Coronavirus -What travelers should know

1. Entrance into European Union / Schengen Area

A. The EU has suspended entry to citizens of non-EU/Schengen Area countries, until further notice.

·         As from 16 September 2020 and until further notice, following relevant EU decisions, third-country nationals, including USA citizens, are not allowed to enter EU/Schengen Area.

·        Greek nationals and EU/Schengen Area citizens may enter Greece at any time and with their valid Greek passport, regardless if there are travel restrictions in place or not.

·         All travelers to Greece are obliged to complete the Passenger Locator Form (PLF), at least 24 hours before entering the country: https://travel.gov.gr/#/

The QR code generated from the completed form must be presented upon arrival.

·        Third-country nationals, including USA citizens, are allowed to enter EU/Schengen Area ONLY if they are:

1. spouse/party to a civil partnership/minor child of EU or Schengen Area citizen or

2. permanent resident in a EU/Schengen Area country, including Greece or

3. members of diplomatic/consular missions or international/European organizations or

4. medical/nursing staff, researchers/professionals in the health sector on condition of their immediate inclusion in the Greek National Health System management

5. in extreme emergency (essential business or imperative family reasons)

6. in transit

·         In extreme emergency (essential business or imperative family reasons), the third-country national may apply to their district’s Greek consular authority for their extraordinary entry to Greece. The applicant should submit supporting documents.

The request will be reviewed by the relevant Greek consular authority, subject to the Greece’s requirements to ensure public health against Covid-19.

·         The temporary restriction includes any entry point to Greece and by any way or any means, including air, maritime, rail and road connections.

·         Air, sea, rail and land connection between Greece and Turkey has been suspended until 30 September 2020.

·         Air (except for Athens International Airport), sea, rail and land connection between Greece and Albania has been suspended until 30 September 2020.

·         Air (except for Athens International Airport), rail and land connection between Greece and North Macedonia has been suspended until 30 September 2020.

·         Air connection between Greece and Catalonia (Spain) has been suspended until 30 September 2020.

Check also European Union’s webpage on the safe re-opening of Europe https://reopen.europa.eu/en

Memo concerning additional preventive checks for travelers, permitted according to the above, to enter Greece and coming from the following specific countries:

Preventive checks in the entry points of the country via air-connections with Bulgaria, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, Belgium, Spain, Albania, North Macedonia and Hungary are extended till September 30. The entry into the country is allowed provided that they have undergone a laboratory check (PCR method) for CoVID-19 and will have to be negative to it. The test has to be done the last 72 hours before their arrival to Greece, in a reference laboratory of the country of origin or transit, or in a public or a private laboratory which has to be certified from the competent certification authority of the country. Similarly, they must have an attestation of the above diagnosis, in English, which will include their name and passport or ID number, a PLF form and QR code is also required.

Entry to Greece for permanent residents of Israel is also permitted under PCR test and PLF form as above. Entry to Greece for permanent residents of Russia from September 7 to September 21 is permitted under PCR test and PLF form as above.

From the scope of the travel restrictions are excluded citizens of the following countries:
Australia, Georgia, Canada, Japan, New Zeeland, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay and United Arab Emirates. Citizens of the above mentioned countries may be subject to sample laboratory checks. In order to prove their place of residence, citizens of these third countries may provide a residence permit, or a work permit, or their ID provided that it shows their place of residence, or a driving license or other documents.

B. Random testing upon arrival in Greece & 14-days quarantine if positive to the virus

·         All visitors from air, land or sea, will be subject to random tests upon arrival. Those selected for testing will have to self-quarantine until they get the result.

·         In the event of a positive result, the passenger will be contacted and placed on 14-day quarantine.

·         If you are not selected for testing, you are free to move to your final destination.

2. USA – travel restrictions on foreign nationals who have been in Schengen Area European countries, including Greece, during the 14 days prior to their scheduled travel to USA

The United States has suspended entry to nearly all foreign nationals who have been in China, Iran, Brazil, and the Schengen Area European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled travel to the U.S. These European countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The ban has also been extended to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

All citizens returning to the US may be subject to 14-days self-quarantine.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html

3. General travel recommendations

All travel restrictions are subject to change without notice and travelers must verify before buying tickets with the airline and the airport of departure.

Travelers should look for updated information in the country of departure and take into consideration the following instructions provided by national and international agencies:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports

https://eody.gov.gr/en/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-travellers/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html

4. Where to find more information

More information available here:

Greek Organization of Public Health https://eody.gov.gr/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-travellers/

Ministry of Health https://www.moh.gov.gr/articles/health/dieythynsh-dhmosias-ygieinhs/metadotika-kai-mh-metadotika-noshmata/c388-egkyklioi/6652-odhgies-prostasias-apo-anapneystikh-loimwksh-apo-to-neo-koronaio

The World Health Organization https://www.who.int/