UKC

Hello, does anyone know what the state of play is for UK visitors to Norway? I've found some info here:

https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/coronavirus-and-travelling-to-no...

It says that you can come to Norway with a recent negative test but you then have to quarentine for 10 days so it's not worth it at the moment but does anyone with a crystal ball want to guess how long that requirement will be around for and if they will let you off if you are vaccinated?

I'm not sure I want to get on a plane without a vaccine and as I'm low risk I'm not sure I'll be vaccinated by summer anyway so it might be a moot point.

Cheers

Just talking to a Norwegian colleague on similar, their viewpoint was that the Norwegian government is normally quite slow in sanctioning/purchasing vaccines or new pharmaceuticals, historically preferring to wait to learn from other countries experiences before commiting, and consequently that it would be some time before border restrictions would be reduced and normal life would resume.

Make of that what you will.......obviously you could argue that being a rich country and the societal impact they might make an exception for covid. But the view on the street is the opposite.

Thanks.

Why is this getting disslikes?

I don't think anyone's got any idea for summer.  I'm hoping for a road trip to Lofoten for climbing and sea kayaking in late summer but I won't be booking ferry tickets until much nearer the time.  Having said that at my age I will be getting vaccinated well before then.

No vaccine available for the Moskstraumen Maelstrom....

With the amount of unknowns and the pace of change regarding covid (and brexit), it is impossible to predict what will happen in one week or one month's time with any confidence. Nobody has a clue what the situation will be like by the summer.

If I had to guess, I would say that there will still be restrictions by next summer but that they will probably be less strict than they are now.

But I think anyone making any travel plans at the moment has to factor in the continued possibility of quarantine at both ends, as well as having to adjust travel dates or even cancel at the last minute.

I knew that asking this would be a long shot but I thought there was half a chance that somebody in norway might know something, maybe politicians have been discussing it or something. I don't know if I'll be vaccinated by summer so maybe I should hedge my bets and go to Scotland.

Thanks, my reply to Kevin is probably what I would have written for you; I just thought there might be a chance that somebody knew something. It's frustrating not being able to go to Norway as I've only had a couple of weeks there since 2016 but there are much bigger problems out there so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it not happening until 22.

Bad luck - you may have missed the boat...

https://www.udi.no/en/about-the-corona-situation/eueaa-national-or-family-m...

Entry to Norway

Brexit: I am a British citizen or a citizen of another country and a resident of the United Kingdom. Can I still travel to Norway after 1 January 2021 if the corona restrictions still apply?

No, you can not, unless you belong to one of the exceptions who can enter or are a British citizen residing in Norway and have legal residence before 31 December 2020.

You can find the exceptions by checking the question- and answer page that applies to you:

British citizens and citizens from other countries outside the EU/EEA who reside in the United Kingdom will from 1 January 2021 fall into the group of citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA who live in countries outside the EU/EEA

From 1 January 2021, EU/EEA citizens residing in the United Kingdom will fall into the group of EU/EEA citizens residing in a country outside the EU/EEA

The United Kingdom left the EU on 31 January 2020. According to the immigration regulations, when the transition period expires on 31 December 2020, British citizens will no longer be considered EU/EEA citizens. This means that British citizens and other citizens residing in the United Kingdom cannot enter Norway after 1 January 2021 unless you belong to one of the exceptions for citizens living outside the EU/EEA to which we have linked to above.

OK thanks. That is a bit strange to be honest as the virus has no idea if you are an EU citizen or not and the UK isn't worse than the worst parts of the EU for infection numbers. I think most countries will probably drop these rules and just demand a vaccination certificate anyway.

My son and his family live and work in Stavanger. As grandparents we can visit even though we are from a red zone country (as is most of Europe, with the exception of small regions in Sweden and Finland). We would have to self-isolate for 10 days at our place of residence (not my son's house) or in a hotel at a cost of £50 per person per night. I don't know if that includes meals!

Coming back to the UK we would have to self-isolate for 10 days here at home.

There are rumours that Norway will start vaccinating in January but they are just rumours as far as I know.

We are hoping to get a visit in at Easter but not holding our breaths.

