Resumption of flights and reopening of airports with additional security measures decided by the Council of Ministers

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announces that the Council of Ministers has today made the following changes regarding the Action Plan for the gradual resumption of flights and the reopening of airports, which will take effect on March 1, 2021. The changes are as follows:

1. For the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) including Switzerland, there is no amendment. That is, from March 1, 2021, the categorization of the countries of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will be followed, which will be classified in the categories green, orange or red.
2. For the month of March for third countries (United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus) as well as for the European Council list of third countries, the evaluation of these countries will is carried out by the Ministry of Health which will classify them in green, orange, red and gray. Those of the above countries classified in the gray category will need a special entry permit and in addition passengers will have to submit a PCR laboratory analysis within 72 hours before departure. In this category will apply self-isolation / quarantine measures which will be in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
3. From the 1st to the 31st of March 2021, the arrivals from any of the above countries, which is classified in the green category, will undergo a laboratory PCR test, the cost of which will be covered by the Republic of Cyprus.
4. It is noted that, for the month of March, all passengers, regardless of category, arriving in Cyprus will have undergone a PCR laboratory test.
5. From 1 April 2021, the evaluation and ranking of third countries will be done in the categories green, orange or red according to the criteria of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). As third countries, in addition to the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belarus, the following countries are added, as of 1 April 2021,: Serbia, Qatar, Bahrain United States of America, Armenia and Georgia.
6. Those countries that are not included in the above will be classified in the category Gray – special permission.
7. The Ministry of Health will announce on a weekly basis the categorization of countries.
8. In addition, the Council of Ministers decided to extend, until March 31, 2021, the 7-day stay measure in places that will be indicated by the Republic of Cyprus for those arriving from the United Kingdom, in accordance with the conditions that already apply.
9. It is reminded that the following applies to each category:

1. 1. Category Green. In this category, all passengers, upon arrival in Cyprus, from the 1st to the 31st of March 2021 will undergo a PCR laboratory analysis, the cost of which will be covered by the Republic of Cyprus. From April 1, 2021 there will be no restrictions, a practice that is still valid today.
   2. Category Orange, which will require the submission of a negative PCR laboratory analysis within 72 hours before departure, a practice that is still valid today.
   3. Category Red, which will require double laboratory analysis, ie negative PCR laboratory analysis within 72 hours before departure and another PCR laboratory analysis upon arrival in Cyprus. No self-isolation / quarantine measures apply in this category. It is noted that Cypriot citizens and legal residents of the Republic can choose to carry out a laboratory test only upon arrival in Cyprus. In this case they should remain in a mandatory self-isolation regime according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health, unless they provide additional laboratory analysis with a negative PCR within 72 hours before departure.
   4. Gray category – special permission. In this category the procedure for granting a special permit to enter the Republic for citizens of third countries will be followed (excluding from the grant of a special permit Cypriot citizens, legally resident in the Republic of Cyprus and European citizens). Arrivals in this category should remain in a mandatory self-isolation regime according to the relevant instructions of the Ministry of Health.
   5. Sampling laboratory tests will be performed in all categories in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

The original announcement in Greek can be found here.