Greece changes prerequisites for flight passengers, extends non-EU countries list

Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced a new aviation directive (notam) for international flight passengers. The new notam expands the list of non-EU countries whose citizens can travel to Greece and allows all nationals to enter with either vaccination or illness certificate or a negative molecular PCR test.

The Civil Aviation has also issued on Friday a statement regarding the Covid-19 certificates needed for domestic flights to island destinations.

The instructions for passengers of foreign flights aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 disease, the CAA said in a statement issued on Friday evening, May 14, 2021.

International flight passengers

With effect from 14 May to 24 May 2021 at 06:00 in the morning, extends the ban on entry of third-country nationals (does not apply to nationals of European Union (EU) Member States and Schengen Agreement).

In particular, the aviation directive (notam) provides:

* Prohibition of entry into the country of third-country nationals other than the countries of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement. Passengers residents of the following 21 countries are also excluded from the ban directive:

• Australia, North Macedonia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Belarus, Bahrain, New Zealand, South Korea , Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand.

* All travelers to Greece, regardless of nationality, fill in the electronic form PLF (Passenger Locator Form), at the electronic address https://travel.gov.gr, with their contact details in Greece before their arrival in the country.

* Prerequisite for entry is for travelers to Greece:

a) to have completed at least fourteen (14) days prior to travel to Greece the COVID-19 vaccination and to present a vaccination certificate, in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian, which has been issued by a public authority. The vaccination certificate includes the name of the person as indicated on the passport, the type of vaccine administered, the number of doses and the date of administration, or

b) have been tested negative for laboratory testing for coronavirus COVID-19 by the PCR method. within the last seventy-two (72) hours before their arrival in Greece, or

c) alternatively, travelers to Greece must bring a certificate of Covid-19 illness valid for two (2) to nine (9) months from the date of illness diagnosis. The certificate must have been issued by a public authority.

* The obligation of the conditions (vaccine or negative test or certificate of illness), for entry into Greece is valid for children from five years and over.

* In addition to all international passengers, a rapid test will be performed upon arrival, based on the procedure provided by the Passenger Locator Form. In case the tests find a a passenger positive, the quarantine will be valid for 14 days.

CAA statement in Greek is here

In a separate statement, the CAA published the instructions for passengers on domestic flights to Greek island destinations.

Valid  from 14 May 2021, all passengers on domestic flights to island destinations must meet one of the following conditions:

a) to have completed  the vaccination for coronavirus COVID-19 at least fourteen (14) days before arrival  and to present a vaccination certificate, which has been issued through the website https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/ugeia-kai-pronoia/koronoios -covid-19 / pistopoietiko-emboliasmou.

In  case of foreigners  from abroad, to have completed  the COVID-19 coronavirus vaccination at least fourteen (14) days before arrival  and present a vaccination certificate, in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian, issued by a public authority in accordance with the relevant legislation. The vaccination certificate includes the name of the person, the type of vaccine given and the number of doses.

b) to display a negative molecular test (PCR) for covid-19, performed by taking an oropharyngeal or  nasopharyngeal smear ,up to 72 hours  before the scheduled travel time or a rapid antigen test for Covid-19  (rapid test) performed  twenty four(24)  hours before the scheduled travel time. In  case of foreigners from abroad, they can provide a negative test certificate in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian.

c) to have been diagnosed negative in a self-diagnostic test (self test) within twenty four (24) hours before the scheduled travel time and is certified with a relevant certificate displayed on paper. The certification of the result will be declared  through the self-test result declaration statement for COVID-19, the filling form of which is posted on the page https://self-testing.gov.gr/covid19-self-test-print.pdf in Greek and  in English.

d) to present proof of recovery from COVID-19 ,valid as of two months afer positive PCR or antigen test up to 9 months.

The above obligations include  children  over the age of five  (05).

The negative diagnosis of the test with the method of PCR and rapid test is proved by the demonstration of a relevant certificate in paper or electronically. If these checks have been carried out abroad and are valid at the time of boarding the aircraft, the relevant certificates are accepted under the same conditions under which they were allowed to enter Greece.

Checking of the above documents is carried out by the employees of the airlines during  boarding.
Passengers and crew members are obliged before boarding, during the flight and passengers’ disembarking , to comply with all other measures for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 cases , which are published in the site of HCAA,http:// www.ypa.gr/news.

CAA statement for flight to island destinations in English here.

Note that the same Covid-19 certificates are needed if one travels to Greek islands per ferry or ship.