Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) extended on Saturday the air directives (notams) for international flight passengers and flights to Greek islands as well as the ban for non-EU citizens from entering the country. However, it raised the number of non-EU countries whose citizens are allowed to Greece to 22.
In addition, the CAA reminds passengers that inside airports and during all flights, domestic and international, passengers and crew are obliged to wear face mask.
The air directives have been extended until Monday, 6 a.m. on June 7, 2021.
International Flights, non-EU exceptions
The CAA notes that permanent residents of the European Union and the Schengen area are exempted from this notam, as are citizens from the following 21 countries:
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, Singapore, Serbia. Thailand. Bosnia-Herzegovina.
All persons arriving in Greece from the above countries must either have a certificate (in English) issued by the relevant authority in their country of departure that they have completed vaccination at least 14 days before arrival or have a negative result in a PCR test for Covid-19 performed in the last 72 hours before arrival.
* 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.
Domestic Flights to Greek islands
Valid until June 7, 2021, is the directive that 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 press release in Greek here.
Note that the same Covid-19 certificates are needed if one travels to Greek islands per ferry or ship.
More information on coronavirus in Greece here.
I wonder if they’ll tell us how many rapid tests have been carried out on arrivals.
Last year they stopped telling us once it became known that 89% of air arrivals were not tested due to their magical PLF.
It was such a magical document I don’t know why we went down the vaccination route. Just carry a PLF and you’re 89% safe.