Cyprus is planning to abolish entry requirements like testing and quarantine for travellers who get vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to a government plan set to come into force in March 2021, vaccinated travellers will not need to meet other COVID-related entry rules as a part of the action plan for the resumption of flights to the country.
The plan was revealed to the Cyprus Mail by the Cyprus Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos.
“The amended action plan is expected to further boost the interest of airline companies to carry out additional flights to Cyprus, improve connectivity and increase passenger traffic,” the Cyprus Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said.
Country Categorisation
As regards country categorisation, category A will be replaced by the ‘Green Category’, for which there will be no restrictions.
Category B will be replaced by the ‘Orange Category’, which will require a negative PCR test certificate not older than 72 hours prior to departure, a practice that is applied today.
Category C will be replaced by the ‘Red Category’, which will require two negative PCR tests, one within 72 hours before departure and another upon arrival in Cyprus. No self-isolation measures apply in this category.
The action plan introduces a fourth category, the ‘Grey’ one or the ‘special permit category’. Passengers arriving from countries in this category will have to submit a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours before departure and must self-isolate upon arrival in accordance with the instructions of the health ministry.
These categories are in line with the guidelines of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The health ministry will categorise countries based on the weekly report/evaluation of the ECDC. In cases of countries not assessed by the ECDC, this evaluation will be done by the health ministry.
EU countries, European Economic Area countries including the United Kingdom and Switzerland, countries on the European Council’s list of third countries, and Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belarus will be classified in the Green, Orange and Red categories.
Other third countries not listed above will be classified in the Grey one and passengers from these destinations will require a special permit to enter Cyprus. Cypriot citizens, people legally residing in the Republic of Cyprus and European citizens arriving from Grey category countries do not need a special permit.
