Following the decision of the Council of Ministers, dated 18 February 2021, regarding the Action Plan for the gradual resumption of flights and the reopening of airports, the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health has reassessed the epidemiological picture of COVID-19 in different countries.
The classification for the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) including Switzerland in the Green, Orange or Red categories is based on that of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
As regards third countries (United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus, Belarus, Qatar, Serbia, United States of America, Armenia, Georgia, Bahrain, United Kingdom, United States of America), additionally from 1/6/21 Kuwait and Canada and from 15/10/2021 Oman as well as those additional countries included in the updated list of the European Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/89 on the phasing out of temporary restrictions on non-essential travel to the EU, these are epidemiologically assessed by the Ministry of Health and classified as Green, Orange and Red.
The categorisation of countries below, based on epidemiological risk assessment, is highly dynamic and can change at any time as the pandemic evolves and epidemiological data changes. To this end, new data will be released and the list of countries will be updated frequently.
Green countries - Low risk countries at this stage - Third countries: United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Please note that passengers from Green Tier countries are not required to present a COVID-19 laboratory test certificate, nor are they subject to self-limitation.
Orange countries - Countries with a potentially low risk but with a higher level of doubt compared to the Green category - Member States of the European Union: Greece, Romania - Third countries: Australia, Japan, Israel, Israel, Canada, Canada, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Rwanda
Note that all passengers from Orange category countries are required to have had a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure and have a certificate proving a negative PCR test for the virus.
Red countries - Countries at increased risk compared to Green and Orange countries - Member States of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands - Small states: Andorra, Monaco, Monaco, Vatican City, San Marino - Members of the Schengen area: Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein, Norway
- Third countries: Argentina, Armenia, Armenia, Egypt, Georgia, Belarus, Lebanon, Jordan, Jordan, Lebanon, South Korea, Oman, Ukraine, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Chile, United Kingdom, United States of America
Note that all passengers coming from Red Category countries are required: (a) have had a laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure and have a certificate proving a negative PCR test for the virus; and (b) have a laboratory test upon arrival in the Republic of Cyprus.
It should be noted that the cost of the tests is covered by the persons themselves and in addition these persons will have to remain under house arrest until the result is issued.
Grey Category (Special Permission) countries: countries not mentioned above in the Green, Orange and Red categories are considered to be included in the Grey Category (Special Permission). For countries in the Grey Category, only the following categories of passengers are allowed to enter the Republic of Cyprus:
Cypriot citizens and their family members (their foreign spouses and their minor children), European citizens, citizens of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland, Persons legally resident in the Republic, Persons entitled to enter the Republic in accordance with the Vienna Convention, and Persons who are nationals of third States, entitled to enter the Republic of Cyprus, upon special permission from the Republic of Cyprus as determined by the Infectious Diseases (Determination of Measures to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus COVID-19) Ordinance (No. 9) of 2021, as amended from time to time.
Passengers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus from Grey Category (Special Permission) countries shall remain under mandatory self-limitation or mandatory quarantine for fourteen (14) days or alternatively under mandatory self-limitation or mandatory quarantine for seven (7) days if they are re-submitted to a molecular test for COVID-.19 (at their own expense) on day 7 and have a negative laboratory result.
In addition for all categories (green, orange, red and grey) passengers who qualify for screening in Cyprus instead of in the country of departure are listed at the following link: https:/cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/el/passengers-eligible-for-a-test
Note that the above country categorisation will be effective from 23 December 2021.
Requirements for vaccinated/recovered passengers:
The requirements applicable to vaccinated persons or persons who have recovered from COVID-19 so that they can travel to the Republic of Cyprus from any country of departure, without being obliged to meet the requirements of the respective category, such as for example RT-PCR laboratory test or obligation for self-limitation/quarantine etc. or issuance of a special permit, for the purpose of entry into the Republic of Cyprus are described in the following link: https:/cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/el/vaccinated-passengers
Taking into account the emerging data regarding the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 that was initially identified in Botswana and raised an alarm due to the large number of mutations it carries and to safeguard public health, as of 26 November 2021, the Ministry of Health informs that:
i) In addition to and without prejudice to the measures already in place, all persons entering the Republic of Cyprus, by air, regardless of their original country of departure and regardless of whether or not they hold an acceptable certificate of completed vaccination or an acceptable certificate of recovery from COVID-19 or a negative laboratory test on departure ,from 06 December 2021, (00:01 a.m.p.m.) until 10 January 2022, (23:59 p.m.) shall undergo PCR diagnostic testing for COVID-19 upon arrival at airports in the Republic of Cyprus. The cost of the PCR diagnostic test for COVID-19 will be paid by the passenger.
ii) The arrival and/or entry into the Republic of any person who, during the 14 days preceding his/her arrival in the Republic, has either resided in or transited through the territory of the countries shall be prohibited: - South Africa, - Namibia, - Lesotho, - Kingdom of Eswatini, - Zimbabwe, - Mozambique, - Malawi, - Botswana For more information on the persons exempted from the prohibition and the procedure to be followed please visit: https:/www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/uploads/26112021_apagorefsieisodouneametallaxi_EL.pdf
It is stressed that all passengers, regardless of country category, including those holding a valid vaccination certificate, are required to apply to CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours prior to the departure of their flight. In addition, for the purposes of ensuring Public Health and monitoring the epidemiological picture, the Ministry of Health may carry out random COVID-19 laboratory molecular testing of passengers (including persons holding a vaccination certificate) on selected flights.
(AF)
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