Greece Visa

As Greece is a member of the European Union, you will need a Schengen visa or a green passport before your trip to Greece.

If you have obtained a Schengen visa through Greece, you should be careful to ensure that entering the Schengen area through Greece, staying the longest in Greece, and having Greece as your last exit country do not negatively affect your subsequent visa applications for Greece.

How to Apply for a Greece Visa?

Citizens holding a red passport are subject to visa requirements for both entry into Greece and transit; unfortunately, since the pandemic, Greece has suspended visa applications at the border, and currently, there is no visa on arrival option. However, you can benefit from the visa on arrival option for short trips to the Greek Islands.

The Greece visa application can be made through the Greek Embassy in Ankara, the Consulate General in Istanbul and Izmir, and the Consulate in Edirne, via Kosmos Visa Services.

To apply for a Greece visa, you must first complete the visa application form (if applying as a family, separate forms must be filled out for each family member) that you can obtain online, sign it, and then create an appointment through the intermediary institution's website for your visa application. 

The documents you will declare during the application will vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. In any case, your documents must be prepared by the appointment date. The application can be made no more than 6 months and no less than 15 days before the travel date. 

Types of Visas That Can Be Used for Entry into Greece

There are many different types of visas that can be used for entry into Greece; you should determine the type of visa you will apply for based on your travel duration and purpose and prepare your documents accordingly. Depending on your travel duration and purpose, you can apply for a Greece Schengen (Type C) Visa or a National (Type D) Visa.

The Greece Schengen Visa (Type C Visa) is the type of visa that must be applied for short-term trips not exceeding 90 days; the following visas are included under this category as long as they do not exceed 90 days:

The maximum duration you can spend during your trip is determined by the visa issued; after your application, you should check the “number of entries” section on your visa after receiving your passport.

When Will the Greece Visa Application Be Concluded?

If there are no missing documents, Greece Schengen Visa applications are concluded within 15 days; the duration may vary depending on the volume of applications.

If you have read this far, thank you for your patience. You can receive a consultancy package from Easy Travel for your visa applications for your trip to Greece, and if you wish, you can send us an article and guide describing your travel experience to be shared on our Easy Travel Travel Stories page after your trip, allowing you to benefit from a discount on your next travel consultancy.

Required Documents for Greece Visa

• Application Form: Can be obtained online, the form must be filled out completely and signed.
• Valid Passport and Passport Copy: The passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the end of the requested visa duration; there must be at least 2 blank pages in the passport. You must have both the original passport and a copy with you during your application.
• If applicable, you should also have your old passport and visa copies with you. If your old passport and visa copies are lost or destroyed, you must write a petition regarding this.
• Visa Fee: The visa fee is paid in cash and in Euros at the time of your appointment.
• Photo: Biometric photo taken within the last 6 months for adults and within the last 3 months for children under 12 years old.
• Travel Health Insurance: You must have your insurance policy covering the duration of travel and all Schengen countries, with a coverage of 30,000 Euros, with you during the application; the insurance must have a QR code and the coverage unit must be in Euros; it must include provisions for burial and transportation expenses in case of death.
• ID Card and ID Card Copy: You must have your ID card with current information and a copy with you; if your ID does not match changes such as maiden name, your visa application may be delayed.
• Population Registration Sample and Residence Documents: Can be obtained with a QR code via e-government. (Select the ‘family registration’ option; if the residence address is in Ankara and the region, a ‘Historical Residence Document’ must be submitted.)
• Documents containing reservation information (hotel, flight, tour, etc.) related to the trip.

Documents Based on Means of Travel and Accommodation

• The originals of the tickets may be requested by the Greek Consulates.
• For trips made with a tour, dated reservation information with a list of names regarding hotel accommodations must be included.
• A payment receipt for the hotel may be requested.

Required Documents for Employees

• 4A Employment Notification (Can be obtained from e-government, must have a QR code; for those who entered before 2008, it must be wet-signed and stamped)
• SGK Registration and Service Statement (Can be obtained from e-government, must have a QR code)
• Salary Slip
• Salary Account (Must be obtained from the bank)
• A letter from the employer on company letterhead addressed to the Greek Consulates, stating the employee's name/surname, passport information/start date of employment and position, the duration of leave (indicating whether the leave is paid/unpaid), and the employer's contact information; the name and position of the signer, as well as the signature and stamp of the company owner, must also be included; if the employee resides in a different region for work purposes, this must be specified.

