Greece is probably one of the most historically and culturally rich countries in the world, and the Greece tourist visa requirements are more than obtainable for anyone wishing to explore this magnificent heritage.
Greece experienced a tourist boom after entering the EU, and grew to be an even more popular tourist destination for every type of traveler; whether you are traveling with friends on a backpacking trip through Europe, on a romantic getaway with your loved one, a family beach trip, or traveling solo exploring one of the world’s oldest civilizations; Greece leaves you in love with its culture, people and nature. The Greeks are known to be exceptionally warm and open to everyone, and will gladly open their doors to visitors; the further out on the country side you get, the more genuine your Greek experience will be.
Read on to find out what the Greece tourist visa requirements are, and how you can get your visa in the fastest way.
Greece Tourist Visa Requirements − What Is the Greece Tourist Visa?
The Greece tourist visa requirements are actually the same as the Schengen visa requirements. As Greece is a part of the Schengen Area, applying for a visa to Greece, means obtaining a general Schengen visa. A Schengen visa will give you free entry to all of the following Schengen member states (note that not all Schengen member states are a part of the E.U.!):
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
The general rule of thumb is that you need to apply for a Schengen visa in advance, to comply with the Greece tourist visa requirements.
However, we have some good news for many of you! 🙂
According to the official tourism , a visa is not required by nationalities of the following non-E.U. countries:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Rica
- Croatia
- El Salvador
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Israel
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Monaco
- New Zealand
- Vatican
- Nicaragua
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Saint Marino
- Singapore
- South Korea
- USA
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
This means, that if you hold a valid passport from any of the above mentioned countries, you are eligible for visa on arrival when entering Greece!
However, as with all travel, it is not just crucial, but also mandatory, to have travel insurance. At Schengen flight visa reservation, we have been through many travel insurance providers, and finally landed on the travel insurance provider Visitors Coverage. They offer fully compliable Schengen Visa Travel Insurance plans that will meet all the Greece tourist visa requirements, as well as offering exceptional customer service, which is something we highly value here at Schengen flight visa reservation. Slow responses and bad customer service is the last thing you need when you have a big trip to plan!
Remember that all travel insurances must cover a minimum of €30,000 and be valid for your entire stay; all Visitors Coverage plans will have you covered!
Greece Tourist Visa Requirements − What You Need
As with all visa requirements for the Schengen Member States, you need to meet the Schengen visa requirements. We have compiled a comprehensive list below, of all the documents and paperwork you need to prepare for your Schengen visa application, to meet the Greece tourist visa requirements:
- Filled out Schengen visa application form, you can find it here.
- 2 passport compliant photos; these must meet the official requirements, meaning no older than 6 months, on a light background with the whole face visible
- Passport − probably the most important of the Greece tourist visa requirements. Double check that it’s in good condition!
- Passport copy (including both sides of the passport, and copies of previous visas). The passport must be valid for your entire stay, and at least 3 months after your intended date of departure (Schengenvisaflightreservartion.com recommends at least 6 months validity after your intended departure date)
- Flight itinerary − this is a tricky one. You don’t want to buy a flight ticket for thousands of dollars in case your visa application is rejected, or you decide to change your travel plans. At Schengen flight visa reservation we offer fully cancellable and authentic flight reservations to meet the Greece tourist visa requirements. The word flight reservation here is important, as that’s exactly what it is; a genuine booking that will automatically cancel itself before your departure date. All you have to do is book our service, and that’s it! Schengen flight visa reservation takes care of everything else for you.
- Visa fee − in most cases you need to show evidence that you’ve paid the visa fee when submitting the application, as this is non-refundable. Call your embassy to check how much it is, and their preferred payment method.
- Personal covering letter − read our extensive guide on writing your personal covering letter.
- Proof of financial means − this is a very unclear requirement. Even embassy websites have no fixed number, so you have to call your local embassy to check. Usually a credit card statement will suffice to meet the Greece tourist visa requirements.
- Hotel reservation − This is mandatory unless you have an official invitation from a host that can guarantee your accommodation. As it’s not easy to get a host/sponsor invitation, most travelers need hotel reservations for their visa applications. But instead of calling dozens of hotels to make bookings you might just have to cancel later, let Schengen flight visa reservation handle it for you. You can choose to book an entire package of flight, hotels, trains and buses (invaluable if you are applying for visas in relation to an extended backpacking trip), or just a hotel or flight reservation. Just type in your desired dates and places, and we’ll do the rest to make sure you fulfill all the Greece tourist visa requirements.
And there you have it! Make sure you double-check all the requirements and tick of every bullet point. Your journey to the heritage of Ancient Greece is almost complete! Now all you have to do is read guide books, browse Google’s image search of Greece’s amazing thousands of islands, and look forward to endless nights on the beach and on the country side – maybe walking in the same footsteps as Hercules himself?
Tel us your story in the comments below – are our Greece tourist visa requirements up to date?
