Ministry of Justice

Digital conference in Kyoto, Japan, 7 March 2021. Check against delivery.

The Government has decided on a general entry ban for foreign citizens who cannot present a negative test result for ongoing COVID-19 infection upon entry into Sweden. The rules include certain exemptions. There is already a temporary ban on non-essential travel from other countries to the EU via Sweden. Following a call from the European Council and the European Commission, the entry ban was introduced to mitigate the effects of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and reduce the outbreak of COVID-19. In accordance with recommendations from the European Commission and the Council, the entry ban has been extended and amended several times. It currently remains in effect until 31 March 2021.

The Government has adopted a separate ban on entry into Sweden from EEA states and certain other states. A requirement to present a negative test result for ongoing COVID-19 infection upon entry from these states applies – with certain exemptions. The existing decision substantially restricting the possibilities to travel to Sweden from Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom still applies. It has also been tightened with the addition of a negative COVID-19 test requirement for groups that are exempt from the entry ban. The entry bans apply until 31 March 2021 or until further notice. The reason behind the adoption of an entry ban from these countries is to prevent a new variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 entering the country or being spread to other countries.

According to the Swedish Police Authority’s latest annual statistics, the Authority has a total of 33 726 employees as of 31 December 2020. This is a record-breaking increase of 5 463 new police employees since the start of the major investment in the Police in 2016.

The Government today decided that foreign nationals will have to present a negative test result for ongoing COVID-19 infection upon entry into Sweden, regardless of where they are arriving from. The aim is to reduce the risk of spreading the new variants of the COVID-19 virus that have been detected in a number of countries.

The Swedish Government decided today on certain amendments to the ban on entering Sweden from the United Kingdom, Norway and Denmark. The amendments include an exemption from the entry ban for people who are to receive certain types of care in Sweden.

The Government decided today (24 January) to expand the temporary entry ban that has been in effect for Denmark to also include Norway. The entry ban enters into force at midnight on Sunday 24 January and remains in effect until 14 February. Today’s government decision also means that the temporary ban on entry from Denmark and the United Kingdom has been extended until 14 February 2021. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has also decided today to reinstate the advice against unnecessary travel to Norway.

The Government decided today on certain amendments to the ban on entry into Sweden from the United Kingdom and Denmark. The amendments have been made to enable children and parents to spend time together and to facilitate certain medical transport services from Denmark. In addition, the time-limited ordinance will be extended until 31 January 2021.

The Government has today decided on amendments to the temporary ban on entry into Sweden. The amendments concern the exemption for residents of a certain specified non-EU country and is in line with the Council of the European Union’s latest recommendation to EU Member States.

Fact sheet about the organisation and responsibilities of the Ministry of Justice.