Greece Extends Covid-19 Travel Rules for Int’l Air Arrivals and Domestic Flights

Photo © GTP

The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) on Saturday updated and extended all aviation directives concerning arrivals from abroad and for passengers of domestic flights in Greece.

With regard to updates and additions to the rules for international arrivals, the HCAA informed:

• Entry is now permitted also for travelers who present negative rapid antigen tests on arrival, as proof that they are not infected with Covid-19.
• The Covid-19 PCR testing requirement for entry in the country will be in force for children aged 12 and above (it was previously mandatory for children over 6) in accordance with the recommendation of the European Union.
• The travel restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU for residents of Albania, Japan and Lebanon have been lifted.

Photo: Shutterstock

Following are the updated HCAA’s aviation directives (NOTAMs) in detail, which will be in force until Saturday, June 26, at 6am:

Who is allowed entry to Greece

People traveling for essential reasons and travelers from the following countries* are allowed to enter Greece – provided they have the required documentation – without the requirement for subsequent self-isolation: EU & Schengen Area countries, Albania, Australia, Northern Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, United Kingdom, Japan, Israel, Canada, Belarus, Lebanon, Bahrain, New Zealand, South Korea, Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand,  and Montenegro.

* Regulations concerning countries on the admission list are subject to change by the Greek authorities, when renewed assessments are made based on epidemiological data from country of origin.

Entry requirements

Greece will allow entrance to travelers that have filled out the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) one day before travel. The PLF is mandatory and must be filled out by all travelers, regardless of their nationality.

Passengers from abroad must also have one of the following:

1. a vaccination certificate, stating that 14 days have passed since full vaccination for Covid-19. Vaccination certificates must be issued by a public authority and in one of the following languages: Greek, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian. The name on the vaccination certificate must match the name on the passport and also include, the type of vaccine administered, the number of doses and the dates they were administered.

2. a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours before travel or a negative rapid antigen test performed within 48 hours before travel. Negative test results must be issued by an authorized laboratory and in one of the following languages: Greek, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian. The name on the vaccination certificate must match the name on the passport. (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)

3. proof for testing positive of Covid-19 in the past 2 to 9 months. Travelers can present either a positive PCR/antigen test result issued by an certified laboratory or a medical/recovery certificate issued by a public authority or a certified laboratory in one of the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian. (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)

4. a Digital COVID Certificate in digital or print form which will contain information on whether passengers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or have a negative PCR/rapid test result or have recovered from the virus.

Important for travelers from Montenegro

Permanent residents from Montenegro are allowed to enter Greece with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, stating that 14 days have passed since full vaccination for Covid-19 and a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours before travel.

Non-EU citizens are strongly advised to choose direct flights to Greece. In any other case, travelers should abide by the stop-over country requirements.

Rapid testing on arrival

Every traveler who arrives in Greece, regardless of the certificate in their possession, may undergo a random health screening (depending on the data provided on the PLF forms). If a passenger is selected for a rapid test and is positive for the coronavirus then he/she must quarantine for a total of:

– 7 days if the passenger has been vaccinated against Covid-19
– 10 days if the passenger is unvaccinated

In both cases, passengers will have to take a PCR test on the last day of their quarantine. If the test is negative the mandatory quarantine ends.

Rules to fly domestic to the Greek islands

Photo source: HCAA

According to the HCAA’s updated aviation directive (NOTAM), people in Greece (residents and foreign visitors) are allowed to travel to the Greek islands by airplane only if they have one of the following:

– a vaccination certificate stating that 14 days have passed since full vaccination for Covid-19.
Greeks can issue their vaccination certificates here.
Foreigners are obliged to have a vaccination certificate in one of the following languages: Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russia. The vaccination certificate must be issued by a public authority, include the travelers’ name, the type of vaccine administered and the number of doses.

– a negative PCR test performed less than three days (72 hours) prior to the scheduled travel date. Foreigners must have a negative test in one of the following languages: Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian. (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)
Negative PCR test results can be in print or electronic form.

– a negative rapid antigen test taken 24 hours prior to travel. Foreigners must have a negative test in one of the following languages: Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian.  (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)
Negative rapid test results can be in print or electronic form.

– a negative self-test taken 24 hours prior to travel.
The self-test declaration form to certify a negative result is available in Greek and English here. Travelers must print it out and present it when requested at the airport. (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)

– a recovery certificate stating that one has recovered from the coronavirus in the past 9 months. This can be proven through a certificate of recovery issued by a public authority or a certified laboratory. (The rule is in force for children over the age of 12.)

According to the HCAA, tests (PCR and rapid) that have been carried out abroad and are valid at the time of boarding a domestic flight in Greece will be accepted under the same conditions under which they were accepted to allow entrance to Greece.

The updated aviation directive concerning the rules to fly domestic to the Greek islands will be in force from today (Jun19)  until Saturday, June 26, at 6am.

Greece’s aviation directives are part of the Greek government’s efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.

Travelers in need of information regarding specific details on the travel rules for passengers of international and domestic flights are recommended to contact their embassy, airline or the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.