Self-issuance of a visa to Greece: what documents are needed, filling out an application form, photo requirements

Everyone finds their own reason to go to Greece, but among the main ones, everyone notes the gentle sea, clean sandy beaches. Indeed, the mild Mediterranean climate guarantees a comfortable stay from April to the end of October. It offers tourists sandy beaches on the mainland and numerous islands, including the Greek half of Crete. Many of them are marked with the blue flag of the European Commission as part of the Blue Flag environmental program, which means they are tested according to 32 criteria. Delicious dishes of national cuisine and unusual wine add a special flavor to the rest.

Do Russians need a visa to Greece in 2019?

There were no changes in 2019: Russians must obtain a Schengen visa to travel to Greece. You can arrange it with the help of intermediaries or independently. In the second case, our article will help you.

Main types of visas

To visit Greece, Russians need to obtain a visa. It can be short-term Schengen or long-term national. In any case, the appeal involves the submission of fingerprints, a digital photo.

An application for a Schengen is submitted if they plan to stay in Greece or other EU countries for no more than 90 days. It can be one trip for 3 months or several. The main thing is that their total duration for six months does not exceed the agreed 90 days and most of the first visit to the EU falls on Greece. Most often, Russians apply for a "guest" or tourist Schengen visa type C, less often for a transit visa (type A) and others.

Schengen visa

Having a national visa (type D) will allow you to stay in Greece for more than 3 months and periodically travel to other European countries. The most common reasons for applying for it are study, work, long-term treatment, business interests.

How much does a visa to Greece cost in 2019?

The cost of a Greek visa depends on its type and the chosen method of obtaining. The first is the consular fee. Some categories of applicants are exempted from its payment. Whether a particular citizen belongs to beneficiaries must be clarified before applying.

Consular fee for obtaining Greek visas:

• 35 € for Schengen;
• 180 € for national;
• 90 € for a national student.

Additional costs include a 20 € service charge. It is paid by those who apply to visa centers.

All fees are paid in rubles. The specific amount is indicated on the websites of consulates, visa centers. It is reviewed periodically and depends on the current exchange rate.

Important: consular and service fees are non-refundable even if the right to enter Greek territory is denied.

How to apply for a visa to Greece on your own?

You can get a Greek visa without the help of intermediaries if you apply directly to the Consulate of Greece or to one of the visa centers of the Global Visa Center World (GVCW). Only she, from April 26, 2018, is authorized to accept documents for their further transfer to employees of Greek diplomatic institutions.

When choosing an application method, it is important to take into account that the ECs serve only applicants for short-term Schengen visas. For the national one, in any case, you will need to go to the Consulate General at the place of residence/work/study. Service passport holders must also contact the Greek embassy/consulate directly.

The most expensive option for obtaining a Greek visa is to contact accredited travel agencies.

Through the visa center

Applying to the GVCW Visa Application Center can save a lot of time and money. For most Russians, applying for a visa through a Consulate located in another city or even a region of the Russian Federation costs more than a 20 euro service fee. In addition, it is much easier to get an appointment at the EC than at the Consulate General.

To submit documents to the CC, it is recommended to pre-register on the GVCW website. This will allow you to submit documents as quickly and conveniently as possible. Particularly relevant is the electronic registration in the exhibition centers of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg during the high season. When registering, a separate time is reserved for each applicant, except for the children included in the parents' passport. After choosing the date and time of your visit to the Greek Visa Application Center, you need to print the receipt. It will need to be presented when visiting the EC.

Everyone must submit documents in person so that GVCW staff can take biometric data for the VIS database. An exception is made for children under 12 years of age (inscribed in the parents' passport) and those who have already submitted Schengen biometrics over the past 59 months. In the latter case, an official power of attorney is required to apply.

Especially demanding or busy clients of the Greek Visa Application Centers can use the VIP Lounge. This service is available so far only in the ECs of Moscow, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Its cost is an additional 50-70 euros (depending on the EC) for each individual application or 100-150 euros for a family (parents + 2 children).

GVCW customers in some cities can use the Personal Assistant service. For 40 euros (for each applicant) or 100 euros for a family, you can get priority service and support from an EC specialist at all stages of applying, submitting biometrics.

Some visa application centers offer a Prime Time service, which allows you to apply outside of business hours for an additional 35-50 euros. In the exhibition centers of St. Petersburg, Murmansk and Petrozavodsk, for 20-35 euros, you can order the Priority Delivery service to avoid queues.

Some VCs also provide additional services:

• 300 rub. for filling out the questionnaire;
• 300 rub. for 6 photos;
• 300 rub. for priority issuance of a passport;
• 15-20 rub. for one photocopy.

Also, some ECs provide services of health insurance, mobile biometrics, "Visa to the house" (departure to the client's home / office), courier delivery of passports. The cost and availability of services must be specified directly in the VC.

Important: ordering additional services does not exempt you from paying consular (35 €) and service (20 €) fees. Also, additional services do not affect the speed of consideration of the application by the Consulate and the adoption of a decision.

Through the consulate

Applying for a visa to Greece is possible after preliminary online registration on the website of the Consulate General. The form must be filled out in Latin letters in strict accordance with the passport. This registration method is suitable for anyone who needs a Schengen visa to Greece. But applicants for a national Greek visa for registration need to call directly to the Consulate General of Greece in Moscow, Novorossiysk and St. Petersburg.

A complete package of documents will need to be submitted to the Consulate General at the appointed time. Documents collected at the visa centers also come here. Unlike the EC, consular staff do not help fill out the questionnaires and do not provide other services.

All applications are processed on a general basis. The consulate may invite the applicant for an interview, ask to clarify or supplement some data.

Greece visa application

The questionnaire forms are free of charge. They can be downloaded from the websites of the Consulate, GVCW or obtained directly from these institutions.

GVCW offers to fill out an application for a Greek Schengen visa online electronically. After filling it out, you will need to print it out in order to present it during your visit to the EC. After submitting the questionnaire electronically, it is important to save the created identification number.

Greece visa application form

The questionnaire is filled in Greek or English in block letters. You can do this yourself, but it is better to entrust this to the employees of the visa centers (for Schengen) for 300 rubles, or find an experienced consultant to fill out the form for a national visa.

The GVCW website has a sample form for filling out a Schengen visa application form. The questionnaire must be printed on 2 sheets on both sides.

Unfortunately, there is no template for filling out a national Greek visa.

Documents for a visa to Greece: a list of 2019

Both clients of visa centers and those who apply to the Consulate must provide a separate package of documents. It consists of a standard list and an additional one, depending on the purpose of the trip. All visa documents must be issued on A4 sheets.

Applicants for a visa to Greece in 2019 must provide:

• Application form (filled out, signed);
• 1 photo (complies with ICAO standards, cut out along the contour);
• Greek documents on the planned place of residence (optional hotel reservation / invitation from a Greek citizen / real estate lease agreement);
• Travel information (tickets / itinerary + documents on the car);
• (certificate of employment or bank statement). If the applicant is a dependent (child/student/housewife) or temporarily unemployed, a sponsorship letter (financial document of the sponsor, proof of relationship with the sponsor, copy of the first page of the sponsor's passport) is provided;
• Original and copies of all completed pages of the current one;
• Canceled passport (if any) - a copy of the 1st page + Schengen visas for the last 3 years;
• Copies of all completed pages of the civil passport;
• Insurance policy - a copy;
• Receipt of payment of the consular fee;
• Consent to the processing of personal data.

When collecting documents for obtaining a visa, you need to remember that the Consulate returns only a passport. The rest of the documents are not subject to return, so it is recommended to provide copies and have the originals with you at the time of application.