Denmark easing COVID travel restrictions

Green makes a comeback for the first time in more than a year

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As of Saturday (June 26) Denmark is easing almost all COVID-related travel restrictions as part of phase four of the travel part of reopening. On the 26th, Denmark will entirely move to a vaccine passport governed travel system. The Justice ministry in a release says “all EU and Schengen citizens, including Danes, will be able to be issued an EU corona passport that can be used across borders.” The EU digital COVID certificate - exactly like Denmark’s current coronapas - allows for free movement around the EU based on vaccination status, recent negative test result, or previous infection.

As of Saturday June 26, here is what changes. 

Denmark is reintroducing ‘green’ in its colour-coded COVID risk assessment of other countries. On Saturday all currently ‘yellow’ EU and Schengen countries and regions will become ‘green’ while countries and regions currently designated ‘orange’ will be downgraded to ‘yellow.’ 

This is the current travel map.

Foreign Affairs Minister Jeppe Kofod:

“Danes can once again go on holiday throughout the EU without having to present a test before returning home or having to go into isolation when the holiday is over. Thus, we deliver on the promise that Danes will be able to travel on summer holidays in Europe. Many have had to cancel holiday plans in the past year, and the world map has been orange and red. With the summer holidays, the green color is now returning to the travel guides for EU and Schengen countries with low infection rates.”

Kofod notes that it has been 468 days since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last had countries designated as ‘green’ in its travel guides.

This means that tourists, and returning travelers traveling from EU and Schengen countries can enter Denmark without having to serve a quarantine. The requirement to take a COVID test upon arrival from all orange, yellow, and green countries is lifted entirely. Anyone arriving from a ‘red’ country still faces mandatory testing on arrival. 

The requirement for a negative COVID test before boarding a flight to Denmark will also be relaxed. A negative PCR test for foreign travelers flying to Denmark must be no more than 72 hours old. For a rapid test, it is no more than 48 hours old. 

Children 17 years old and younger who are flying with either a fully vaccinated adult(s) or an adult(s) who have had a previous infection are not required to be tested or serve a quarantine upon arrival in Denmark. 

People from Denmark traveling for business to ‘orange’ countries no longer need to isolate when returning home. The same rule applies to business travelers coming to Denmark from other ‘orange’ countries. 

Tourists who are fully vaccinated in the EU, Schengen zone, OECD countries, or countries outside the European Union designated as ‘yellow” are allowed to disembark from cruise ships. The Justice Ministry adds an “evaluation of the cruise ship scheme will be launched in mid-August.” 

All travelers from ‘red’ countries or regions who are traveling to Denmark are required to have a negative PCR test no more than 72 hours old before boarding their flight. A rapid test is no longer acceptable. Upon arrival, they must get tested and serve a mandatory quarantine. 

Justice Minister Nick Hækkerup:

“I am pleased that we can now look forward to further reopening of the travel activities for the benefit of both Danes, tourists and the business community towards the summer holidays. We are in a good place in Denmark with infections on the way down and more than every fourth Dane being vaccinated, and with restrictions easing we are now making it easier for Danes to travel. However, we still have a very important task in keeping variants out of the country, and therefore the remaining restrictions remain important.”