Pre-travel testing will no longer be required for visitors to Greece, a popular European holiday destination. With its white buildings and azure blue waters, the Mediterranean destination is renowned for its beauty, and made the decision to remove the testing requirement in order to spur tourism to its islands, and appeal to a broader global audience ahead of its summer travel season.
With its easier entry requirements, Greece hopes to attract tourists who might have planned elsewhere on the continent but were put off by new restrictions, such as the requirement for booster shots and strict requirements for vaccination passports. The following provides an overview of what is changing in Greece, which travelers will be affected, and what the general entry requirements are for Greece.
Currently, all travelers over the age of five need to have a negative antibody test result within 24 hours of flying, or a positive PCR result no older than 72 hours before flying, in order to enter Greece. With regards to international travel, this requirement has become the norm, with many other countries around the world having similar laws in place. However, this may soon be changing in Greece.
Due to a recent announcement, many travelers from February 7th will no longer need a negative test result in order to enter the country, saving them time, money, and tons of unnecessary hassle. Greek tourism and health ministries announced on Friday that testing requirements would no longer apply to travelers – though it must be noted not all travelers will benefit from the change.
Vassilis Kikilias, the Greek tourism minister, said that the pre-arrival testing requirement would only be removed for those who had a valid digital EU vaccination certificate. These are available on the mainland in the form of the European Union Digital Covid Certificate (EUDCC), which can be obtained only by European residents or travelers from certain “third” countries.
As for the country’s upcoming changes, Minister Kikilias said that Greece was preparing this year to welcome summer visitors earlier than ever before as of March 1st, Greek tourism has been remarkably resilient in the past two years, sending out a strong message of security to travelers in our country, and it will do the same this year.
Although the US and Canada may not be benefitting from the removal of the testing requirement, they are listed among the countries whose citizens can visit Greece on holiday. In order to be allowed entry, travelers are required to have a PCR test result within 72 hours of the scheduled arrival or a negative Rapid Antigen test for Covid-19 within 24 hours of the scheduled arrival, irrespective of vaccination status. Passengers are also required to submit a Passenger Locator Form and may be subject to random testing upon arrival. During public transportation, travelers may need to wear two masks or an N95/FFP2 mask on public transport, while indoor and outdoor public spaces require masks to be worn.
