Greece accepts Rapid Test for international passengers, adds non-EU countries

Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) extended the air travel restriction but at the same time announced that travelers can enter the country also with a Rapid test carried out 48 hours before arrival.

In a statement issued late on Sunday, the CAA said it extends the air directives (notams) for international passengers and passengers on domestic flights to Greek islands until Saturday, 26. June 2021, at 6: 00 a.m.  Extended until Saturday 26 June 2021 at 06:00 in the morning. Aim is to contain the spread of the Covid-19

Non-EU countries

The ban on entry into the country of third-country nationals other than the countries of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, including their spouses or persons with whom they have entered into a cohabitation agreement, as well as their minor children.

The air directive excludes passengers traveling for essential reasons and passengers resident in the following 26 countries:

Australia, Northern Macedonia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Canada New Zealand, South Korea, Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Japan, Lebanon.

In relation to the pre-existing airline instructions, permanent residents from Albania, Japan and Lebanon are added to the list of third-country nationals allowed to enter Greece

PLF Form and Covid-Documents

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 until the previous day before their arrival in country.

For travelers to Greece, the condition for entering the country is one of the following:

1) have completed the vaccination against Covid-19 at least fourteen (14) days before and present a vaccination certificate in Greek, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian, issued by a public authority. The vaccination certificate shall contain the name of the person as indicated on the passport, the type of vaccine administered, the number of doses and the date on which they were given,

2) have been diagnosed negative in a laboratory test for coronavirus COVID-19 by the PCR method within the last seventy two (72) hours before their arrival in Greece, or within forty eight (48) hours before their arrival in Greece in terms of Rapid Test control.

3) alternatively, travelers to Greece must have a certificate of illness valid for two (2) to nine (9) months from the date of illness indicated on it issued thirty (30) days after the first positive test by a public authority in accordance with the relevant legislation,

4) Flight travelers from abroad may also carry, in digital or printed form, a Digital Certificate COVID-19 containing information on vaccination or the result of a rapid test (PCR) or coronavirus disease COVID-19.

Specifically, permanent residents of Montenegro will enter Greece under the following conditions: a) to have completed at least fourteen (14) days before the COVID-19 coronavirus vaccination and b) to have been negatively tested in a laboratory test by the coronavirus PCR method COVID-19.

The obligation of the conditions (vaccine or negative test or certificate of illness), for entry in Greece is valid for children from twelve (12) years and over.

In addition, all international passengers will be subjected to a rapid test upon arrival, based on the procedure provided by the Passenger Locator Form. In case the tests find a passenger positive, the quarantine will be valid for 10 days, while if the foreign passenger is vaccinated and the rapid test on arrival shows that he is positive for the disease, he will remain in isolation for 7 days. In both cases (10 or 7 days of temporary restriction), in order to lift the quarantine, the persons are subject to mandatory laboratory testing by PCR on the last day of their temporary restriction.

In relation to the pre-existing airline instructions, permanent residents from Albania, Japan and Lebanon are added to the list of third-country nationals allowed to enter Greece. The obligation to take a test to enter the country now applies to minors twelve (12) years old and over, from six (6) years old that was provided. The rapid test of 48 hours is also accepted for entry in Greece.

All extensions and changes in the air directives (notams) are valid since Saturday, 19. June 2021.

Domestic flights – Greek islands

The instructions for passengers of domestic flights to island destinations are also extended

Also extended, until Saturday, June 26, 2021, the notam with the instructions for passengers of domestic flights to island destinations. In particular, all passengers on domestic flights to island destinations must meet one of the following conditions:

(a), (b) and (c) like on international flights.

Regarding tests (b) allowed are:

PCR molecular test: 72 hours

Rapid Test: 24 hours

Self Test: 24 hours –  Result registration at  https://self-testing.gov.gr/covid19-self-test-print.pdf in Greek and English.

CAA statement in Greek here

Information on coronavirus in Greece here (English)