Greece Visa for Indians: Types, Eligibility Criteria, & Application Process

Greece is a beautiful nation with numerous islands and vast coastlines, thus making it a dream destination for many. However, you cannot just travel to this country. For this purpose, you will require a Greece visa. It enables the holder to stay in Greece for a specified period, carry out activities and engage. If you are planning a trip to Greece after 2022, it is mandatory for you to purchase a travel insurance policy to do so.

Get more information on types of Greece visas for Indians, eligibility, and others below!

Long-Term Stay Visa

If you plan to stay in Greece for more than three months, you must apply for a long-term stay visa.

Schengen Short-Term Stay Visa

If the intention is not to stay more than 90 days, candidates can apply for a Schengen short-term stay visa. However, they have many classifications under it like the followings:

• Uniform Schengen Visas (USV): Uniform Schengen Visa is a permit applicable for one single Schengen Area Member Country to reside or transit in the country a candidate wants. You can use it for two purposes, and according to it, you may choose between Category A or Category C:
  • Category A – Here, A stands for Airport Transit Visa allowing citizens to stay in the international zone of the Schengen country airport.
  • Category C – C is a short-term visa allowing Indian citizens to reside in the Schengen area for a definite period. Candidates can obtain it through a single entry, double entry, or multiple entries depending on the purpose of travel.
• Limited Territorial Validity Visas (LTV): LTV visa allows a candidate to travel to the particular Schengen country who has issued the visa or other Schengen countries whose name has been specified in the visa application form.
• National Visas: A national visa falling into the ‘D’ category applies to individuals travelling to Greece for working, studying and permanent residency purposes. This national visa can be for a single entry, perfect for candidates who want to reside in the Schengen country for a limited time. In contrast, it can be of multiple entries applicable for individuals required to travel in and out of the Schengen country without any restrictions. So, its types can vary depending on the days you intend to stay in this Schengen country. However, while filling out the application form, you may also require to state the purpose of your stay. So, your visa type can also differ according to the purpose of your travel. Know about the types below.

• Transit Visa: It is common for seafarers to stop at every port and spend a short period until they can board a transport to another country. If this is the purpose of travelling to the Schengen country, candidates can apply for a transit visa.
• Airport Transit Visa: This is similar to a transit visa. Candidates will require an airport transit visa to access the international zone of the Schengen country airport to wait until they can board a flight to another country outside it.
• Tourist Visa: One of the most common purposes of travelling to this Schengen country is to sightsee and experience the architecture, culture, food and others. However, for this purpose, getting a tourist visa is suitable.
• Business Visa: Candidates can apply for a business visa if they frequently travel to the Schengen countries for business purposes. One of the advantages of filing for this visa type is getting a quicker appointment. This applies even during the peak season when more people send an application request.
• Official Visit Visa: If you are travelling to the Schengen country on an official business, you must select the ‘Official Visit’ option while filling out your application. Apart from this, this visa type also serves the purpose when you travel with a large delegation for official purposes and with exact travel dates.
• Visiting Family or Friends Visa: If you are visiting the Schengen country to meet a family or friend residing there legally, get a visiting family or friend visa. However, there are special requirements attached to this visa. Like candidates must provide a letter of invitation while filling out their application.
• Study Visa: Students who wish to complete an institutional course, language course or other in a university of the Schengen country must get a study visa. However, the intended period of stay should not exceed three months. Furthermore, if you are required to take an entrance exam in a school or university in the Schengen area, you also must apply for a study visa.
• Medical Visa: If the reason to visit the Schengen country is to seek medical help, you will need to tick the ‘medical reason’ option while submitting your visa application. As a result, you will get a buffer time to seek medical help in any of the medical clinics or hospitals of the Schengen country for three months within 180 days.
• Culture, Sport or Film Crew Visa: This type of visa is specially made for people living outside the Schengen country but requires frequent travel to Europe to attend sports, culture or film crews. However, to qualify for this visa type, candidates must be a performer at the concert. In contrast, you can be a writer of their book at a fair but not the audience.

There are specific eligibility criteria Indians need to fulfill to qualify for a Greece visa application process. Find details below:

• You must have a passport valid for at least six months.
• You must be residing in your home country with a stable job here.
• You should have sufficient fund to support your stay in Greece.
• You should have an intention to return to your home country after the stay in Greece.
• You should not hold any criminal records.
• You should be able to produce all the documents related to your visit, including travel itinerary, flight details, and plans of visiting other Schengen destinations.

• You must have travel insurance with minimum coverage of USD 32,627.49 (EUR 30217.95). 

