Sweden To Drop Entry Bans As It Opens To International Travelers In April

April 1, 2022, will see Sweden lifting all its remaining entry bans on non-essential travel. This means travelers from countries like the UK, US and Australia will be welcome to visit, regardless of their vaccination status.

International travelers welcome in Sweden

Despite the date chosen, this news is no April Fools. The announcement was made by the Swedish Ministry for Justice on Friday that the final entry ban on travelers will be lifted. The Nordic country had already dropped its entry ban for travelers from European Union countries, now third countries will be welcome.

“We have already lifted the entry ban within the EU. Now the government has decided not to extend the entry ban from third countries. This will make it much easier for everyone who has been prevented from coming to Sweden in recent years due to the pandemic,” Sweden’s Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, Morgan Johansson said.

What you need to know if planning a vacation in Sweden

Sweden first removed all entry restrictions on other European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) countries on February 9. That removal was regardless of visitors’ COVID-19 vaccination status. Now, from April 1, travelers from around the world will be welcome to visit.

This means that anyone arriving at land borders or airports will no longer be required to present proof of vaccination. It also means that no negative COVID-19 test is required, no matter where people are traveling from. In other words, Sweden is returning to “normal.”

What are the current entry rules in Sweden?

Prior to April 1, anyone traveling to Sweden from countries outside the Nordic countries, European Union, or European Economic Area will still be required to produce proof of vaccination. Alternatively, they are currently asked to provide a compelling reason why they should be allowed to enter Sweden.

On top of this, currently, visitors must provide proof of a negative PCR or antigen test, taken no more than three days prior to arrival.

Sweden is not alone in its decision, as its neighbors, Norway and Denmark have also dropped entry restrictions on non-EU travelers. However, for the moment, Finland still requires non-EU travelers to present proof of vaccination or proof of recovery from the virus to enter the country.

Meanwhile, Italy plans to drop all its current entry restrictions in time for the summer of 2022. Despite this, most European countries still require proof of vaccination to enter.

Other restrictions dropped

On February 9, Sweden lifted all domestic pandemic restrictions, including the need to wear face masks. The country has also dropped the requirement to present vaccination certificates to enter restaurants and bars. Already, tourist attractions, including amusement parks, museums and theaters are operating at full capacity.

At that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice made a joint statement:

“As part of the continuing work to phase out the infection control measures against COVID-19, the government today decided to lift all restrictions on entry to Sweden from the Nordic countries and other EU and EEA countries.”

According to a report by SchengenVisaInfo.com, on March 8, the Swedish Government decided to no longer classify COVID-19 as a “generally and socially dangerous” virus. The government made the decision despite the fact that a high number of coronavirus cases were still being detected daily.