ETIAS Visa Waiver for Greece
In this article
Greece is part of the Schengen zone, where visitors need the ETIAS (European Travel
Information and Authorisation System) visa for unrestricted movement. Since Greece became a
member of the European Union and Schengen Area in 2000, it poses some entry restrictions
for security reasons. Before entering Greece, you need a visa, either settlement or tourism.
However, this does not equate to the permanent visa document, as ETIAS only fosters the
record of visitors entering the Schengen zone. You may also need to confirm your eligibility
status before travelling into the country. This is because of the existence of specific
requirements for visiting guests. What other things do you need to know?
Greece Visa and Entry Requirements
A Greece visa dictates the duration of a visitor; it also explains the permitted activities.
For instance, the visa may permit a user to bring in family members or not. You need to carry
out the procedure below to obtain a Greece visa.
Visit our website and get the
ETIAS online application form. You can either fill out the form online, then print the hard copy, or print it out and fill
it manually. After filling out the form, book a visa appointment from the same website. You
will be given a particular date to be interviewed at the embassy. However, the embassy must
accept applications on behalf of Greece. If it doesn't, you may need to visit a neighboring
country to your place of residence. During the interview with the visa officer, you will be
asked questions about your purpose of visiting and inquiries related to the documents you
submit. The officer will require you to submit biometrics, which is your facial image and
fingerprints (provided you have not visited Schengen Area for the past five years).
You will be required to pay the Greece visa fee after documenting your applications
at the embassy. The mode of payment depends on the embassy's preference. It could either
be via bank, online or as cash. The amount also varies with the length of staying and
the purpose of visiting. The embassy will notify you once your visa application is successful,
and you can get it.
Who Needs a Schengen Visa to Enter Greece?
A Greece Schengen visa permits visitors to stay in the country for a more extended
period than the ETIAS visa. There are about 108 countries that need a Schengen visa
before entering Greece. These countries do not belong to the EU members, and neither
are they in any
ETIAS Schengen regions. Some of these countries are; Lebanon, India, Congo, Nigeria, Egypt, Syria, Sudan,
Iran, Ghana, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Rwanda, and many others. Some of these countries
require an airport transit Schengen visa to change airplanes. Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Congo, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Eritrea.
However, there are exceptions to citizens of these countries that fall into any of the
categories below.
- A close family or relative of a European Union (EU) citizen.
- An individual with a diplomatic passport.
- An individual with a valid residency permit from any of the Schengen Areas.
- Individuals with residency permits from countries like the USA, Japan, San Marino, Canada, and Andorra.
What Documents Are Required when Applying for a Greece Schengen Visa?
There are restrictions for non-European countries that want to visit any Schengen
Area unless you have a visa. Understand that every form of Greece visa must contain
the duration or visiting period. After understanding this, you can proceed to prepare
your requirements. The entry requirements for a Greece visa involves some necessary documents.
Once you have the records, proceed to the application website. Meanwhile, the three main
factors that will determine the success of your application are your duration,
purpose of visit, and nationality. Although the document requirements vary based on
visiting, here is a general step to Greece visa and entry
ETIAS requirements.
- Attach two passports to your application form, which must be clear and good enough to prove your authenticity.
- You need to present your international passport with a minimum of two blank pages.
- Submission of a cover letter that explains the purpose of your visit.
- Confirmation of a minimum of €30,000 travel medical insurance.
- Your civil status. For example, marriage certificates, children’s certificates, birth certificates, etc.
- A proof containing your accommodation reservation and financial means. The country needs to be aware of how you intend to sustain your basic needs upon visiting.
Travelling to Greece
You need to apply for a visa if you travel from outside the Schengen area. It is also
best when you apply three months before your visit. However, there are changes to the
entry requirements in response to the Covid-19 measures. This requires you to expose
yourself to updated travel information.
If you are travelling to Greece during this period, you must present a certified
Covid-19 free result or certificate. If otherwise, you may be requested to quarantine
before entering the country. Individuals above five years of age also need to present
a negative PCR result, which test did not take more than 72 hours of arrival. All
the test results will be requested to be written in English for accessible communication.
Europe's Travel Authorization for Greece
The Europe Travel Authorization implements the ETIAS visa for short visitation purposes,
often for no more than 90 days. This certification is similar to the Electronic System
for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and employed in the United States. For countries that
do not need a visa to enter Greece, the ETIAS visa will record the number of visitors
and allow for tourism, medical, or business purposes. Moreover, Greece has updated its
entry restrictions, such that about 63 non-EU countries who are verified or have the EU
certificate can now pay a visit. Morocco, Norway, Georgia, El Salvador, Switzerland,
Isreal, Ukraine, Turkey, etc.
In conclusion, applying for ETIAS is relatively easy, as you will get a response within
a few minutes of submitting applications online. The visa is valid for three years, and
you can enter the country freely, with the permissible reasons. It could be for
medical treatment, transit, business, tourism, or family visits. You only need to ensure
you have your ETIAS visa to present at the border while travelling.
ETIAS.org is a privately owned website and it’s not operated by the government.
ETIAS.com is an informational site for ETIAS. The site contains paid links from our partners.
