Requirements regarding test and isolation when entering Denmark

The Danish travel restrictions classify all countries and regions into three categories: yellow, orange and red. These categories determine the rules that apply to tourists arriving in Denmark. The rules also depend on whether you are travelling on a negative test, whether you have been vaccinated or previously infected with COVID-19, on your country of residence, and where you are travelling from. Read what applies to you on this page.

FROM THE 26TH OF JUNE: REOPENING OF TRAVEL ACTIVITIES

Starting from the 26th of June, phase 4 of the gradual reopening of travel activities will take effect. This will include:

- Travel activities to and from EU and Schengen countries will be opened up more. The colour classifications of countries/regions will change. Some EU and Schengen countries will be classified with a new green colour while others will be classified as yellow. This will have implications on test and isolation requirements for some travelers arriving from EU and Schengen countries.

- Travel restrictions will transition to an EU coronapas-based approach. All EU and Schengen citizens will be able to be issued an EU corona passport that can be used across borders.

- The requirement for isolation for travelers from all EU and Schengen countries /regions is lifted, unless they enter from red countries.

- The test requirement prior to boarding an aircraft from all "green", "yellow" and "orange" countries and regions is lifted, and there is no longer a requirement to get tested upon entry, if you arrive from a green country/region.

Countries and regions are classified into three categories – yellow, orange and red. Countries and regions are classified on a weekly basis on the basis of the health situation in the country or region. See the list of countries here:  

Categorization of countries

If you are travelling on a negative test

The travel restrictions for tourists travelling on a negative test depend on your country of residence and where you are travelling from. Tourists who are resident in a yellow country or an orange EU or Schengen country do not require a worthy purpose to enter Denmark. However, tourists arriving from orange EU or Schengen countries on a negative test are as a general rule required to self-isolate following their arrival in Denmark.

Travel restrictions for people travelling on a negative test

Travel restrictions for people travelling from the EU and Schengen countries

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft
 No Yes Yes
Test required upon arrival
 Yes Yes Yes
Isolation required upon arrival
 No Yes Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No No Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 Yes Yes Yes

Travel restrictions for people travelling from third countries (i.e. countries outside the EU and Schengen)

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft
 No Yes Yes
Test required upon arrival
 Yes Yes Yes
Isolation required upon arrival
 No Yes Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No Yes Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 Yes Yes Yes

* The requirement that you must have a worthy purpose does not apply to Danish citizens and foreigners residing permanently in Denmark or those holding Danish residence permits. These requirements are residency-based, and the restrictions therefore depend on whether a foreigner’s permanent residence is in a yellow, orange or red country. The requirement for a test prior to boarding an aircraft is not residency-based, but is instead based on the colour of the last country or region that the traveller has been visiting prior to arrival in Denmark. Foreigners who do not satisfy these requirements may be refused entry to Denmark.

If you are travelling and are fully vaccinated

The travel restrictions for tourists travelling on the basis that they are fully vaccinated depend on whether you fulfil the Danish conditions for being classified as fully vaccinated.

It is therefore a requirement for tourists that their vaccination was carried out in an EU or Schengen country as well as in Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City, an OECD country (also includes Greenland or the Faroe Islands) or in a yellow third country. The vaccine should also be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). In addition, certain travel restrictions require that your permanent residence is in an EU or Schengen country as well as in Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City, an OECD country (also includes Greenland or the Faroe Islands) or in a yellow third country. The conditions mean that tourists who have been vaccinated in yellow third countries (i.e. countries outside the EU and Schengen as well as in Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City or OECD countries) fulfil these conditions. You can read more about which requirements you must fulfil in order to be classified as fully vaccinated here:

New mandatory testing and isolation requirements

If you are a Danish citizen fully vaccinated against COVID-19, no matter in which country in the world, you will also be exempt from the requirement of test and isolation after entry when arriving from yellow and orange countries or regions. You do not need to have residence in Greenland, the Faroe Islands or an EU or Schengen country. However, you still have to be considered as a fully vaccinated person.

Until the European corona passport is operational (expected 26 June 2021) documentation for completed vaccination course must include the information currently included in the Danish vaccination passport available on sundhed.dk. This includes:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • “Vaccinated against”
  • Name of vaccine
  • Status in vaccination
  • Date of vaccination – First and second dose (when second dose is required)

Travel restrictions for people who are fully vaccinated

Travel restrictions for people whose permanent residence is in the EU and Schengen countries as well as Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City, an OECD country or a yellow third country and who have been vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine in the EU and Schengen countries as well as Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City, an OECD country or a yellow third country.

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft**
 No No Yes
Test required upon arrival
 No No Yes
Isolation required upon arrival
 No No Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No No Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 No No Yes

Travel restrictions for people who are permanent residents in thirdcountries (i.e. countries outside the EU and Schengen as well as Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City or an OECD country) and who have been fully vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine in the aforementioned countries.

