Covid-19: Greece Changes Expiration Dates of Vaccination and Recovery Certificates

UPDATE: On April 2 it was announced that two-dose vaccination certificates are now valid in Greece for 9 months (270 days) and there is no time limit for those who have received a booster shot. Recovery certificates are now valid for 6 months (180 days) in Greece.

Photo source: European Commission / Photographer: Yorgos Karahalis

The Greek government is considering to harmonize Greece’s domestic validity period of Covid-19 vaccination and recovery certificates with the validity period set at EU level.

Speaking to SKAI on Friday, Greece Health Minister Thanos Plevris referred to the European Commission’s recommendation for EU national governments to harmonize the domestic validity periods of vaccination/recovery certificates with the validity period set at EU level, which is a 9-month duration (270 days) for the two-dose vaccination certificate and 6-month duration (180 days) for the recovery certificate.

Right now the two-dose vaccination certificate issued in Greece has a 7-month duration (210 days) and there is no time limit for those who have received a booster shot. The recovery certificate in Greece is valid for only 3 months (90 days).

Photo source: European Commission / Photographer: Yorgos Karahalis

It should be mentioned that the Greek government permits entrance to the country to travelers with either:

– a vaccination certificate valid for 9 months (270 days) since full vaccination (two shots) for Covid-19 (and without validity limit for travelers who have received the booster dose)
– or proof of recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection valid for 6 months (180 days) after its issue date.

However, once in the country visitors must abide by the domestic validity period. This means that access to indoor areas of restaurants, cafes, bars and other leisure facilities in Greece is allowed only after showing either:

– a vaccination certificate valid for 7 months (210 days) since full vaccination (two shots) for Covid-19 (and without validity limit for travelers who have received the booster dose)
– or proof of recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection valid for 3 months (90 days) after its issue date.

Minister Plevris also announced that the Greek government may scrap the measure of showing a certificate to access indoor areas (restaurants, cafes, bars) during the summer months.