From Iceland — Four More Countries Added Can Skip Coronavirus Screening Upon Arrival In Iceland

Four More Countries Added Can Skip Coronavirus Screening Upon Arrival In Iceland

Published July 14, 2020

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Lögreglan

Starting on July 16th, passengers arriving in Iceland from Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany will no longer need to get screen for the novel coronavirus nor go into quarantine upon arriving in Iceland, provided they have been in these countries for at least 14 days, chief epidemiologist Þórólf­ur Guðna­son announced at a press conference today. People coming from Greenland or the Faroe Islands after a stay of this same length of time are already exempt.

Note: If you’re looking for the latest travel advice and updates go to covid.is or read our guide to border procedures. There’s also a handy video from the Icelandic health authorities.

For the most part, nationals or residents from EU and EEA nations and the UK are allowed to travel to Iceland, with some exceptions. The exempted non-EEA and Schengen states accessed to Iceland are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay.

All of these visitors, apart from the aforementioned exceptions to screening, must be screened upon arrival, at a cost of 11,000 ISK, or 9,000 ISK if paid in advance, and then download the Rakning 19 app. The other option is to go into 2-week quarantine.

Icelanders returning home must get screened upon arrival, and then take another test four or five days later. In the interim, they are advised to maintain two-metre social distancing; avoid physical contact; avoid visiting vulnerable people (e.g. the elderly and those with lung conditions); and avoid gatherings of up to ten people.

Those from all other countries are still barred from entering Iceland on non-essential business.

Note: Due to the effect the Coronavirus is having on tourism in Iceland, it’s become increasingly difficult for the Grapevine to survive. If you enjoy our content and want to help the Grapevine’s journalists do things like eat and pay rent, please consider joining our High Five Club.

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