Athens, Greece » City Info » Visa Requirements

An arrangement regarding visa has to be made with a thorough consideration from the appropriate office before making a plan to visit Europe as changes concerning this aspect take place quite often.

The Schengen Area consists of 23 EU member states and four non-EU countries:

Additionally, there are many countries whose citizens are exempt from the visa requirement for travel to the Schengen Area. Please visit the official site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

When is the VISA not required?

• One does not need visa if they hold a permit to re-enter the United States or a refugee travel document issued by the USA.
• The holders of regular passports of the following countries also don’t require visa to stay in Greece for about three months. The countries are as under:

When is the VISA mandatory?

• When travelling to Greece on a tourist visa, you must have travel insurance that covers you in case of medical or other emergencies during your trip.
• Visa is required for members of mercantile marine vessels that hold valid regular Brazilian and Polish passports.
• If you are a holder of a diplomatic, official, unique, business (etc.) passport, contact the visa department at the consulate. One should also take care of the visa processing at least two weeks before leaving the US.

Where should one apply for a VISA?

• If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply at the embassy or consulate of that particular country.
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the embassy or the country’s consulate, which is your leading destination.
• If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a central destination, you should apply for a visa at the embassy or the consulate, which is your first point of entry.
• If you do not need a visa for the Schengen country, your destination or first point of entry, please note that you may require a visa for other Schengen countries you wish to visit. You should then apply at the embassy or the consulate of the first Schengen country, which requires you to have a visa.

The applicants have to appear in person for the interview and submit the application and the documentation needed at the consulate office of Greece.

Those who can not appear for the interview due to a serious reason (e.g. long-distance) must send either a letter or a fax to the consulate office explaining the reason/s and asking for an exemption. A consular employee will inform the applicants accordingly by phone.

Requirements:

• A complete and signed visa application form 
• A valid passport or Travel document 
• A valid Alien Resident Card or a visa to the US (except for B1/B2)
• Bank and credit card statements for the last three months
• The W-2 forms for the last two years
• Official itinerary with closed dates of travel (flight reservation) 
• Visas of countries you will visit after you exit Schengen State (if applicable) 
• Reference letter from employer stating position and monthly or annual salary. If you have your own company, you must submit a letter from the bank that you do business with stating that the company is in good standing.
• If a friend or family invites you, you have to submit a letter of invitation, an affidavit signed by the family member or friend who is inviting you and notarized by the appropriate authorities of the country in question concerning your lodging. If you are travelling on a business trip, you are required to submit business references.
• One recent passport size colour photo 

Applicable only to international students on F1 visas

• Valid I-20
• Letter of reference from the educational institution (school/college/university).

NOTE:

• Make sure that your passport will be valid for three months after you exit the Schengen states.
• Minor children cannot apply for their visas. Both parents (mother & father) must appear and sign the application before a consular employee.

Please note: The information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Please contact your nearest embassy for accurate, up-to-date information.