From which countries do the vaccinated enter Cyprus – Which countries entered the Red Category (list)

The epidemiological risk assessment in relation to aviation was published by the Ministry of Health on Monday, July 19th.

According to it, the countries that change category are the following and the following amendments will take effect from July 22:

The following countries are classified by the Orange Category in the Green Category:
Canada
Serbia
Northern Macedonia

The following countries are classified from the Green Category to the Orange Category:
Liechtenstein
Denmark
France
Finland

Malta is classified from the Green Division to the Red Division.

The following countries are classified from the Orange Category to the Red Category:
Netherlands
Luxembourg
Andorra
South Korea

The announcement in detail:

Following a 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 re-evaluated the epidemiological picture of 19 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 Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). 

Regarding 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, 1/6) / 21 Kuwait and Canada as well as any additional countries included in the updated list of Recommendation of the European Council (EU) 2021/89, for the phasing out of temporary restrictions on unnecessary travel to the EU, are assessed epidemiologically by the Ministry Health and are classified into Green, Orange and Red.

The following categorization of countries, based on epidemiological risk assessment, is extremely dynamic and can change at any time as the pandemic evolves and 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: Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Czech Republic
• Small States: Monaco, Vatican City
• Members of the Schengen Area: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway
• Third Countries: Australia, Northern Macedonia, Jordan, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, Serbia, Singapore

It is noted that for passengers coming from Green Category countries, the presentation of a COVID- 19 laboratory test certificate is not required , nor is self-restraint .

Countries Orange Class (Orange) – Countries with low risk but probably more doubt than green Category

• Member States of the European Union: Belgium, France, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Finland
• Schengen Members: Liechtenstein
• Third Countries: Azerbaijan, United States of America, Japan, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia

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

It is also clarified that passengers from Orange Category countries falling into the following categories may undergo the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic :

1. Cypriot citizens and members of their families (their foreign spouses, and their minor children),
2. Legal persons residing in the Republic,
3. Persons entitled to enter the Republic in accordance with the Vienna Convention, and
4. Individuals regardless of nationality, where documented and following an announcement by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus, the Authorities of the country (Orange Category) residing, do not provide laboratory analysis service.

It is noted that the cost of the examination is covered by them and in addition these individuals will have to remain under house arrest until the result is issued .

Red Countries – Countries at higher risk compared to Green and Orange Countries

• Member States of the European Union: Spain, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal
• Small States: Andorra, San Marino
• Third Countries: Egypt, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina Georgia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Kuwait, Belarus, Montenegro, Moldova, Bahrain, Brunei, South Korea, South Korea,

Note that passengers coming from the Red Class countries requires: a) have conducted laboratory tests within 72 hours before departure and have a certificate proving negative test PCR for virus and b) to make laboratory test upon arrival in the Republic of Cyprus .

It is noted that the cost of the exams is covered by them and in addition these people will have to remain under house arrest until the result is issued .

The following categories may enter the Republic of Cyprus from countries of the Red Category having carried out, at their own expense, a laboratory test only upon arrival in the Republic of Cyprus:

1. Cypriot citizens and their family members (their foreign spouses and their minor children),
2. Legal persons residing in the Republic, and
3. Persons entitled to enter the Republic under the Vienna Convention.

In such a case, the persons referred to in points 1-3 above remain in a compulsory self-restraint regime for 72 hours after arrival and after 72 hours undergo a molecular examination (PCR) again, at their own expense. If the result of the re-examination is negative, they are released from self-restraint.

Gray Category Countries ( Special Permission ):

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

1. Cypriot citizens and their family members (their foreign spouses and their minor children),
2. European citizens, citizens of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Switzerland,
3. Legal persons residing in the Republic,
4. Persons entitled to enter the Republic in accordance with the Vienna Convention, and
5. Third-country nationals entitled to enter the Republic of Cyprus, after special permission from the Republic of Cyprus as determined by the Infection Control (Definition of Measures to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus COVID-19) Decree (No. 9) of 2021 , as in each case this is modified.

It is noted that passengers coming from the countries of this Category must have undergone a laboratory test by a recognized laboratory, with the sampling carried out during the last 72 hours before their trip to the Republic of Cyprus and have a certificate, proving negative PCR for COVID-19. With the exception of category 2, the rest of the people can, if they wish, carry out the laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus, paying the cost of the laboratory test themselves.

Passengers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus from Gray Category (Special Permission) remain in a state of compulsory self-restriction or mandatory quarantine (quarantine) of fourteen (14) days or alternatively in a regime of mandatory self-restriction or compulsory isolation (7) ) days if they undergo a molecular test again for COVID-19 disease (at their own expense) on day 7 and have a negative laboratory result.

It is noted that the above categorization of countries will be valid from July 22, 2021.

Conditions for vaccinated passengers:

The Ministry of Health clarifies the following that apply from 10 May for vaccinated passengers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus through the entrance gates:

Persons regardless of nationality , holding a valid vaccination certificate for COVID-19 disease and arriving in Cyprus from abroad, regardless of the country of departure, will be exempted for entry purposes from the obligation to perform laboratory tests , as well as the obligation to , provided that the following conditions are met:

1. Hold a valid vaccination certificate from the following countries:
   • the Member States of the European Union (including Cyprus),
   • the countries of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway),
   • Switzerland,
   • Israel,
   • the UK,
   • Russia,
   • the United Arab Emirates,
   • Saudi Arabia,
   • Ukraine,
   • Jordan,
   • Lebanon,
   • Egypt,
   • Belarus,
   • Serbia,
   • Qatar,
   • Bahrain,
   • the United States of America,
   • Armenia,
   • Georgia,
   • Canada,
   • Kuwait and
   • China

2. Vaccinated either with one of the approved vaccines of the European Medicines Agency (Pfizer / BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna , Janssen), either Sputnik V vaccine, or the vaccine Sinopharm (BBIBP COVID -19) or by 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 (single dose vaccine) 14 days should have elapsed between the vaccine dose and the travel date. More information is available at https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/vaccinated-passengers.

It is emphasized that all passengers, regardless of the category of countries , including those holding a valid vaccination certificate must submit an application to CyprusFlightPass within 48 hours before the departure of their flight. In addition, for the purposes of ensuring public health and surveillance of the epidemiological picture, the Ministry of Health may carry out sample laboratory COVID-19 molecular testing on passengers (including those holding a vaccination certificate) of selected pilots.