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When researching a Greece visa, one of the most important things to know about is the documents required for application. They are:

• Fully completed and signed application form
• A valid passport
• Two recently taken passport-sized photos
• Proof of the travel insurance policy
• Proof of accommodation
• Round trip itinerary or reservation
• Proof of financial means
• Evidence of the payment of application fees

Along with these general document requirements, there are other specific Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens to fulfil. It has been categorised based on the candidate’s employment status and visa type.

Employees

• Bank account statement for the last six months
• Employment contract
• ITR form or certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source
• Leave approval letter by employer

Students

• No-objection letter issued by the university or school
• Proof of enrolment

Self-Employed

• ITR
• A copy of the business licence
• Company bank statement for the last six months

Retirees

• Pension account statement for the last six months

Unemployed or Married to an EU Citizen

• Spouse’s valid passport
• Confirmed employment letter of not older than three months
• Official marriage certificate

Documents Required for Minors

• Family court order
• Application form with the signature of both parents
• Minor’s birth certificate
• A notarised authorisation by parents allowing travel of the minor
• Certified copies of ID or passport of parents

Airport Transit Visa

• Flight ticket to the final country
• A valid visa for the final country

Family or Friend Visa

• Travel itinerary
• Affidavit of support
• Means of Subsistence
• Invitation letter

Business Visa

• Cover letter explaining the purpose of your travel
• Invitation letter from a partner company in the Schengen country

Medical Visa

• Treatment or appointment confirmation by the medical institute in the Schengen country
• Letter from a doctor stating the medical problem

Study Visa

• Letter of acceptance for a university or institute of the Schengen country
• Two application forms instead of one
• Proof of finance

Culture, Sport or Film Crew Visa

• Proof of previous performance
• Invitation letter/ entry ticket/ enrolment letter or other event information

When applying for a Greece visa for Indians, you will need to pay a processing fee of USD 87.05 (EUR 80.62) if you are an adult. USD 43.53 (EUR 40.32) for children between 6-12 years of age and kids below 6 years are exempted from the processing fees. Additionally, you have to pay an additional fee as service charges are applied by the VFS centre carrying out the process.

 Remember, after making your payment, you will get an acknowledgement receipt which you must keep safe for future use.

Disclaimer: The visa fees are subject to change, based on new immigration rules, the country in which you apply, the local currency and currency exchange rates.

The following is the step-by-step guide on online application for a Greece visa for Indians. Refer to it to avoid any mistakes:

Step 1: Register yourself by logging into the official website of Greece Government.

Step 2: This site will ask you to select a preferred Visa Application Centre depending on your residential address.

Step 3: Next, you will find an application form requiring simple personal, touring and passport information.

Step 4: Fill in the required columns correctly and answer all security-related questions before submitting.

Step 5: Make your application payment and save the acknowledgement receipt.

Step 6: Upload all the documents this site requires after scanning.

Step 7: Now click the ‘send’ option on your screen to upload.

After filling up your application form, you must physically carry out the submission process. Unfortunately, this site does not even allow postal applications. Thus, print it and schedule an appointment at the nearest visa centre through the site itself. There you can carry out the rest of the procedure.

To carry offline procedure to apply for a Greece visa from India, follow the below procedure:

Step 1: First, you must choose the visa type you need.

Step 2: Now figure out the place from where you want to apply, like an embassy, consulate, visa centre, etc. 

Step 3: Book an appointment by signing in to the site or visiting the place in person. 

Step 4: For filling out the form, you may need to download it from the official site online.

Step 5: Complete your application by filling out the columns using a pen and supporting it with the required documents.

Step 6: Show up on the appointment date and attend your interview.

Step 7: Pay the visa fee and wait for your application approval.

It is mandatory to purchase a travel insurance policy whenever you are travelling to international destinations from India. In particular, after the COVID 19 crisis, it is considered an essential requirement to avoid hassles of healthcare assistance in a foriegn country. Here are the reasons for which you should get such an insurance policy.

• Travel assistance: There are often common hassles while travelling, such as long waiting hours or cancellation of flights. Such issues can be annoying and often cause losses if you are running short on time. The travel insurance provider will provide financial assistance and reimburse the amount for cancelled flights.
• Medical assistance: Falling sick or meeting with accidents can be a serious liability when you are in an unknown destination. Your travel insurer will provide financial assistance to deal with physical or property damages in such cases, making your stay much easier.
• Luggage assistance: You might end up losing your luggage or important belongings, like passport and ID cards. It is difficult to deal with such issues in a foreing country. Having travel insurance will help you receive financial compensation in case of such losses.

The above is a comprehensive guide on the Greece visa for Indians. So here you can find information about visa types, eligibility, documents required, how to apply and other essentials. Refer to it to avoid any mistakes while sending a request. Also, it will help you to select the correct visa for a tension-free stay in the Schengen country.