Filenews 4 January 2022
A regulation is in force as of today whereby passengers aged 12 and over arriving in the Republic of Cyprus are required to have carried out a PCR laboratory test 48 hours before their departure. The decision applies to all passengers regardless of vaccination history.
As announced by the Ministry of Health, the regulation also applies to passengers travelling on 4 January or later and have completed a CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours prior to 4 January 4th.
It is reminded that upon arrival all passengers regardless of their vaccination history, undergo a PCR laboratory test and the cost is borne by the passenger.
In addition, with the exception of those who have demonstrably received a booster dose of the vaccine, other passengers should undergo a rapid antigen detection test for COVID-19 upon 72 hours from their arrival.
The requirement for rapid test applies to passengers arriving in Cyprus from the following countries:
• Member States of the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Finland.
• Small states: Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City, San Marino.
• Schengen area members: Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.
• Third Countries: Australia, Egypt, Argentina, Armenia, Georgia, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Japan, Indonesia, Jordan, Israel, Canada, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Kuwait, Belarus, Lebanon, Bahrain, New Zealand, South Korea, Oman, Ukraine, Uruguay, Peru, Rwanda, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Chile.
Grey Country (Special Permission):
Countries not included in the above list are considered to be included in the Grey Category (Special Permission).
For grey category countries, entry into the Republic of Cyprus is allowed only to the following categories of passengers:
Cypriot citizens and members of their families (their foreign spouses and their minor children), European citizens, citizens of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland, legally residing in the Republic, persons entitled to enter the Republic in accordance with the Vienna Convention, persons of third-country nationality, entitled to enter the Republic, provided that they hold approval for a special permit to enter the Republic, which is granted upon application to the Committee, appointed by the Decision of the Council of Ministers, dated June 17, 2020,
All passengers (aged 12 years and over) travelling from grey countries, regardless of vaccination history, from January 4 at 23:00 are required to have performed a PCR laboratory test 48 hours before their departure as well as on arrival (the cost is borne by the passenger).
In addition, passengers arriving in the Republic of 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 have a negative laboratory result.
Moreover, the Ministry points out that taking into account the data that emerge regarding the new variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 that was initially detected in Botswana and sounded the alarm due to the large number of mutations it carries and for the preservation of public health, as of November 26, 2021:
i) In addition to the already applicable measures and without affecting them, all persons entering the Republic of Cyprus, by air, regardless of their initial country of departure and regardless of whether or not they hold an acceptable certificate of complete vaccination or an acceptable certificate of recovery from the COVID-19 disease or negative laboratory test upon their departure, as of 06 December 2021, (00:01 a.m.) until 10 January 2022, (23:59 pm) will undergo a PCR diagnostic test for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airports of 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 last 14 days prior to his arrival in the Republic, was either staying or has passed through the territory of the countries is prohibited:
• South Africa,
• Namibia,
• Lesotho,
• Kingdom of Eswatini,
• Zimbabwe,
• Mozambique,
• Malawi
• Botswana
For more information on the people who are exempt from the ban and the procedure they should follow please visit the link: https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/uploads/26112021_apagorefsieisodouneametallaxi_EL.pdf
All passengers, regardless of country category, including persons holding a valid vaccination certificate, must submit an application to CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours prior to 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.
CNA
