Now, when the unstable situation in Turkey and Egypt makes many people refuse to travel to these countries, Greece is becoming an even more popular place for comfortable rest for Russians in 2018. Therefore, the problem of obtaining a Greek visa worries those who are planning to spend their holidays on the romantic beaches of Hellas. It can be obtained independently at regional visa centers or at the Consulate General of Greece in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Do I need a visa to Greece
Traveling to Greece requires a Schengen visa, the country is a member of the Schengen Union. Rumors spread in some media about the possibility of visa-free entry are groundless: a Schengen visa in 2018 is compulsory for Russians. It will provide an opportunity not only to visit the heavenly corners of Greece, but also to visit other Schengen countries. Wanting to increase the influx of Russian tourists to their country, from 11.02.2016 Greek consulates began to issue visas with a validity of 3 years for those who travel to the Schengen zone not for the first time. New visa centers were opened, the staff of consulates was replenished in order to accelerate the issuance of visas.
In addition to the requirements that previously existed for recipients, the procedure for submitting biometric data (fingerprints) has been added. Each issuer of a primary Greek visa must either appear in person to undergo biometrics, the data of which is relevant for 5 years, or order a service - mobile biometrics (departure of a specialist). An employee of the Greece Visa Application Center will arrive at a convenient place for you to take biometric data and accept documents for a visa. You can order here: www.greecevac-ru.com/russia/biometrics/order-now.html
Visa-free entry permit
As in any rule there are exceptions, so in the visa legislation there are deviations from the strict need to apply for a Schengen visa for a trip to Greece. In 2017, you can visit a number of Greek islands without a Schengen visa: Rhodes, Kastelorizon, Lesvos, Kos, Khion, Samos and Zion, when another type of visa is issued instead.
Short Term Island Visa
This is a special authorization document - an island visa, which is obtained by those who have planned a vacation in Turkey, combined with a visit to one of the above islands, and get there by sea using any of the types of Turkish sea transport. If you first decided to relax in Turkey, but want to visit one of the most wonderful Greek islands
Aegean Sea, then you have the opportunity to apply for such a short-term visa:
- in Turkish travel agencies in Bodrum and Marmaris
- through your tour operator (guide of the hotel where you are staying)
- from a Russian tour operator when making a ticket to Turkey
There is a limiting framework for a short-term visa:
It allows you to stay only on the island specified in the visa, excluding the rest of Greece.
The holder of such a document is obliged to return to Turkey after the expiry of the visa.
A short-term visa is valid only for 2 weeks.
List of documents for obtaining an island visa
International passport (photocopies of all pages).
Travel tickets for a ferry or other sea vessel to the island and back to Turkey.
Confirmation of hotel reservation for the days of stay.
2 photos (3.5 X 4.5).
A bank document confirming that the account has an amount of up to 500 euros at the time of obtaining a visa.
Types of Greek visas
Their issuance complies with the generally accepted rules of the Schengen area, following which, the types of entry documents are divided into 2 groups: Schengen visa C and National D.
Visa C is issued in the following cases:
- self-tourism
- a trip to relatives, friends, close acquaintances by invitation
- members of official delegations to various forums, meetings, symposia
- scientific and business visits, business projects
- participation in a joint interstate cultural event
Tourist visa to Greece
The most popular is the tourist visa C, issued for up to 30 days according to the generally accepted rules of the visa regime: there are only minor differences in the composition of the documents. It is now not very difficult to apply for a Greek tourist visa on your own: the Greek government, interested in the influx of Russian tourists, is opening additional visa centers in large cities of our country.
National visa type D
Such a long-term visa, issued only by the consulate, is necessary for those who travel to Greece for a long time, and is divided into 2 types according to the validity period: up to 180 days of stay and multivisa (up to 1 year, which allows you to enter and leave the country many times). Both types of D visa are issued by those who travel:
- to work for a long time
- to study in Greek universities
- to marry Greek citizens in case of choosing a place of residence in Greece
Transit through the country
To travel through Greek territory to a non-Schengen country, a documentary permit is also required - a transit visa of 2 categories: A, B. If the transit is carried out to a Schengen country, a visa stamp in a tourist visa C or in a foreign passport is sufficient.
