yanksrule

I am currently aware that most of Europe is not letting in American travelers on July 1st. I have been looking at information for Greece to see if they will let US tourist in. I previously read that if you get tested after July 1 you will have to have a 1 day quarantine. Is this still the case. I have been looking online for info. I dont know of anything has been updated. Im from NYC and have seen direct flight for future dates. If anyone has any info please let me know. Thanks.

progol

As of now, it appears that Greece will agree to the Euro Commission recommendations for which countries will be allowed to visit, and the US won’t be one of them. So don’t worry about quarantines right now - you’re not traveling there yet. The list will problem be reviewed BI- weekly, so if the US brings its numbers down or political machinations occur, it’s possible that this will change. But don’t make your plans yet.

Heimdall

The best place for US citizens to find information on travel to Greece during the pandemic is the US Embassy Athens website. It has a special Covid-19 page which the embassy promises to update when new information becomes available. An announcement by the Greek government is expected to be made on or about July 1st.
https://gr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

Note that much of what you are hearing at the moment is about travel to Greece from other EU/Schengen countries. Each country has sovereign control of its own borders, so could decide to go against EU decisions if it wishes.

Frankly, with the way Covid-19 infections are surging in some parts of the US, I wouldn't hold out hope for travel to Europe this summer or even for the remainder of 2020. I hope I am wrong.

andyklapper7171

If Greece is going to open to American tourists they need to do it quickly. We have reservations for the middle of July and we are going somewhere at that time so waiting another two weeks just in case they open their borders isn't going to work - we will have canceled our reservations (if the airline hasn't done it for us already) and figured out a different summer vacation plan.
The thing that upsets me the most about all of this is that I've been saying since the US closed down travel with Europe that Trump needed to lead the world and come up with a system where international travelers are given a reliable Covid-19 test before they board a plane for international travel. No more than 72 hours before the flight. That would significantly reduce the amount of international transmission. Of course Trump is an idiot with no interest in actually governing so that never happened.
Still, I'm hoping that Greece is desperate enough for American tourist dollars and Germany is too cheap to buy them off and Greece decides on a system like the one I outlined for American tourists - test before departure, heck test us again once we arrive, and let us in.

Andy

progol

Heimdall’s advice is the most appropriate to find out the official information, which has not yet been posted the decision on the US.

I’m sharing this article which suggests that Greece is likely to stick with the Euro Commission’s recommendations, but again, this isn’t an official statement:
https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/20...s-safe-july-1/

crazyh

Greece will more than likely ban all travel from the US to their country. With the dramatic increase of cases in the US it would be understandable why Greece would do that.

It's possible that Greece, a EU country could go against the EU ban but I doubt it. They have too much to loose by letting in people from a country that doesn't have a handle on the virus and it looks like it won't for the foreseeable future.

I am booked for a Sept. 30 flight and have until Aug. 31 to re-book or get a voucher for my flight so will hold out as long as possible before making a decision.

If I can't go due to the EU ban I will be disappointed but not surprised.

hetismij2

Greece has joined the rest of the EU+ in banning US residents. the situation will be reviewed every two weeks, but don't count on being able to travel anytime soon.

rialtogrl

the US Embassy link Heimdall kindly posted above says this information is not official as of a few hours ago. Do you have some official link you can share?

Heimdall

Here is a statement from the Council of the European Union issued today:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/p...ird-countries/

The point is: each country has sovereign control of its own borders, and could deviate from the EU, so Greece could let in travellers from the US if it wished. That would pose a danger for the open borders within Schengen, so Greece will probably go along with the EU.

The official source for US travellers is always the US Department of State and it’s embassies. That’s why I suggested the US Embassy Athens for information about travel to Greece. The website should be updated when it gets official word from the Greek government.

hetismij2

If Greece chooses to allow in US residents - and why would it when it won't allow in UK residents - then the borders with other Schengen/EU lands will be closed and other EU citizens will not be allowed to travel there. That does not make sense given the majority of tourists are EU citizens (plus Turks and Russians who are still banned).

rialtogrl

Thanks Heimdall. What you posted does not have anything about who is “banned.” Only who now will be allowed in. I will keep on eye on the embassy page. I may go to Greece in a couple of weeks (not flying from the US but US citizen) so I am watching things closely.

hetismij2

It will depend entirely on your country of residence rialtogirl, though you may have to prove you are not normally resident in the US or another "banned" state.
If your country of residence isn't on the permitted list you are not allowed in. It is reviewd fortnightly. WHilst Greece has not yet officially confirmed they will stick to the agreed list there are many reasons they are likely to.
The UK remains on their no-go list as does Sweden, neither of which have anything like the problems the US now has.

Heimdall

Some things have changed since this three week old thread was started. Direct flights to Greece from the UK resumed on July 15th, and it has been said that direct flights from Sweden will start again on July 22nd. US Army Europe has imposed a mandatory 14 day quarantine for troops arriving in Europe from the US.

Military personnel, considered essential workers, are exempt from the travel ban, but there are recent cases of Covid-19 in US personnel arriving in Korea and Japan. I think this is why many Europeans are nervous about travel from the US right now.