South Cyprus New country category for travel – What’s changing

As of September 23, 2021, the following changes regarding the categorization of countries are implemented following an assessment of the epidemiological risk of countries regarding COVID-19.

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According to the South Cyprus ministry of health, the following countries are classified from the Green Category to the Orange Category:

• Slovakia
• Singapore

The following countries are classified from the Red Category to the Orange Category:

• Sweden
• Portugal
• Iceland

The following countries are classified from the Orange Category to the Red Category:

• Latvia
• Romania

A decision of the European Commission has recently amended the list of third countries from which non-essential travel to the EU is allowed, and Uruguay has been added. In the categorization of countries of Cyprus, Uruguay is classified in the Red Category.

Following a decision of the Council of Ministers, dated February 18, 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 proceeded to a reassessment of the epidemiological picture of the various countries regarding the COVID-19 disease.

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The classification for the countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) including Switzerland in the Categories Green, Orange or Red,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, Qatar, Serbia, United States of America, Armenia, Georgia, Bahrain), in addition to 1 June 2021 Kuwait and Canada as well as all additional countries included in the updated list of the European Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/89, on the gradual abolition of temporary restrictions on non-essentials a trip to the EU, these are epidemiologically evaluated by the Ministry of Health and classified into Green, Orange and Red.

The following categorization of countries, based on the epidemiological risk assessment, is extremely dynamic and can be differentiated at any time,as the pandemic evolves and the epidemiological data change. To this end, new data will be announced and the list of countries will be updated frequently.

Green Countries – Low-risk countries at this stage

• Member States of the European Union: Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic
• Third Countries: Australia, Jordan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia,

It is noted that passengers coming from green category countries do not require the presentation of a covid-19 laboratory testing certificate, nor self-determination.

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Orange Countries – Countries with a possible low risk but with more doubt compared to the Green Category

• Member States of the European Union: Denmark, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland
• Small states: Andorra, Vatican City
• Schengen area members: Iceland
• Third Countries: United Arab Emirates, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong, Macau), Kuwait, Bahrain, Singapore

It is noted that all passengers coming from the countries of the Orange category, are required to have carried out a laboratory PCR test within 72 hours before their departure and to have a certificate proving a negative PCR test for the virus.

At the same time, it is clarified that Cypriot citizens, their foreign spouses and their minor children, as well as passengers legally residing in South Cyprus from orange category countries, provided that they meet one of the following conditions, may carry out the molecular examination upon their arrival in South Cyprus:

1. They are passengers who have carried out at least the 1st dose of vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
2. They are passengers from 16 to 18 years of age who have carried out at least the 1st dose of the vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
3. They are underage passengers 12 to 15 years of age, or
4. They are passengers who for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated, upon presentation of a relevant certificate from the Ministry of Health of South Cyprus.

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It is noted that the cost of the examination is covered by them and in addition these people should remain under house arrest until the result is issued.

Red Countries – Countries at increased risk compared to green and orange countries

• Member States of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia,
• Small states: Monaco, San Marino
• Schengen area members: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway
• Third Countries: Egypt, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, United States of America, United Kingdom, Japan, Israel, Canada, Belarus, Lebanon, Moldova, South Korea, Ukraine, Uruguay, Russia, Serbia

It is noted that all passengers coming from the countries of the Red Category are required: a) to have carried out a laboratory test within 72 hours prior to their departure and to have a certificate proving a negative PCR test for the virus and b) to carry out a laboratory test upon their arrival in South Cyprus.

It is noted that the cost of the examinations is covered by them and in addition these people should remain under house arrest until the result is issued.

At the same time, it is clarified that Cypriot citizens, their foreign spouses and their minor children, as well as passengers legally residing in South Cyprus from Red Category countries, provided that they meet one of the following conditions falling under the following categories, may carry out the molecular examination upon their arrival in South Cyprus:

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1. They are passengers who have carried out at least the 1st dose of vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
2. They are passengers from 16 to 18 years of age who have carried out at least the 1st dose of the vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
3. They are underage passengers 12 to 15 years of age, or
4. They are passengers who for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated, upon presentation of a relevant certificate from the Ministry of Health of South Cyprus.

