Civil Aviation Authority: New NOTAM for passengers from abroad as of Mon. 7 February

The new NOTAM instructions providing the conditions of entry into Greece to limit the spread of COVID-19 disease, valid from tomorrow Monday 7 February until Monday 21 February 2022, were announced by the Civil Aviation Authority in the context of the new rules European Union on the validity of the European digital COVID certificate and the coordination for safe travel in the EU.

NOTAM provides that travelers do not need to show a negative test result upon their arrival in Greece. This new measure applies for all passengers coming from the Member States of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Agreement, as well as from the 33 non-EU countries that have joined the European Union Digital Covid Certificate (EUDCC).

International flight instructions provide the following:

Mandatory PLF completion for all passengers: All travelers to Greece, regardless of their nationality, should fill in the electronic PLF form (Passenger Locator Form), at the following electronic address https://travel.gov.gr, any time before the departure of their 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 a necessary travel document.

Travelers having a European Digital COVID Certificate are not obliged to show a negative test result upon their arrival

Entry of travelers from the Member States of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Agreement, as well as from the 33 non-EU countries that have acceded to the European Union Digital Covid Certificate (EUDCC), i.e. the following countries: San Marino, Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Vatican City, Northern Macedonia, Georgia, Switzerland, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Livano, Liva, Monaco, Norway, New Zealand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Panama, Cape Verde, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Tunisia, Faroe Islands and Chinese Taipei, is permitted by showing the European Digital COVID Certificate, which contains information about one of the following:

a) Vaccination certificate valid for 9 months after the completion of the basic vaccination and without time limit for travelers who have received the booster dose

b) Certificate of illness lasting up to 180 days

c) Certificate of negative result, which means that travelers should do a PCR within the last 72 hours or alternatively to have been diagnosed negative in a rapid test within 24 hours before their arrival in Greece.

All other travelers should enter Greece by showing a negative test result, regardless of vaccination.

All travelers to Greece, except EU countries and the Schengen Agreement, as well as the 33 non-EU countries that have acceded to the EU digital COVID certification system, including their spouses, or persons with whom they have entered into a cohabitation agreement, and their minor children, regardless of  vaccination, must have a negative PCR test, done within the last 72 hours, or alternatively must have been diagnosed negative in a rapid test within 24 hours before their arrival in Greece.

Checks on children from 5 years and over

The obligation of conditions to enter Greece applies for children from five (5) years and over.

Sampling of travelers and a five-day quarantine in case of a positive test: In addition, rapid or PCR tests will be carried out on all international passengers upon arrival, based on the procedure provided by the Passenger Locator Form. In case someone tests positive, he will be placed in a 5-day quarantine at home or in a suitable place of temporary residence indicated by the competent authorities.

After 5 days and if there are no symptoms, or the symptoms have improved, with fever having subsided without the use of antipyretics, the temporary restriction expires. If the fever persists after 5 days, the temporary restriction is extended until the fever completely subsides. These passengers are required to wear only high respiratory protection masks (FFP2 or N95) or, alternatively,  double mask (surgical and fabric) for at least another 5 days from the end of the restriction. All foreign passengers must faithfully follow the instructions of the health authorities of Greece.

The use of a mask is mandatory

At arrivals and departures within airports, as well as during air flights, staff and passengers are required to wear a protective masks. Passengers are also required to comply with the instructions of the permanent and temporary staff of airports or airlines, who are in charge of the duties of supervision, crowd management and assistance to passengers, in order to maintain the necessary distances, to avoid overcrowding and to ensure the best way to embarkate or disembarkate from the airplanes.

The control of the above documents is carried out by the employees of the airlines and by the police authorities. The airlines are obliged to check the traveler before boarding, in order to confirm that they have the necessary documents, and in case of violation, they have the obligation to repatriate the passenger at their own risk and expense.