Required documents for a visa to Greece
To get a Greek visa, you need to collect documents, the composition of which is common to all types of entry permits.
The generally accepted list of documents for obtaining a visa to Greece:
Application form on a standard form, with the applicant's signatures.
Passport (original and copies of all pages): it must have 2-3 blank pages and the remainder of the validity period of at least 4 months after returning from Greece (from the Schengen countries). If you have old passports and Schengen visas, submit their photocopies.
Russian passport (photocopies of information pages: title page; data on the place, date of issue; name sheet, registration mark, marital status and other information, if any.)
2 photographs (3.5 x 4.5 cm) on a blue background.
Health insurance policy with a security amount of at least 30 thousand euros.
Check for payment of the consular (service) fee.
Documents confirming the purpose of departure and provision of stay in Greece: on booking places in a hotel, hotel, recreation center, etc.: air or other tickets for travel (if they are not available, a detailed description of the entire travel route).
Documents characterizing the social and financial situation of the applicant: a certificate from the place of work on an official letterhead, a copy of the invitation to a business meeting, indicating the size of the salary, certified by the seal of the enterprise, company or other organization and signed by an official (manager or his deputy with the authority of a manager). If the employer is an individual entrepreneur, a certificate of state registration is required. registration (copy).
Bank statement, credit card or sponsorship letter indicating the financial viability of the sponsor, if the applicant does not work or his monthly income is less than 25 thousand rubles.
Student card (original and copy), a certificate from the university, a certificate of income or a sponsorship letter from close relatives, if the applicant is a student.
Certificate of the state. registration of an enterprise, certificate of registration in the tax, tax declaration (copies), if the applicant is an individual entrepreneur.
A copy of a pension certificate, a bank statement or a sponsorship letter - for outgoing pensioners.
List of add. documents for those traveling to Greece by invitation
Documentary proof of the inviting person's legal residence in Greece: residence permit, long-term visa, ID.
Confirmation of the invitee's place of residence: address or booking at a hotel, hotel, etc.
List of additional documents for a Greek visa to Greece of other categories
Official invitation from the organization, certified by the seal and signature of the head.
Written notification confirming the purpose of the trip.
A copy of the invitation to a business meeting, which contains all the details of the invitees.
If you need to apply for a national visa D, then in addition to the above documents, you must submit a documented basis for the trip: a certificate of admission to study, a work contract, a marriage certificate with a citizen / citizen of Greece or an application for registration of an upcoming marriage. National visa D is issued only through the Greek consulates in Moscow.
Filling out the questionnaire
The first step in obtaining any visa is filling out a questionnaire, the form of which can be downloaded from the Internet. This process requires accuracy and precision, truthfulness and accuracy of information. It is necessary to give the following information in Latin letters in accordance with the points of the questionnaire:
- Personal data (name, date of birth, etc.), cell phone number, e-mail address, series and passport number.
- Old Schengen visas: how many were there and to which countries.
- Purpose of the trip, exact dates, financial condition.
- Job information (for D visa).
- It is advisable to put the date and sign, as in the passport.
Photo for a Greek visa
In order not to have to be photographed for the second time, you need to know the ICAO standards, which are as follows:
Child visa to Greece
When going on a trip with a child, you need to submit a number of additional documents:
Child's birth certificate (copy and original).
Power of attorney certified by a notary from the father, if traveling with the mother; from the mother, if traveling with the father; power of attorney from both parents, photocopies of information pages of their passports, if traveling with someone else. The surnames of the parents must correspond to those indicated in the consent-power of attorney.
The application for children is signed by parents or guardians. If the documents for the child are submitted later, you must submit a copy of the Schengen visa of the person traveling with him.
