This information was last checked on 18th February 2022
All travellers, including Norwegians, who do not possess a valid COVID certificate (see section below for Norway’s definition of this), must provide a negative test result before travelling to Svalbard. Travellers must also take a test within 24 hours of arrival in Svalbard.
If you have a valid COVID certificate
- You do not need to test before departure to Svalbard
If you do not have a valid COVID certificate
- You must present documentation of a negative antigen rapid test before departure to Svalbard
- The test must not be older than 24 hours
- A negative self-test is not valid as documentation
- Testing stations are available at most main airports in Norway, including Oslo Gardemoen (OSL)
Testing upon arrival in Longyearbyen
All persons arriving into Svalbard must take a COVID test within 24 hours of arrival. This must be an antigen rapid test (self-test). This applies to all travellers, including those who are fully vaccinated or have undergone COVID-19.
Tests are distributed free of charge to arriving air passengers from Longyearbyen local council’s distribution station for self-tests. A boarding pass or ticket receipt must be presented.
The distribution station is located in the parking lot at Lompensenteret / Longyear 78 °. The station is open on weekdays from 11:00 to 14:00. On Fridays, the tests will be handed out at the airport. It is also possible to buy tests at the pharmacy in Lompensenteret and in Svalbardbutikken.
In the event of a positive test result, you must immediately isolate yourself and report the result to the University Hospital of Northern Norway HF - Longyearbyen Hospital.
The test obligation applies in principle to everyone, but a few exceptions are made, including for children under 16 years of age where it is disproportionately demanding to have the test taken by the child.
COVID-19 certificate
The COVID-19 certificate must have a QR-code that can be verified. The following certificates can be used:
- Norwegian COVID-19 certificate
- The EU digital COVID certificate
- UK NHS COVID-pass
Visit the webpages of the EU-commission for an overview of which countries within or outside of the EU that are part of the EU digital COVID-19 certificate.
You can get a valid certificate if you:
- Are fully vaccinated
- Can document that you have undergone COVID-19
Adjustments on the validity of EUs COVID-19 certificate
From February 1, 2022: Adjustments on the validity of EU COVID-19 certificate.
According to EU rules, anyone who is fully vaccinated must take a booster dose of the vaccine when 270 days (roughly 9 months) have passed since the last dose was taken in order to have a valid COVID-19 certificate after February 1st.
Your Spitsbergen Expedition Voyage
Testing requirements for your expedition voyage may be different from these rules, we will send these by email to all clients with a confirmed booking nearer to the time of departure, or upon request at any time.
We recommend that you refer to these websites for the most up to date information on COVID-19 and travelling to Svalbard before you are due to depart:
Visit Svalbard:
https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/visit-svalbard-refrain-from-travelling-covid-19
Governor of Svalbard:
https://www.sysselmesteren.no/en/corona-and-svalbard/
You can sign up for email alerts for updates to these pages online.
It is your responsibility to check the current entry requirements for Norway, as well as for the country or countries you are travelling to and through after leaving Norway.
You can also refer to the SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Airlines websites for up to date information on what measures the airlines are taking both on the aircraft and at the airport.
