Sweden to Drop All COVID-19-related Travel Restrictions April 1 — What to Know for Your Next Trip

Alison Fox
·2 min read
Tourists take a selfie outside the Royal palace in central Stockholm, Sweden
Tourists take a selfie outside the Royal palace in central Stockholm, Sweden

ALI LORESTANI/Getty Images

Sweden will drop all COVID-19-related travel protocols next month, making it the latest destination to roll back pandemic-era rules.

Starting April 1, Sweden will welcome travelers from all over the world without the need to show proof of vaccination or get tested before arrival, according to the government. The decision comes after Sweden declared the virus is "no longer [to] be classified as a threat to public health and a danger to society" due to vaccinations and other measures.

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

Currently, travelers from the United States are allowed to enter Sweden, but they must show either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their trip, according to the Swedish Police Authority.

The decision to drop entry protocols comes more than a month after Sweden removed pandemic-related rules on places like restaurants as well as dropped face mask requirements on crowded public transportation. Following that, Swedish airline SAS removed mask requirements on domestic flights and flights within Scandinavia but requires them on all other flights.

Sweden is currently averaging about 1,130 new infections each day, according to Reuters, a drop from January when the country topped more than 53,000 in a day. The country has also vaccinated just over 74% of its population, according to Johns Hopkins' Coronavirus Resource Center.

Sweden will become the latest country to drop all COVID-19-related travel restrictions, joining countries like Iceland, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, as well as Puerto Rico, which has eliminated all travel restrictions for domestic visitors.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.