In such a case, the persons referred to in points 1-4 above remain in a regime of mandatory self-isolation for 72 hours after their arrival and after the end of the 72 hours they are re-subjected to a molecular examination (PCR), at their own expense. If the result of the repeat examination is negative, they are released from self-isolation.

Grey Category Countries (Special Permission):

Countries not mentioned above in the categories Green, Orange and Red are considered to be included in the Grey Category (Special Permission). For grey category countries, entry into South Cyprus is allowed only to the following categories of passengers:

1. Cypriot citizens and members of their families (their foreign spouses and their minor children),
2. European citizens, citizens of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland,
3. Persons legally residing in South Cyprus,
4. Persons entitled to enter South Cyprus in accordance with the Vienna Convention, and
5. Persons of third-country nationality who are entitled to enter South Cyprus, after a special permit from South Cyprus as determined by the Infectious Diseases (Determination of Measures to Prevent the Spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus) Decree (No. 9) of 2021, as amended from time to time.

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It is noted that passengers coming from the countries of this Category must have carried out a laboratory test by a recognized laboratory, with sampling having been carried out during the last 72 hours prior to their trip to South Cyprus and have a certificate proving a negative PCR for COVID-19.

At the same time, it is clarified that Cypriot citizens, their foreign spouses and their minor children, as well as passengers legally residing in South Cyprus from Red Category countries, provided that they meet one of the following conditions falling under the following categories, may carry out the molecular examination upon their arrival in South Cyprus:

1. They are passengers who have carried out at least the 1st dose of vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
2. They are passengers from 16 to 18 years of age who have carried out at least the 1st dose of the vaccines accepted by South Cyprus, or
3. They are underage passengers 12 to 15 years of age, or
4. They are passengers who for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated, upon presentation of a relevant certificate from the Ministry of Health of South Cyprus.

Passengers arriving in South Cyprus from countries of the Grey Category (Special Permission) remain in a regime of mandatory self-isolation or mandatory isolation (quarantine) of fourteen (14) days or alternatively in a regime of mandatory self-isolation or mandatory isolation (quarantine) of seven (7) days if they undergo again a molecular test for the COVID-19 disease (at their own expense) on the 7th day and with have a negative laboratory effect.

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It is noted that the above categorization of countries will be valid from September 23, 2021.

Conditions for vaccinated passengers:

The Ministry of Health clarifies the following, which apply from May 10th for vaccinated passengers arriving in South Cyprus from the entrance gates:

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Persons regardless of nationality, who hold a valid vaccination certificate for the COVID-19 disease and arrive in South Cyprus from abroad, regardless of the country of departure, will be exempted, for entry purposes, from the obligation to conduct laboratory tests,as well as the obligation for self-isolation/quarantine,provided that the following conditions are met:

They hold a valid vaccination certificate from the following states:

the Member States of the European Union (including Cyprus);

1. the States of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway),
2. Switzerland,
3. Israel,
4. the United Kingdom,
5. Russia,
6. the United Arab Emirates,
7. Saudi Arabia,
8. Ukraine,
9. Jordan,
10. Lebanon,
11. Egypt,
12. Belarus,
13. Serbia,
14. Qatar,
15. Bahrain,
16. the United States of America,
17. Armenia,
18. Georgia,
19. Canada,
20. Kuwait and
21. China

They have been vaccinated either with one of the approved vaccines of the European Medicines Agency (Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Janssen),or with the vaccine Sputnik V, or with the vaccine Sinopharm (BBIBP COVID-19) or with Sinovac and have completed the vaccination regimen. It is noted that in the case of two-dose vaccines the person should have been vaccinated with both doses, while in the case of the Janssen vaccine (one-dose vaccine) 14 days should have elapsed between the administration of the vaccine dose and the travel date. More information is available at the https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/vaccinated-passengers link.

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It is emphasized that all passengers, regardless of country category,including people holding a valid vaccination certificate, must submit an application to the CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours before the departure of their flight. In addition, for the purpose of ensuring Public Health and monitoring the epidemiological picture, the Ministry of Health may carry out random laboratory molecular testing of COVID-19 on passengers (including persons holding a vaccination certificate) on selected flights.