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Press release from Ministry for Foreign Affairs

MFA extends advice against non-essential travel to all countries

Published

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) has today, 9 November, decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to all countries outside the EU/EEA/Schengen area as well as the United Kingdom until 31 January 2021.

On 14 March 2020, the MFA decided to advise against non-essential travel to all countries due to the extensive spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it has on the conditions for international travel.

Since then, the MFA has lifted this advice for a number of countries in the EU/EEA/Schengen area, as well as the United Kingdom.

The MFA today decided to extend its advice against non-essential travel to countries outside the EU/EEA/Schengen area as well as the United Kingdom. The decision applies until 31 January 2021.

The pandemic is not over. The uncertain and changing situation behind the MFA’s decision to introduce the advice against foreign travel in March remains in large parts of the world. Many countries still have closed borders or far-reaching restrictions on entry and exit, quarantine provisions and curfews. There is great uncertainty, and it is not possible to predict when it will be possible to travel safely and freely around the world in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences.

A high degree of personal responsibility must be taken by travellers regardless of where they travel. The MFA urges every traveller to prepare carefully before travelling, to keep well informed of current entry rules and to follow the advice and instructions of local authorities when abroad.

The decision

Regarding the advice against non-essential travel to all countries that was issued on 14 March 2020 and has since been extended, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has decided the following:

  1. For all countries not covered by points 2 and 3 below, the advice against non-essential travel is extended until 31 January  2021.

  2. In previous decisions, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs lifted the advice against non-essential travel to: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the Vatican City. These countries remain exempt from the advice against non-essential travel.

  3. For Estonia, Ireland and Latvia, the advice against non-essential travel applies until 18 November 2020.

Press contact

Press Office, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Phone +46 (0) 8 405 50 10
email to Press Office, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
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