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 the different countries with regard to COVID-19.
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).
With regard to third countries (United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus, Qatar, Serbia, United States of America, Armenia, Georgia, Bahrain), additionally from 1/6/21 Kuwait and Canada and from 15/10/2021 Oman as well as any 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 in the EU, these are epidemiologically assessed by the Department of Health and classified as Green, Orange and Red.
The categorisation of countries below, based on the epidemiological risk assessment, is highly dynamic and may change at any time as the pandemic evolves and epidemiological data change. 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: Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahrain, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia
Note that passengers from Green Category countries are not required to present a laboratory certificate COVID-19, but neither is self-limitation.
Orange Category countries (Orange) - Countries with potentially low risk but with higher doubt compared to the Green Category
- Member States of the European Union: Greece, Romania
- Third Countries: Australia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Israel, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Uruguay, Rwanda
Note that all passengers coming from Orange Class countries, are required to have had a laboratory test PCRwithin 72 hours prior to departure and have a certificate proving a negative test PCR for the virus.
Red countries - Countries at increased risk compared to Green and Orange countries
- Member States of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Spain
- Small States: Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City, San Marino
- Members of the Schengen Area: Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
- Third Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Armenia, Egypt, Georgia, Canada, Belarus, Lebanon, Jordan, Lebanon, South Korea, Oman, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Chile, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America
Please note that all passengers 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) undergo laboratory testing upon arrival in the Republic of Cyprus.
It is noted that the cost of the tests is covered by the persons themselves and in addition these persons should remain under house arrest until the result is issued.
Grey Category (Special PermissionSpecial):
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, entry into the Republic of Cyprus is only allowed to the following categories of passengers:
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 residing in the Republic,
Persons entitled to enter the Republic in accordance with the Vienna Convention, and
Persons who are nationals of third countries, entitled to enter the Republic of Cyprus, after obtaining special permission from the Republic of Cyprus as determined by the Infectious Diseases (Determination of Measures to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus COVID-19) Decree (No. 9) of 2021, as amended from time to time.
Passengers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus from Grey Category (Special Permission) countries remain under mandatory self-limitation or mandatory isolation (quarantine) fourteen (14) days
or alternatively in mandatory self-limitation or mandatory quarantine for seven (7) days
if they are re-submitted to a molecular test for COVID-19 (at own expense) on day 7and 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 in the link below:
https:/cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/el/passengers-eligible-for-a-test
Note that the above country categorisation will be effective from 30 December 2021.
Requirements for vaccinated/recovered passengers. or issuance of a special permit, for the purpose of entry into the Republic of Cyprus are described in the link below:
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 disease or a negative laboratory test upon 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 prior to his/her arrival in the Republic, has either resided in or transited through the territory of the countries is prohibited:
- South Africa,
- Namibia,
- Lesotho,
- Kingdom of Eswatini,
- Zimbabwe,
- Mozambique,
- Malawi
- Botswana
For more information on the persons exempted from the ban and the procedure to follow please visit the link: https:/www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/uploads/26112021_apagorefsieisodouneametallaxi_EL.pdf
It is stressed that all passengers, regardless of country category, including persons holding a valid vaccination certificate are required to submit an application to CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours prior to the departure of their flight
. In addition, for the purposes of safeguarding 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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