Greece to Lift Domestic Travel Ban in mid-May

Greece is expected to lift its ban on intra-regional travel (movement between regional units) on May 15, which is the date the country will officially open for tourism.

Non-essential movement between regions has been banned since Greece entered its second lockdown as part of government efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

With Easter approaching, residents in Greece were hoping to see the measure lifted so they could travel out of their region of permanent residence to the countryside/islands to celebrate the holiday.

However, the government maintained the ban to further limit the spread of Covid-19 throughout the country.

Residents are currently allowed to travel between regions only for essential reasons and by providing documentation proving that movement is necessary for one of the following reasons: returning to permanent residence, work, funeral, medical purposes, or child visitation rights. The rules can be found here.

In view of the upcoming Easter holiday on May 2, authorities have stepped up checks at airports and ports, and set up checkpoints along highways.

Photo source: @hellenicpolice

Meanwhile, following recent incidents that saw residents caught with false papers while traveling between regions, the government announced that all documentation presented to authorities conducting checks, from Wednesday until Saturday, will be cross-referenced with public databases on the spot in order to confirm the authenticity of the data presented.

Individuals caught presenting false papers or forged documents will be fined with 500 euros and turned back.

Moreover, during a Covid-19 media briefing on Wednesday, Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias announced that the government will scrap the use of SMS authorization for movement once the ban on intra-regional travel is lifted (May 15).

It is noted that foreign visitors in Greece must follow the same rules as the country’s residents.