On Thursday 24 June, Norway connects to the EU’s Digital COVID certificate gateway. People who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months and have a valid COVID certificate may therefore enter Norway.
They will not be subject to a duty to quarantine, test requirements, or entry registration, according to the government. From 1 July, all European countries that are connected to the EUDCC gateway will be able to verify the Norwegian COVID-19 certificate at their borders.
‘Thanks to speedy, effective, and positive cooperation in Europe, we will have an EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC) solution already on Thursday, which will considerably simplify travel for people who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. This will make a big difference both to individuals and to vital workplaces in the Norwegian tourism industry,’ says Minister of Health and Care Services Bent Høie.
Using the COVID-19 certificate at the Norwegian border
People who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 6 months, and who can document this with a verifiable COVID-19 certificate that is connected to the EUDCC gateway, will be able to enter Norway freely, regardless of which country they are travelling from. These people are exempt from the duty to quarantine, testing prior to arrival, testing at the border, and the requirement of entry registration.
From 24 June, Norway will be able to verify COVID-19 certificates from other EU/EEA countries if they are connected to the EUDCC gateway.
To date, this applies to the following countries:
Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Croatia, Iceland, Poland, and Latvia.
However, we do not know whether these countries have actually implemented the COVID-19 certificate and issued it to their citizens.
Use of COVID-19 certificates in other countries
The EU Digital COVID Certificate will enter into effect on 1 July. Most EU/EEA countries will then be connected to the EUDCC gateway and will be able to verify Norwegian COVID-19 certificates at their borders. This will include Spain, Italy, Greece, and Croatia.
‘Any person who decides to travel abroad is responsible for familiarising themselves with the quarantine, testing, and infection control requirements in the country they are visiting. These requirements will vary from country to country,’ states Mr Høie.
An overview of which measures apply in the different EU/EEA countries is available on reopen.europa.eu.
The appearance of the control page of the COVID-19 will change on 24 June and will be labelled EU/EEA.
Non-digital users
‘We now have a COVID-19 certificate solution for people who are unable to use a PC, mobile telephone, or tablet. As of tomorrow, these people can telephone the COVID-19 information helpline and be sent a COVID-19 certificate in the post. However, we want as many people as possible to use the digital solution on helsenorge.no and to only print a copy of the certificate at home if necessary,’ Mr Høie explains.
When telephoning the information helpline or the Norwegian Health Economics Administration (Helfo), individuals will be asked to state their personal identification number.
The COVID-19 certificate will then be sent to the address they are registered with in the National Registry. The COVID-19 certificate can only be sent to the address under which you are registered in the National Registry in Norway.
If you have a valid COVID-19 certificate, it will be sent to you by post. Please note that it may take about a week until the certificate arrives, depending on the postal service. Also note that the certificate is valid for 90 days from the date on which it was printed.
Details for telephoning the COVID-19 information helpline:
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 08.00–15.30
From Norway: 815 55 015
From abroad: +47 21 89 80 42
The COVID-19 certificate can currently be used for the following purposes:
- To document vaccination, recovery from COVID-19, or a negative test when travelling to countries that are connected to the EUDCC gateway.
- In order to avoid quarantine, pre-entry testing, and entry registration in connection with travelling to Norway. (Requirement: You must be fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months.)
- Attendance at large events.
- Taking a cruise along the coast of Norway if there is a COVID-19 certificate requirement (Requirement: You must be a protected person.
You are protected when you are fully vaccinated, 3–15 weeks have elapsed since receiving your first dose of the vaccine, or you have recovered from COVID-19 during the past 6 months.)