Required Documents for Farmers

• Farmer Registration Document (ÇKS)
• Agricultural Vehicle Registrations and Land Deeds (If rented, rental contract)
• A farmer certificate to be obtained from the relevant agricultural chamber must also be included.

Required Documents for Retirees

• Bank statements showing the retirement account and pension for the last 3 months, dated no more than 1 week before the appointment (must be obtained from the bank, must include the bank signature circular, and must be wet-signed and stamped).
• 4A/4B Retirement Monthly Information (Can be obtained from e-government, must have a QR code).

Required Documents for Students

• Sponsor (1st degree relatives: mother, father, siblings) documents.
• Financial situation information of the family member providing support (Documents must be arranged according to the employment status of the family member providing support; necessary documents related to occupational groups can be accessed from the intermediary institution's website; the procedure for obtaining bank account statements is the same as for other occupational groups)
• Assets of the family member providing support located in Turkey and Europe.
• A QR code higher education certificate to be obtained from e-government must also be included.

Required Documents for Children Under 12

• The same documents as the student group above must be included (Sponsor documents, financial situation documents of the family member providing support)
• A QR code student certificate (can be obtained from e-government) or a wet-signed and stamped student certificate from the school must also be included.

Required Documents for Housewives and Unemployed Individuals

The financial situation documents are the same as those for students and individuals under 18 (sponsor documents (if the sponsor is a spouse, marriage certificate, spouse's ID copy, and sponsorship petition), financial situation documents of the family member providing support)

Required Documents for Public Employees

• In addition to the documents of the employee group, an institution card must be included.
• A wet-signed and stamped or e-signed letter must be obtained from the official institution regarding the purpose of travel and the duration of leave (to specify whether it is paid/unpaid).

Required Documents for Freelancers

• Professional card.
• A wet-signed and stamped letter to be obtained from the relevant institution.
• Company Documents (Current tax plate, commercial registry newspaper, e-signed or original activity document from the last 6 months; all documents must include a signature circular).

Required Documents for Company Owners

• Documents showing assets and financial situation (the procedure for assets and bank account statements is the same as for other groups)
• Company Documents (Current tax plate, commercial registry newspaper, e-signed or original activity document from the last 6 months; all documents must include a signature circular).
• Company owners must also submit a wet-signed and stamped petition written on company letterhead stating the purpose of travel.
• The validity period of the documents you will declare when applying is a maximum of 5 business days from the appointment date.

Greece Visa Fee

The fees you need to pay for your visa application are as follows, and cash payment in Euros is accepted on your appointment day, i.e., during the application.

You can simplify your application process by benefiting from our Easy Travel Consultancy Packages for all your visa application processes; for detailed information about our packages, which include the visa application fee and intermediary service fee, please contact us through the contact form on our page.

You can make your appointment through the website of the intermediary institution that provides services in Turkish and English, but the province you will apply in and your residence address must be the same; if there is a discrepancy between the general documents mentioned below and the province you are applying in during the application, your application will be rejected. Kosmos Visa Services offers 3 different appointment options:

Standard Appointment

VIP Appointment: This is an appointment where you can complete your transactions at a single point on a day and time suitable for you; to book a VIP appointment, you must select the VIP Appointment option when making an online appointment or call the call center to make an appointment.

An additional fee of 90 € is charged for VIP appointments.

Mobile Appointment (Only for Istanbul): Your application process is initiated by taking your fingerprints and documents from your location without going to the Kosmos Visa Services office; your passport will be delivered by cargo after the application result. You need to make an appointment through the call center for Mobile Application.

An additional fee of 210 € is charged for Mobile Service.

Sources

• Visa Applications for Turkish Citizens Traveling to Greece – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
• Greece Visa Application Process – Kosmos Visa Services
• Invitation Letter - gov.gr