The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces here that following today’s decision, the Council of Ministers has approved the changes to the amended Action Plan for the gradual resumption of flights to and from Larnaka and Pafos Airports.
In particular, taking into account the new parameters vis-à-vis the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EUDCC), which is expected to enter into force as of 1 July 2021, the Council of Ministers has approved the following, aimed at the smooth implementation of the European Regulation and the facilitation of movement and entry into the Republic of Cyprus of European citizens:
Persons holding a valid digital certificate (EUDCC) from the competent public authorities of the Member States of the EU, including the European Economic Area, will be allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus, provided that this is a:
- I) Vaccination certificate proving that the vaccination scheme has been completed with respect to the required number of doses and that the number of days, as determined by the Ministry of Health, has elapsed between the administration of the last dose (depending on the vaccine) and the date of travel. In addition, only vaccines licensed by the European Medicines Agency (EEA), as well as Sputnik V or Sinopharm (BBIBP COVID-19) vaccines, will be acceptable.
- II) Vaccination certificate making reference to the vaccination with one dose of an acceptable vaccine of two doses (approved by the European Medicines Agency or Sputnik V or Sinopharm) and additionally, stating that the person has recovered from COVID-19 disease.
It should be noted that Member States are expected to be granted, through the Regulation, a transitional period of six weeks from its entry into force, for those States which are not yet ready to issue digital certificates.
Consequently, holders of non-digital certificates from those States which will make use of the foreseen transitional period and will not have issued digital certificates from the 1st of July, will be allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus until the issuing of digital certificates by their States. It is understood that at the end of the transitional period, as regards the vaccination certificates from those States, entry into the Republic of Cyprus will only be allowed to holders of digital certificates.
III) Certificate of recovery after 14 days from the date of sampling of the RT-PCR positive result, with a validity of 180 days since the date of sampling.
In the case of recovery certificates, only European digital recovery certificates will be accepted by the public authorities of the Member States, including the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
- IV) PCR – RT laboratory test certificate, with sampling that has been carried out during the last 72 hours prior to the trip to the Republic of Cyprus, proving a negative PCR outcome for COVID-19.
It should be noted that through the current Flight Resumption Action Plan, PCR – RT laboratory test certificates have already been accepted, with sampling that has been carried out during the last 72 hours prior to the trip to the Republic of Cyprus. What changes with the entry into force of the European Regulation is that these certificates will be issued in digital form, ensuring their authenticity.
For holders of PCR laboratory test certificates, whether digital or not, the existing procedure related to the categorisation of countries (green, orange, red and grey categories) on the online platform CyprusFlightPass, will be followed.
It is noted that when deemed necessary, the Ministry of Health will be carrying out sample checks, and no passenger will be exempt from those checks.
Lastly, it is clarified that passengers travelling to Cyprus should upload their digital certificate on the online platform CyprusFlightPass.