The Ministry of Health of Greece has officially confirmed that the country will lift its entry restrictions for all incoming travellers.
The Ministry revealed through a press release that was issued earlier today that the Committee of Experts has recommended that Greece suspends the COVID Pass requirement from May 1, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
In line with the new recommendation made by the Committee, all travellers, regardless of their country of origin will soon be able to enter Greece without being required to present a valid vaccination, recovery, or test certificate.
In addition, everyone will also be exempt from the requirement to present one of the passes while in the country as Greece has decided to facilitate domestic COVID-19 measures too.
Confusion Caused as Some Media Reported That Entry Measures Would Not Be Dropped
Confusion has been created among travellers after the Greek National Tourism Organisation claimed that the country would not drop its entry rules from May, despite the Minister of Health saying that Greece would put an end to the current protective measures.
Earlier this month, on April 12, the Minister of Health of Greece, Thanos Plevris, said to a local Greek media that the country would proceed to suspend the current COVID-19 measures from May 1.
Such a statement made by the Minister of Health was interpreted by everyone, including international and local media, as a decision to lift all of the remaining restrictions.
Following the Minister’s declaration, it was reported that Greece would no longer require travellers to present COVID proof – a vaccination, recovery, or test certificate – upon their arrival.
However, confusion was sparked after the GNTO said that Greece will not lift its entry rules on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the Greek National Tourism Organisation has said for The Independent that there had not been any indication that the travel rules for entering Greece will change on May 1.
According to them, when the Minister of Health said that the measures would get suspended, he meant that Greece would only facilitate some of its domestic COVID-19 restrictions.
So far, all travellers have been required to present a vaccination or recovery certificate or a negative COVID-19 test result taken recently in order to be permitted entry to Greece.
Greece currently accepts only vaccination passes that prove that the holder has completed vaccination in the last nine months or has received a booster shot. On the other hand, recovery passes are recognised only if the document proves that the holder has recovered from the virus in the last six months.
As for tests, Greece accepts both PCR and rapid antigen tests. The PCR must be taken within 72 hours before arrival, and the rapid antigen test must be taken within 24 hours before arrival.
Previously, the country lifted the requirement to complete the Passenger Locator Form.
Most Domestic Restrictions to Be Removed
According to Greek media, starting from May 1, it will no longer be required to present a COVID Pass when accessing different public places and events. This means that travellers and citizens of Greece will now be able to access restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping centres, museums, and other large events without having to present a vaccination, recovery, or test certificate.
Moreover, it has been explained that the requirement to wear a face mask will also be dropped. The authorities explained that mask-wearing would no longer be mandatory from June 1. However, exceptions are yet to be clarified.
All the other measures, including those that apply to travellers, are expected to be reviewed in September.