel from another EU country to Sweden, nor does it apply to Swedish citizens.
The COVID-19 virus is a matter of international concern that requires cross-border cooperation and coordinated measures. Today’s decision is in line with the European Council’s and the European Commission’s call to EU Member States to introduce a temporary travel restriction on non-essential travel to the EU from third countries.
The entry ban applies to all foreign citizens attempting to enter Sweden from a country outside the EEA or from Switzerland. Exemptions will be made, however, for people with residence permits or right of residence in Sweden, for people who are citizens of another EEA State or are family members of such a person, and for people who need to enter the country to be able to return to their homes. Even aliens, who have particularly urgent needs or who will carry out essential functions in Sweden may be exempt. This includes health care professionals, transport workers engaged in the haulage of goods and people travelling for imperative family reasons. The exemptions in Swedish entry ban are in accordance with the exemptions stated in the European Commission’s communication of 16 March. The entry ban does not apply to Swedish citizens.
