Last Updated: 6/5/2021
Summer is approaching again leading many to ask: Can I travel to Greece again?
What are the travel requirements to enter Greece? Does one need to be vaccinated to travel to Greece? (Short answer no: only a negative PCR test is required).
In this article we will seek to provide the most up-date-information about the situation in Greece and developments regarding tourism and international travel to the country. As the situation is likely to remain fluid, we will be regularly updating this article with the latest developments.
Greece’s Tourism Minister has announced that Greece will be open to tourists this summer. The country is gradually opening its borders and lifting the requirement that visitors self-isolate, unless they test positive for Covid-19.
All travelers will, however, be required to provide a document proving that they have either:
- been vaccinated
- tested negative
The new procedure is currently being tested with travelers from the EU+Schengen, USA, UK, Israel, Serbia, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore and Russia. If all goes well, it will be applied to all travelers on May 14 (or possibly sooner, according to a statement by the Tourism Minister). More details regarding the new procedures and regulations will be added to this article as they are announced.
Below you will find the answers to frequently asked questions about if and how one might travel to Greece right now.
IS GREECE OPEN TO TOURISM RIGHT NOW?
Greece is opening its borders to tourists gradually. While only essential travel is permitted within the country, travelers from abroad are allowed to enter the country through 9 airports (Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Chania, Mykonos and Santorini), and transit flights within the country are allowed to reach your final destination.
Many of the lockdown restrictions have been lifted: along with many hotels, archeological sites and museums have reopened, as have stores, beaches and restaurants (though they must currently close at 00.30).
FROM WHICH EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IS AIR TRAVEL ALLOWED TO GREECE?
Travelers from EU+ countries can fly to Greece (the EU+ consists of the EU plus Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland).
All travelers flying to Greece are obliged to present either a vaccination certificate (14 days must have past since the last vaccination dose), or a negative Covid-19 test (performed up to 72 hours prior to entering the country) upon arrival. The certificate or test must bear the name and passport number of the traveler. Travelers will also be subject to sample rapid antigen testing.
Additionally, travelers will have to fill a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) – see below for details.
Passenger Locator Forms and more information are available here.
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CAN I TRAVEL FROM OUTSIDE OF THE EU (and EU +)?
The following regulations and restrictions are currently in effect:
Greece remains aligned with advice from the European Commission in determining if a non-EU+ country is considered at high risk of infection and at the moment is allowing nationals from the following 12 non-EU+ countries to enter without the requirement for isolation: USA, UK, Israel, Serbia, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore and Russia.
All travelers flying to Greece are obliged to present either: a negative Covid-19 test (performed up to 72 hours prior to entering the country), or a vaccination certificate (14 days must have past since the last vaccination dose). The certificate or test must bear the name and passport number of the traveler. Travelers will also be subject to sample rapid antigen testing.
Additionally, travelers will have to fill a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) – see below for details.
The number of permanent residents of Russia allowed into the country per week is currently 4000, and these travelers may enter the country by air only.
The HCAA notes that Greek repatriation programs are excluded from all aviation directives.
CAN I VISIT GREECE FROM THE USA?
Yes. Since mid-April, travelers from the USA are among those allowed to enter Greece with no requirement to self-isolate. See above (CAN I TRAVEL FROM OUTSIDE OF THE EU).
What is the EU+?
The EU+ consists of the EU plus Switzerland, Norway, Lichtenstein and Iceland.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO BEFORE TRAVELING TO GREECE? WHEN I ARRIVE WILL I NEED TO GO INTO QUARANTINE?
Upon arrival, international travelers flying to Greece will have to present either: a negative Covid-19 test performed up to 72 hours prior to entering the country, or a vaccination certificate proving he/she has been vaccinated with a vaccine from one of the following: Pfizer BioNtech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Oxford, Novavax, Johnson + Johnson/Janssen, Sinovac Biotech, Gamaleya (Sputnik), Cansino Biologics, or Sinopharm, no less than 14 days before arrival.
All international travelers arriving to Greece must also fill in a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) no later than 23:59 of the day before arrival. Upon submission of the PLF, travelers will receive an email confirmation.
On the day they are to travel (at 00.01), each passenger will receive a unique QR code on the basis of their submitted PLF which they will have to show (either on their mobile phone or printed) upon arrival to screening personnel.
Depending on the QR code, travelers will then be directed either to the exit, or to a screening area, where they will be tested for COVID-19. Those selected to be tested will still be free to move on immediately to their final destinations as declared in their PLF.
If the test result is positive, the visitor will be notified and quarantined under supervision for at least 10 days.
The Greek Government has recommended that all visitors download the Visit Greece app (GDPR compliant) for free, prior to their arrival in Greece, and notes that all travelers must comply with all of the necessary preventive hygiene measures (use of masks and physical distancing) according to local guidance.
IF I LAND IN ATHENS CAN I TRAVEL TO OTHER PARTS OF GREECE?
According to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, domestic flights can be boarded for essential travels only – including health, business, family reunification, or to return to one’s permanent residence.
However, a flight connection within the country is not considered domestic traveling: a transit flight counts as one trip.
For example, if your destination is a Greek island and you have booked a transit flight through Athens, you may proceed with your trip provided you clearly indicate your final destination on the PLF.
According to the General Secretariat for Civil Protection, passengers with a connecting flight in Greece must carry their PLF and negative Covid-19 test result or vaccination certificate until their final destination is reached.
For domestic travel not needed to reach the final destination stated on your PLF, please note that:
If you are traveling for health reasons, you must carry with you a written proof from your doctor.
If you are traveling to be reunited with a parent, you must write and carry with you a signed declaration clearly stating your name and your parental link with the family member.
If you are returning to your permanent residence you must carry official proof of that residence (such as the Greek E1 Income Tax Form).
If you are traveling for work, you must carry a signed document from your employer that justifies your travel or, if you are self-employed, a self-written document.
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WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROCEDURE WHEN I FLY TO GREECE?
Protocol for air arrivals
· Arrival at the entry gate.
· Transfer to the area where the screening personnel are located. Travelers are requested to show their QR code either on their mobile phone screen or in print. If travel departure begins prior to the day of arrival, travelers are allowed to board after showing the confirmation email (and not necessarily the QR code which is scheduled to arrive during their trip.)
· Depending on their QR code/confirmation, travelers are directed either to the screening area where they will be tested with a RAPID antigen test by a trained health team or to the exit (to baggage claim area or passport control).
· Travelers who test positive for SARS-Cov-2, and their escorts, are transported to a seclusion hotel where they will be tested again with a PCR test to confirm the initial diagnosis. If the positive result is confirmed, he/she will be required to stay in the hotel for at least 10 days, after which will undergo new tests again. All expenses for the accommodation during this time will be covered by the Greek state.
CAN I COME TO GREECE BY BOAT?
Yes. As of April 19, international arrivals by sea are allowed.
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CAN I COME TO GREECE BY CAR?
The only Greek land border crossings that are open to travel are Promachonas and Nymfaia, on the border with Bulgaria. The other crossings are closed except for Greek citizens, permanent residents of Greece, transport workers and travellers for essential professional reasons (read more about the special rules regarding these crossings here).
Οnly travelers who have been tested for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours before crossing the border (and who can supply their negative test results to authorities), or who can present a vaccination certificate will be permitted to cross the border.
Read more at travel.gov.gr
