The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announces the extension of the aviation directive with the conditions of entry into Greece for passengers on flights from abroad, until 6 a.m. on Friday, September 3, aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19.

CAA also announced a new addition to the notam of international flights, which mentions the arrival test as mandatory for travelers, regardless of nationality, who have not been vaccinated from the following (16) sixteen countries: Egypt, Albania, Argentina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Georgia, Georgia , United Arab Emirates, India, China, Libya, Morocco, Northern Macedonia, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.

In particular, the notam with the conditions of entry of passengers in Greece for flights from abroad that will be valid until 3/9/21 provides the following:

Prohibitions of third-country nationals: The aviation directive prohibits third-country nationals other than the EU and the Schengen Agreement, including their spouses or persons with whom they have entered into a cohabitation agreement, from entering the country, as well as their minor children. Excludes passengers traveling for essential reasons and permanent residents of the following 35 countries: Australia, Northern Macedonia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Belarus, New Belarus, Bahrain, South Bahrain , Qatar, China, Kuwait, Ukraine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Japan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Jordan, Moldavia, Moldavia, Moldavia, Moldavia, Moldova and Kosovo *.

What applies to the PLF: All travelers to Greece, regardless of nationality, fill in the electronic form PLF (Passenger Locator Form), at the electronic address https://travel.gov.gr any time before the departure of the flight to Greece. The proof of completion of the PLF electronic form, which is automatically sent by e-mail to the passenger by the system, is considered a necessary travel document.

Entering Greece with a vaccine certificate or negative PCR / RAPID TEST or disease certificate or digital certificate: For travelers to Greece, the condition for entering the country is one of the following:
1) To have completed at least fourteen (14) days before the vaccination for coronavirus COVID-19 and to present a vaccination certificate, in Greek, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish or Russian, which has been issued by a public authority.
2) To have been diagnosed negative in a laboratory test for coronavirus COVID-19 by the PCR method within the last seventy two (72) hours, or within forty eight (48) hours before their arrival in Greece for the test with rapid test .
3) Alternatively, travelers to Greece must have a certificate / certificate of illness issued thirty (30) days after the first positive test and its validity lasts up to one hundred and eighty (180) days after it.
4) Flight travelers from abroad may also carry, in digital or printed form, a European digital certificate COVID-19 (EU DIGITAL COVID-19 CERTIFICATE) as well as third countries, which contains information on vaccination or its effect last test (48-hour rapid test or 72-hour PCR) or coronavirus disease.

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

Rapid Test for travelers: In addition to all international passengers, a rapid test will be performed upon arrival, based on the procedure provided by the Passenger Locator Form. If the rapid test is positive, it will be repeated immediately with PCR test. 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. All foreign passengers must faithfully follow the instructions of the health authorities of our country.

Airline instruction for Russian passengers: All travelers who are permanent residents of Russia traveling to Greece must have a negative PCR (72 hours) or rapid test (48 hours) certificate. This measure is mandatory and applies to all passengers who are permanent residents of Russia, whether vaccinated or not. In addition, all travelers / permanent residents from Russia will be required to take a test with Covid-19 upon arrival in Greece.

Mandatory arrival test for travelers, regardless of nationality, from the following 16 countries (only valid for unvaccinated passengers): Passengers on flights from Egypt, Albania, Argentina, Bulgaria, Brazil, Georgia, Cuba, United Cuba , China, Libya, Morocco, Northern Macedonia, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey, regardless of their nationality, would be required to take an airport check-in. If the rapid test is positive, it will be repeated immediately with PCR test. This airline directive will only apply to passengers who have not been vaccinated as there is an exception for travelers / passengers who have been vaccinated or become ill.

The use of a mask is mandatory: At arrivals and departures inside airports, as well as during air flights, staff and passengers are required to wear a protective mask. Passengers are also required to comply with the instructions of the permanent and temporary staff of airports or airlines responsible for the duties of supervision, crowd management and passenger assistance, in order to maintain the necessary distances and to ensure safe passage and avoid overcrowding. The control of the above documents is carried out by the employees of the airlines and by sampling by the police authorities. The airlines are obliged to check the traveler before boarding, in order to confirm that he has the necessary documents and in case of violation they have the obligation to repatriate the passenger at their own risk and expense.

Notes: * (this name is without prejudice to the positions of the regime and is in accordance with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1244/1999 and the Opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICC) on Kosovo’s declaration of independence).