Anyone arriving in Cyprus without having properly filled out the CyprusFlightPass will either have to pay a €300-fine or be sent back, authorities said on Monday.

The transport ministry said that though all passengers are obliged to fill out the form online, some people either fill the forms manually or don’t fill them out at all. It has also been observed that some airlines allow people onboard who have not filled out the online forms.

Therefore, the ministry said, from now on, all passengers arriving in Cyprus without having acquired the CyprusFlightPass online, or if they present one filled out by hand, will be given two choices: “Either pay a €300 fine or not be allowed entry to the Republic of Cyprus and return back to the country of their departure.”

The new arrangement applies from Monday 13 July.

The ministry also warned that anyone providing false information will be accused of perjury.

It referred to a recent case when a passenger, who later tested positive to coronavirus, arrived from a category A country despite their initial country of departure being in category C and did not present a flight pass. When he was asked at the airport to fill out the document, he gave the wrong information as regards his flight details. It was not until he presented symptoms and tested positive to coronavirus at a private lab that he admitted his original country of departure was in category C, the ministry said.

The passenger in question has been reported to the police and is being investigated for possible criminal offences.

The ministry also warned that passengers from category A countries who fail to present the CyprusFlightPass, will be treated as arrivals from category B countries and, in addition to the €300 fine, will be forced to undergo a Covid-19 test at the airport, for which they will be charged €60.

“Only in case of a technical problem or maintenance on the electronic platform, which will be officially announced on the platform, can one fill in the forms manually,” the transport ministry said.

It added that all passengers, regardless of their country of departure, including passengers who will undergo a Covid-19 laboratory test in Cyprus, are required to complete all the information, data and statements required electronically and to hold the CyprusFlightPass before boarding the aircraft and upon their arrival in Cyprus.

The ministry said that police officers and some officials at the airports have been authorised to issue the on-the-spot fines.

To properly fill out the online forms, passengers will need to create an account, add their personal information, flight details, state the reason for their trip, where they will be staying, contact details in case of emergency and make legal statements.

The online form can be found at: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/