From June 1st, some countries will be exempted from the list, meaning travel from Sweden to the following countries will no longer be advised against: Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. These countries had previously been removed from Sweden’s non-EU entry ban, but it is the first time that they are added to the exempted list for travel in the other direction.

All countries in the EU, EEA and Schengen area, as well as the UK, have already had the travel advisory lifted, although this does not mean travel to these places is encouraged.

The advisory has been extended multiple times since it was first introduced in mid-March 2020. It applies to travel from Sweden overseas, and although it is not legally binding (you are still able to leave the country), it is intended to dissuade people from non-necessary travel and can have implications on the validity of travel insurance if you travel against official advice.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “even for travel to countries where the advisory has been lifted, a great deal of personal responsibility lies with the individual traveller. The pandemic is still affecting travel conditions around the world.”

“Non-essential” travel includes for example tourism, but travelling for work normally counts as essential under the foreign ministry’s rules. However, people are still urged to think twice before travelling, as restrictions may change fast (and it’s worth bearing in mind that domestic and international travel is generally discouraged at the moment).