Like most countries in Europe there numbers of cases, hospitalisations and deaths are rising, but from a much lower base than the UK. Some figures here, plus useful local comment.

https://www.lifeinnorway.net/coronavirus-in-norway/

A few things about the vacination. 
 

No, the virus doesn’t care about borders

Afaik Norway was part of the EU group purchase, so will start to receive them on Jan like other EU countries. 
 

The vacination now available will make you immune to the pulminary symptoms, but there has been mentiones that you could still be a carrier and transmit the virus to others. 
 

just for the record, for the vacine. Do your own research from trusted sources (not FB, random forums, yellow press or QAnon).

Why are you accusing me of getting my vaccine info from FB, QAnon etc.? What missinformation have I said about the vaccines? I was actually reading Nature which says of the Oxford vaccine:

"Early indications are that the vaccine might have reduced the frequency of such [asymptomatic post-vaccine] infections, which would suggest that transmission might also be reduced."

I was only speculating about being able to visit Norway and whether countries would scrap the current travel exclusions in favour of something based on vaccination certificates, I didn't realise that would be so contraversial but all my comments here seem to be getting phantom dislikes!

I wasn’t. 
 

the disclaimer for everyone. So don’t even trust What I wrote, but do your own research from trusted sources. 
 

The only relevant part to your post was the Norway often being slow to get them vaccines. This time they will get them the same time as other EU group buy countries. 

OK no problem I thought it was aimed at me sorry.

Norway not being a full member of the eu won't get a share of the eu batch (as I understand it), but sweden is giving some of their allocation to norway, current rumours are between Xmas and new year, or into January. 

Vaccination doesn't make you immune, but it primes your immune system so it can fight the virus the second it enters your body and doesn't have as much time to multiply or spread. So you would technically have covid for a while, but are much less likely to have any symptoms or spread it very much. 

Edit. As far as normality resuming, creeping improvements from easter onwards. I'd bank on nothing before June though to be safe. If you are aiming more July onwards, book now, demand is large and Scandinavians plan ahead(I'm booking now for winter Feb 22!). Demand for in country cabins, stugas etc this year has rocketed. 

I am currently in Norway, although I will be moving back to Canada in the spring.

My understanding is that the borders were open to countries outside of the EU late this past summer, depending on the infection rates in individual countries.  So, whether you are vaccinated or not, it is possible that the border will be opened with similar restrictions next summer.

We spent a few weeks in Lofoten this year (July) and it was crazy busy - thankfully mostly not climbers - and the vast majority were Norwegian (which is unusual)  Who knows where people will holiday next year though.  Of note is that the high numbers meant lots of people camping everywhere, and there were rumblings in the media at the end of summer that localised restrictions may be brought in to address the impact of wild camping - something to check on depending on what you had planned for accomodation.

OK thanks. Might be best just to put it off another year and go in 22. No idea when I'll be vaccinated anyway so don't want to book anything.

I think it's a Schengen travel area thing. Norway is in Schengen as is the UK I believe, but come Brexit the UK is out of Schengen.

The UK & Ireland are not in Schengen, although I guess Ireland might consider joining at some point in the future although that would have 'interesting' consequences for Northern Ireland.

Why is every comment I make here being disliked? Have I made some faux pass by thinking about travel or is it because I'm asking about dislikes?

Was wondering the same thing...

I live in Norway. The quarantine rules since early summer have been dependent on the infection rates of country travelling from, although only the EU block and the UK have been considered so far. It takes into account countries that are transited through as well when flying. No idea what will happen next summer. It depends as much as anything on the UK infection rate at that time.

Worth mentioning that there are currently national rules that applies to everyone in Norway, and additional regional rules in areas of higher infection (eg Oslo). 

I also am curious as to why you are getting dislikes, I really have no idea and am genuinely interested if somebody would like to explain.

My guess is that you shouldn't talk about dislikes and therefore this post will also be disliked?

Agreed, I think it started off as a generic 'you shouldn't be thinking about travel during a pandemic, have a dislike' reaction and then I made it a lot worse by complaining about dislikes.

For interest to those with an interest in Norway, Norway's just banned flights from the UK for 2 days whilst they assess the new covid strain.

I'd say my chances are close to zero now! Let's get vaccinated ASAP.