Greece, a country of historical significance and panoramic beauty, is a travellers paradise. As an ardent sightseer, you must be eager to know what are the formalities involved in applying Greece Visa for Indians. Many Indians also travel to Greece for business purposes. For both situations, it is important to be aware of the Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens. This article will provide you with all the details, including the documents required for applying Greece Visa for Indians.
Content
- What are the different types of Greece Visa for Indians?
- Where do you need to apply for Greece Visa for Indians?
- What are the documents to be submitted to apply for Greece Visa for Indians?
- How to fill up the online application form for Greece Visa for Indians?
- What are the photograph specifications mandated for Greece Visa for Indians?
- What is the Greece Visa processing time in India?
- Greece visa fees
- General tips
Read: How to get your Schengen visa from India?
What are the different types of Greece Visa for Indians?
1. Tourist Visa
If you are visiting Greece to spend a holiday or a vacation or meet your family members or friends, then you need to apply for a Greece tourist visa from India. The visa is valid for a stay of 60 days on a single entry.
2. Business Visa
If you are travelling to Greece for business discussions and meetings then you need to apply for a Greece business visa. You may be either travelling through your company of firm where you are employed or you may be self-employed.
Know In-Depth: A Guide to Business Visa
3. Work Visa
A work Greece visa for Indians is granted to those who are travelling to Greece for work. The work visa does not guarantee a permanent stay only for temporary purposes.
Where do you need to apply for Greece Visa for Indians?
The Greece embassy in India is only present in New Delhi. There are no other Greece consulates in India. Indians who have not travelled to any Schengen country after November 2015, need to be present personally at the Greece Embassy in India. The rule is applicable for Greece tourist visa from India as well as Greece business visa.
Tip: Book flight tickets that are refundable and can be cancelled/ postponed. There may be delays in visa issuance as well as rejections. Hence focus must be to reduce the financial impact as much as possible.
There are several Visa application centers for Greece in India, at Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Kochi, Goa, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Puducherry, Pune. You can submit your visa application form, the documents and the Greece visa fees for an Indian at these centers. You can also collect your passport, after visa stamping, personally from these Visa application centers. The details of the Greece Visa application centers are present here.
Read: Germany visa for Indians: Complete Guide
What are the documents to be submitted to apply for Greece Visa for Indians?
As per the Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens, the following documents are required to be submitted at the Greece Embassy in India:
- Your passport with a validity of three months from the date of visa application
- There must be at least 2 blank pages in your passport for visa
- Photocopies of previous visas in your passport
- Greece visa online application form, properly filled up and signed. The details on how to fill-up the form are mentioned here
- Two coloured photographs as per the specifications
- A cover letter specifying the details of the visit along with the travel itinerary. The letter must contain the purpose of your travel to Greece, the arrival and departure dates, the airfare and the accommodation details
- Confirmed flight tickets mentioning the arrival and departure dates and the flight numbers
- A hotel confirmation letter specifying the reservation number and arrival and departure dates
- If you are travelling as a dependant, you need to show the marriage certificate as proof. For children travelling as a dependant, photocopies of the birth certificate need to be submitted.
- Evidence or proof of availability of funds to support the trip to Greece. It is known as means of subsistence in financial terms, to authenticate that you have enough funds to sponsor the trip.
- Confirmation of medical insurance, covering a minimum amount of INR 23,60,966
Other than the above, there are certain other documents to be submitted as per the Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens.
Read: What is a Sponsorship Letter for Visa?
Tip: Hotel reservations must also be refundable and applicable for cancellation/ postponement. It is advisable to book hotels at low prices.
