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Greece Extends Covid-19 Air Travel Restrictions, Requirements

The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) on Sunday extended travel restrictions for domestic and international flights in Greece, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.

Domestic travel: Only essential trips allowed

All non-essential travel between Greek prefectures will remain prohibited until Monday, May 10, at 6am.
The non-essential travel restriction for domestic flights in Greece concerns domestic scheduled, commercial and general/business flights. According to the aviation directive, only essential travel is allowed for health and business reasons, family reunification, and returning to permanent residence.

International flights – Restrictions, Requirements

According to the HCAA’s updated Covid-19 aviation directive (NOTAM), the following travel restrictions and requirements for international arrivals will remain in place until Monday, May 3:

PLF remains mandatory
The submission of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) by all passengers of international flights to Greece remains mandatory.
The rule also applies to Greek citizens and permanent residents of Greece who travel abroad on flights (outbound travel). They are required to fill out the PLF form before their departure from Greece and present it at border checkpoints.

Travel ban for non-EU residents / Exemptions
The temporary ban on entry into Greece from outside the EU has been updated. Only citizens traveling for essential reasons from the following 12 countries are excluded from the ban: UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Serbia, United States of America and Israel.

Mandatory negative Covid-19 test result
All travelers from abroad must submit a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR) performed up to 72 hours before arrival in Greece. The rule includes children traveling from abroad, aged five and over.
International travelers may also be requested to take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry (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 14 days.

7-day quarantine rule / Exemptions
All passengers entering Greece from abroad must self-isolate either at their home (for permanent residents) or at the place of temporary residence declared on the PLF, for 7 days.

Travelers from the following countries qualify for exemption from mandatory quarantine: all EU member states and the members of the border-free Schengen area, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Russia and Singapore, considering that they have been fully vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19. (See here for further information.)
It is reminded that passengers may be requested to take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry (depending on the data provided on the PLF forms).

Arrivals from Russia
According to the directive, travelers from Russia will have to present both a negative PCR test and a vaccination certificate in order to be exempt from the quarantine rule.
The updated Covid-19 aviation directive also states that Russian travelers are now allowed to enter Greece on flights landing at nine airports (as opposed to just three that was the rule until now), as long as they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and also present a negative test. These airports are: Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini and Chania. Greece has a cap on the number of weekly admissions of Russians visitors. Only 4,000 permanent residents of Russia per week are allowed to enter Greece.

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  1. Daria Debisheva Reply

    Hello! I’m arriving in Kefalonia with my kid, she’s 5 y.o.; the question is if PRC test is required for her? I see info. It tells “over 5..”.. Is she over 5 in this case? I don’t mind.
    Thanks.

  2. Avidan Bar Sela Reply

    good day
    i’m travelling to Greece on may 28th/ from israel/ fully vaccinated and dont need a PCR/ i’m taking domestic flight to Kos island/ do i need a PCR test for domestic flight?
    tanks

  3. Felice Hershkorn Reply

    1. Will one vaccination be enough?
    2. What age of children do NOT need to take a covid test?
    3. Is it just a PCR for non vaccinated or will other tests like lateral
    flow or LAMP test be OK?
    4. What antibody levels are acceptable?

  4. Olloy Reply

    I wm full vaccinated can i enter to greece from congo in may 15

  5. John Zoumboulis Reply

    This is what you call a slippery slope.

  6. Fiona Strong Reply

    We travelled into Athens two weeks ago and hired a car to travel to Lefkáda. As long as you have the correct paperwork you are able to travel to your destination

  7. Judy Deverill Reply

    What happens if you have a holiday booked late June and you have a six year old child with special needs who you could not test ?
    Does this mean he can not travel????

  8. S. Pearce Reply

    Why oh why have you excluded South Africa when those figures are far better than Russia and USA, even Greece’s and certainly Thailand?? So unfair.
    Country Cases Critical Deaths
    Russia 8,053 2,300 392
    USA 0 9,884 0
    Thailand 2,179 1 15
    South Africa 0 546 0
    Greece 0 811 0

    • T. Saunders Reply

      I am South African and also desperate to get to Greece! Its SO unfair that they are not letting us in! I hope and prey that we will be allowed to after May.

  9. Michail ILIOVITS Reply

    Healthy Greetings,
    When is the 7-day quarantine rule expected to be lifted?
    I miss Greece.
    We are planning a trip to Greece on May 9, 2021 for a week.
    Stay Safe.
    Thanks and Best Regards,
    Michail.

    • Ashleigh Montgomery Reply

      The Greek Government is meeting every Friday to agree on and announce how and when future restrictions will be applied and relaxed, often on a local basis. In the event of a sudden change in the course of the pandemic, special announcements are being made on a day by day basis. Therefore, it is best to regard the ‘Mid May Opening of Tourism’ as provisional, to keep a careful daily watch on developments, and not to make any non-refundable holiday commitments until the situation is more clear.

  10. Jarde van Blanken Reply

    Does this mean travelling between regions is possible from May 10th? Earlier I have read that this will be possible starting May 15th.

    I will be flying to Athens on the 13rd of May, and hoping to travel directly north by car. So it would be great if the ban on regional travel would be lifted earlier.

    • Ashleigh Montgomery Reply

      The Greek Government is meeting every Friday to agree on and announce how and when future restrictions will be applied and relaxed, often on a local basis. In the event of a sudden change in the course of the pandemic, special announcements are being made on a day by day basis. Therefore, it is best to regard the ‘Mid May Opening of Tourism’ as provisional, to keep a careful daily watch on developments, and not to make any non-refundable holiday commitments until the situation is more clear.

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