Dear traveler,
we welcome you to Greece and wish you enjoy a wonderful, unforgettable holiday experience.
On behalf of the Greek Government and the Greek Ministry of Tourism, we would like you to know that we have done our outmost for you to be and feel safe in our country. Your health is our absolute and non-negotiable priority.
Greece is opening its borders gradually, in a safe and feasible manner. The soft opening, on the 19th of April, comes with few travel requirements, soon to be lifted for the full opening next month.
In the following paragraphs, we provide a step-by-step guide of how to prepare before traveling to Greece as of the 19th of April.
Updated information relating to the full opening, by the 14th of May, will be announced in due time.
We have set out the following guidelines to ensure the protection of your own health, your family’s, as well as that of all those involved in offering you a safe hospitality experience:
– As of the 19th of April, every traveler coming to Greece from abroad should hold a negative PCR certificate from a testing laboratory for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
This test is mandatory for all travelers (including children over the age of 5), regardless of the epidemiological situation prevalent in the country of departure.
– If the traveler has completed his/her vaccination (i.e. 14 days have elapsed since the last vaccination, depending on the doses required) and holds a vaccination certificate, then proof of a negative test is not required.
– Vaccination certificates with vaccines Sputnik, Sinovac, etc., not approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) also exempt visitors from the obligation of a negative PCR test. Acceptables Vaccines are Pfizer BioNtech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Oxford, Novavax, Johnson + Johnson/Janssen, Sinovac Biotech, Gamaleya (Sputnik), Cansino Biologics, Sinopharm
- Every traveler who arrives in Greece, regardless of the certificate he carries, may undergo a random health check. If selected, the check is mandatory. Otherwise, authorities reserve the right to refuse entry in the country. The selection is made through a targeted sampling system, based on the EVA system used in the summer of 2020.
– Important clarification: The entry of travelers in Greece is not subject to vaccination. Presenting a vaccination certificate greatly facilitates the formalities on arrival. However, in no case is a vaccination or an antibodies certificate considered a “passport”.
– The countries from which entry is allowed, under the aforementioned conditions, without the requirement for isolation are: EU + New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, USA, UK, Israel, Serbia and UAE.
– Travelers are allowed to enter the country:
- through 9 airports (Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Chania, Mykonos, Santorini)
- from the land borders of the country through the land entry gates of Promachonas and Nymphaio.
– As of the 23rd of April, blue cruising, i.e. cruising with no intermediate stops in ports, and yachting will be allowed with some restrictions, same for both Greek and foreign citizens.
OBLIGATIONS FOR EVERY VISITOR IN GREECE
Before arrival:
– Every traveler must fill in the special PLF (Passenger Location Form) no later than 23:59 of the day before arriving in Greece. For more information click Here!
The traveler must ensure prior to departure that he/she carries some kind of certification of his health condition. The alternatives for that are as follows:
– PCR negative test result from a laboratory, for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure
– Vaccination certificate from a certified authority.
All certificates must include the critical information in English and the full person’s name must match with that of the passport or other travel document.
On arrival:
For travelers arriving in Greece, the following are provided:
– Sampling RAPID antigen tests at the entrance gates, the selection of individuals drawn from a targeted sampling system, based on the EVA system used in the summer of 2020.
- Mandatory isolation for tourists who have tested positive for SARS-Cov-2, following a sampling test. In this case, the travelers and their escorts are accomodated to quarantine hotels and undergo further PCR tests to confirm the initial diagnosis.
- Guests will stay in seclusion hotels for at least 10 days, and they will undergo new tests again. The expenses of the accommodation in quarantine hotels are covered by the Greek state.
Compliance with the health protocols during tourist transport and throughout your entire stay in Greece is the key factor that will allow for all of us to stay safe and return to our normality.
We appreciate your understanding and apologize in advance for any additional inconvenience.
A warm thank you for the cooperation, and for choosing our country for your vacation.
We look forward to welcoming you to Greece.