If you are applying for a Greece tourist visa from India then you need to submit:
- Last 6 months bank statement
- An invitation letter from the family member or friend with the details of the address, phone numbers, arrival, and departure dates and the accommodation
If you are employed with any company or a firm then you need to arrange for the following documents and submit:
- The contract with your employer or any proof of your employment in the company or firm
- Last 6 months bank statement
- Recent IT return acknowledgement form
- An approval letter from your employer granting and approving the leave for the stay duration in Greece
Must read: Turkey visa for Indians: Explained
If you are self-employed then you need to submit the following documents:
- A photocopy of the business license of your company
- Last 6 months bank statement of your company
- The recently submitted IT return acknowledgement form
If you are a student then you need to submit the following documents:
- A NOC or a no objection certificate from your school or your college
- A valid identity proof of your parents
- A proof that you have enrolled for the study program in Greece
If you travelling to avail any medical treatment or medical examination in Greece then you need to submit the following documents:
- A report showing your current medical status
- A confirmation letter from a hospital or a doctor in Greece specifying the appointment date and the ailment. The letter must be duly attested and signed by either the hospital or the doctor
- A printed receipt of the payment towards the medical fees, if applicable
Read: UK tourist visa from India – How to prepare your visa application
If you are visiting Greece for attending any cultural, sports or a religious event then you need to produce:
- The details of your travel along with the stay duration in Greece, which needs to include the arrival and departure dates
- An invitation letter from the relevant authorities sponsoring the event in Greece
Tip: You must carry both original as well as photocopies of the documents during your biometric and interview at the Greece Embassy in India. Even if you are not required to visit the Greece embassy, you must carry both the original and the photocopies of documents to submit at the respective visa application centers.
How to fill up the online application form for Greece Visa for Indians?
The online application form for Greece Visa is available here.
You need to properly fill up:
- Your full name as per the passport
- Your date of birth, place of birth, country, nationality, marital status
- The details of your passport, including the passport number, expiry date, and place of issue
- Your permanent address and contact details
- Your occupation
- The purpose behind your travel to Greece
- Duration of your stay in Greece
- Details of the Schengen visas issued previously, if any
The form can be filled up online or downloaded from the website mentioned to enter the requisite details. After filling up the form, you need to sign it electronically and then take a print out or a photocopy for submission.
Suggested read: Visa Interview – Questions, Answers, Tips
What are the photograph specifications mandated for Greece Visa for Indians?
Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens have some specified rules for the photograph, which need to be followed strictly. Two photographs are required for both tourist and business type of Greece visa for Indians. The specifications are:
- Your photo must not be older than six months from the date of application
- The photo must be coloured on a preferably light grey background
- The size of the photo must be 35 X 45 millimeter
- Your face must be directly looking at the camera, not tilted to either side
- Your facial expression must be neutral
- Your head should cover almost 70% to 80% of the entire size of the photograph
- The ears and the forehead must be distinctly visible
- For women applicants, jewellery should be avoided
Further read: Guide To Visa Photo Size Requirements
What is the Greece Visa processing time in India?
It has been observed that the Greece visa processing time in India is almost 15 days. Some visa applications undergo several rounds of verification and scrutiny which may extend the processing time to 1 month or 30 days. The Greece embassy in India sometimes demands additional documents other than the ones submitted. This extends the visa processing time to 2 months or 60 days. If you are applying for a Greece visa from Kochi or Puducherry visa application centers, then add 2 more working days that are needed by the Greece Embassy in New Delhi.
Greece visa fees
For an Indian citizen, the Greece visa fees is INR 6480, both for single and multiple entries. There is an additional service fee charged over and above the visa fees. For children below 12 years, the visa fees are less, it is INR 1500 and the additional service fees.
Please Note:
- Greece Tourist Visa from India cannot be extended beyond the date granted by the Embassy and also cannot be converted to a different visa type
- The validity of the visa is from the date of issuance by the Greece Embassy in India
- It is the proprietary decision of the embassy to grant the duration of visa
Read: France Visa From India: Explained
The Greece visa application form is quite easy and simple to fill up. But due care must be taken to put in the correct details. Any mismatch in the details and the original documents may lead to rejection of the visa or liable to additional queries and documentations. This may further lead to delays in receiving the visa at the stipulated time.
Few points to remember while applying for a Greece visa for Indians:
- There is no age limit while applying for a Greece tourist visa from India, but if your age is below eighteen then you need to submit a No Objection Certificate from your parents.
- It is mandatory to provide your biometric details at the Greece Embassy in India. The data is valid for a tenure of 5 years.
- Greece visa requirements for Indian citizens mandate that third parties cannot collect the visa on behalf of any person.
- The insurance company, through which you are availing your medical and travel insurance, must have an office or a representation in any of the European Union countries. It must be valid for the entire duration of stay in Greece. The insurance needs to be purchased positively before applying for the visa.
- It is advisable to have the bank statements stamped and signed by the bank before submission.
Further read: Guide To Switzerland Visa For Indians