Obtaining a visa to Greece on your own
It is not at all difficult to do this now: visa centers post detailed instructions on how to do this on their websites. You can download samples of all the necessary forms, find answers to a variety of questions regarding obtaining a visa. Short-term tourist visas are issued through visa centers and consulates, long-term type D - only through consulates.
Through the visa center
The increasing number of visa centers allows a resident of any region to quickly become a visa holder. They operate in many large cities of Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Khabarovsk, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Samara, Saratov, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Rostov n / D and others. The stages of registration are as follows:
- Determine the category of visa, download the application form and fill it out
- Make an online appointment and collect the necessary documents
- Arrive at the Visitor Center at the appointed time
- Submit biometric data (fingerprinting)
- Pay visa fee
- Submit documents and wait for a visa. (This can be tracked on the website of the viscenter)
Through the Consulate in Moscow
Through the Consulates of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk, a National visa D is issued, but in case of refusal of the visa center, you can also get a tourist C there. Registration for the submission of documents is carried out by a free phone number (see the website). On the appointed day, the documents must be submitted in person or through your agent (upon presentation by the latter of a power of attorney from the applicant, certified by a notary).
Through a travel agency
You can become the holder of a permit through a travel agency (in the case of a package tour) or with the help of an intermediary (without buying a tour package), who completely takes over the visa processing. But such a design will cost more than an independent one. Moreover, due to the requirement for mandatory fingerprinting (especially for those who are applying for a visa for the first time), the applicant will still need to personally appear at the visa center. It all depends on the decision of the future visa holder, but it is better to draw up such an important document yourself, even if the travel agency promises to do it as soon as possible.
You can buy cheap tours to Greece to compare prices from all tour operators on the website of our friends level.travel.ru and onlinetours.ru
Reviews of tourists
Analyzing the reviews of tourists, one can come to the conclusion that obtaining a visa is not the most difficult problem. Many are satisfied with the quick, efficient work of the staff of the visa centers for the issuance of tourist visas. More complaints from applicants are caused by a long-term visa: there are claims from those who have repeatedly traveled to the Schengen countries, but the Consulate of Greece does not issue a D visa.
Prices for a visa to Greece in 2018
The amount of the fee depends on the category of the visa and the time of its issuance.
An urgent order is paid more than a regular one; tourist short-term visa is cheaper than long-term D. The total price consists of consular fee + service fee.
In 2017, the cost is as follows:
- Category C - 35 € + 1280 rubles.
- Category D (National) - 120 € + 1280 rubles.
Preferential categories of applicants
For the following persons, visa processing is free:
- Disabled
- Students and their companions
- Close relatives of Greek citizens and the European Union
- The full list of beneficiaries is published on the website of the visa center
Validity of entry documents
Schengen C - the period of stay is not more than 90 days within 180 days.
National D - allowed period - 180 days within 360 days.
You need to remember one thing: do not violate the terms of stay specified in the visa.
How long does it take to get a visa to Greece
The usual processing time through the Regional Visa Application Centers is 7-8 days after the application is submitted. If the entire package of documents does not cause any comments, then the wait may take from 3 to 5 days. You can follow the progress of your documents through the website of the visa centers. To be sure of obtaining a visa on time, it is best not to risk it, but to do it 3-4 weeks before departure.
The fastest way to get a visa is at the Consulate of Greece in Moscow and St. Petersburg - within 2 days.
When failure is possible
Visa refusals to Greece are much less common than to other Schengen countries. This is due to improper preparation of documents or the negative reputation of the applicant, manifested in his past trips, financial insolvency and other reasons. It is important to know that in case of refusal, the paid amount of the visa fee will not be refunded. You can reapply for a visa after finding out the reasons for the refusal and taking a more responsible approach to the application process yourself.
All contact details of regional visa centers and Consulates in Moscow and St. Petersburg are indicated on the websites of the above organizations, where you still have to go in connection with the application.