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft**
 No Yes/No** Yes
Test required upon arrival
 No Yes Yes
Isolation required upon arrival
 No Yes Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No Yes Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 No Yes Yes

* The requirement that you must have a worthy purpose does not apply to Danish citizens and foreigners residing permanently in Denmark or those holding Danish residence permits. These requirements are residency-based, and the restrictions therefore depend on whether a foreigner’s permanent residence is in a yellow, orange or red country. Foreigners who do not satisfy these requirements may be refused entry to Denmark.
** The requirement to take a test prior to boarding aircraft is not residency-based. People who were fully vaccinated an EU or Schengen country, in Andorra, San Marino, Monaco or the Vatican City, OECD countries and yellow third countries and who are arriving from yellow or orange countries are exempt from the requirement to take a test. Danish citizens who have been vaccinated in a third country and are arriving from yellow and orange countries are exempt from the requirement to take a test.
.

If you are travelling having been previously infected with COVID-19

The travel restrictions for tourists travelling on the basis that they have been previously infected with COVID-19 depend on where your permanent residence is, where you are travelling from, and whether you meet the criteria for being covered by the rules applicable to people previously infected with COVID-19.

People previously infected with COVID-19 must therefore be able to present documentation showing a positive PCR test taken at least 14 days and no more than 8 months prior to boarding the aircraft and prior to the time of entry in order to be eligible.

See further details on whether you are considered to have been previously infected with COVID-19 – and ways in which this can be documented – here:

New mandatory testing and isolation requirements

Travel restrictions for people travelling who have previously been infected with COVID-19

Travel restrictions for people travelling from the EU and Schengen countries

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft
 No No No
Test required upon arrival
 No No No
Isolationskrav efter indrejse
 No No Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No No Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 No No No

Travel restrictions for people travelling from third countries (i.e. countries outside the EU and Schengen)

 
  YELLOW ORANGE RED
                                                                            
Test required prior to boarding aircraft
 No No No
Test required upon arrival
 No No No
Isolation required upon arrival
 No No Yes
Foreigners required to have a worthy purpose for entry to Denmark*
 No Yes Yes
(short list)
Foreigners required to take test prior to entry to Denmark*
 No No No

* The requirement that you must have a worthy purpose does not apply to Danish citizens and foreigners residing permanently in Denmark or those holding Danish residence permits. These requirements are residency-based, and the restrictions therefore depend on whether a foreigner’s permanent residence is in a yellow, orange or red country. Foreigners who do not satisfy these requirements may be refused entry to Denmark.

If you are subject to requirements to test or isolation

If you are subject to the requirement to take a test prior to boarding an aircraft, you must present a negative test that is no more than 48 hours old when boarding the aircraft at your departure airport. If you are subject to the requirement to take a test prior to entry, you must present a negative test that is no more than 48 hours old at the time of entry, i.e. the check upon entry to Denmark.

If you are subject to the requirement to take a test upon arrival, the rules vary depending on whether you enter Denmark by air or via its sea or land borders. As a general rule if you arrive by air, a rapid test (antigen test) must be obtained at the airport, which means you will be immediately directed towards the testing centre upon arrival. If you enter Denmark via a sea or land border, you must generally take a rapid test (antigen test) or PCR test no later than 24 hours after your time of entry.

If you are subject to the requirement to self-isolate, you should as a rule self-isolate for 10 days. You may stop self-isolating after obtaining a negative PCR test taken no earlier than on the fourth day after entry.

 

Test and isolation requirements for persons entering Denmark by aircraft

The following rules apply to many travellers and may apply to you

1

Testing prior to boarding an aircraft

A negative test that is no more than 48 hours old must be presented upon boarding the aircraft with a destination in Denmark.

2

Test before entry and worthy purpose for entering Denmark

A negative test that is no more than 48 hours old at the time of entry must be presented. The police will conduct checks in relation to the worthy purpose for entering Denmark and documentation of a negative test.

3

Upon arrival

A quick test (antigen test) must be obtained at the airport.

4

Isolation

People arriving in Denmark must isolate for 10 days.

Breaking isolation

This isolation may be broken after obtaining a negative PCR test taken no earlier than on the fourth day after entry.

Whether or not the rules apply to you depends on where you are travelling from, where you live and whether you are fully vaccinated, have been previously infected or neither. Check which rules apply to you at:

New mandatory testing and isolation requirements

Test and isolation requirements for persons entering Denmark via sea or land borders

The following rules apply to many travellers and may apply to you

1

Test before entry and worthy purpose for entering Denmark

A negative test that is no more than 48 hours old at the time of entry must be presented. The police will conduct checks in relation to the worthy purpose for entering Denmark and documentation of a negative test.

2

Test upon arrival

People arriving in Denmark must obtain a new quick test or PCR test no later than 24 hours after their entry into the country.

3

Isolation

People arriving in Denmark must isolate for 10 days.

4

Breaking isolation

This isolation may be broken after obtaining a negative PCR test taken no earlier than on the fourth day after entry.

Whether or not the rules apply to you depends on where you are travelling from, where you live and whether you are fully vaccinated, have been previously infected or neither. Check which rules apply to you at:

New mandatory testing and isolation requirements

Questions and answers regarding rules for entry

See the FAQ on mandatory testing and isolation requirements

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