Traveling to Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic

Traveling to Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the summer vacation season underway a lot of people are asking themselves, will I be able to travel to Greece, and if yes, what, if any paperwork do I need beforehand and how safe is it?

Since Greece was one of the countries that took timely measures to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, it is now considered one of the safest places in Europe for travelers. Still, there are some measures in place that you have to follow while visiting the Hellenic Republic.

After arriving to Greece, guests are permitted to move freely around the country. However a scope of measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 have been adopted, for example, forbidding large gatherings of people, requiring the use of face coverings in specific places, etc.

From which EU country am I allowed to travel to Greece?

Travelers from all EU nations can come to Greece as of June 15.

However, travelers from nations that are affected by Covid-19 more, will be subject to stricter screening methods (which means they are likely to be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival). The Greek government is following EU rules so as to figure out which nations are considered at high risk with respect to the spread of COVID-19.

Besides EU states, travelers from other European countries like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland are free to visit Greece. As well as United Kingdom, which is in the Brexit period and is being treated as a EU member country until the end of the year.

Traveling to Greece from outside the European Union.

As of July 1^st Greece has been open for travel to non-EU counties with a low spread of Covid-19. As of August 17^th these countries are – Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, and United Arab Emirates.

What about United States?

For now it remains to be determined if visitors from US will be allowed into Greece.

The procedure

All international travelers arriving to Greece must fill the PFL (Passenger Locator Form) at least 24 hours before entering the country. After submitting the PFL, the traveler will receive a confirmation email with a unique QR code that they will have to present to the screening staff upon their arrival.

If the traveler is chosen to undergo a Covid-19 test, he/she will have to consider social distancing for 24 hours, until they get the test result.

If the test comes back negative, they can proceed with their vacation. Only travelers who test positive will be informed. On the off chance that the test outcome is positive, the guest will be informed and isolated in quarantine for 14 days. The Greek state will cover all the expenses related to hospitalization of visitors suffering from Covid-19 symptoms.

What safety measures are to be considered while on holiday in Greece?

Most public places are providing hand sanitizer. The use of face coverings is required in all indoor public places, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, as well as taxis, ferries, both inside and outside decks, public transport, including airplanes throughout the journey.