Visa field guide · GR
Plan your Greece application
MFA consulates for the visa, then Migration and Asylum for residenceSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.01 / ROUTES
Choose the route that matches your trip
These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.- ↗Short-stay Schengen visa
Tourism, business and family visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Greece is the main destination.
- ↗National long-stay visa (D)
Now required before entry for several employment, family and digital-nomad routes lasting more than 90 days, under Law 5275/2026.
02 / JOURNEY
What the application journey usually looks like
The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.- 01Identify the route with the consulate
The Greek consulate responsible for your residence confirms whether a short Schengen visit or a national Type D visa applies to your purpose.
- 02Complete the harmonised form
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes the harmonised Schengen form in Greek, English and French; national-visa forms are separate.
GUIDELENS HELPS HERE - 03Book the appointment online
Most consulates use an online booking system that requires registering an email and password before selecting a time slot.
- 04Submit documents & biometrics
Attend with the printed form, passport and supporting evidence, and provide biometrics where required.
IF ASKED - 05Track the consular outcome
The consulate reports the decision through its own booking or notification channel.
- 06Apply for residence after arrival
Since Law 5275/2026, several employment, family-reunification and digital-nomad routes require the Type D visa before travel; the residence permit is then filed with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum after arrival.
03 / BEFORE YOU START
Four things to know before you start
- Official starting point
- The Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mfa.gr) sets out Schengen and national visa routes and appointment booking by consulate.
- Short or long stay
- Up to 90 days in 180 days uses the Schengen route; longer stays for employment, family or digital-nomad purposes increasingly require a national Type D visa first.
- 2026 rule change
- Under Law 5275/2026, several categories that previously allowed entering as a visitor now require the Type D visa to be obtained before travel.
- After arrival
- The residence permit that allows the actual stay is filed with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, separate from the consulate that issued the entry visa.
04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE
Greece visa details that differ from the regional guide
Greece uses the shared Schengen short-stay framework, but a 2026 legal change tightened which routes require a Type D visa before arrival, and the residence step sits with a different ministry.- 01
The consulate booking system needs its own account
Greek consulates run individual online appointment systems that require registering an email address and password before a slot can be selected — do this well before the intended travel date.
Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Schengen visas ↗ - 02
Digital nomads and several other routes now need a Type D visa first
Under Law 5275/2026, categories that previously allowed applying for status after arriving as a visitor now require the national Type D visa to be obtained at the consulate before travel.
Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Visas for foreigners travelling to Greece ↗ - 03
Residence permits are a separate ministry, not the consulate
After arriving on a Type D visa, the residence permit that covers the actual stay is filed with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, which is organisationally distinct from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that issued the visa.
Ministry of Migration and Asylum · Residence permits ↗ - 04
Keep the Schengen rule in view
For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.
European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗
05 / PREPARE
Information worth gathering before you open the form
Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.Passport and previous travel-document details
Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation
Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay
Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip
Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant
Translations and route-specific documents requested locally
06 / OFFICIAL
Continue with the official authority
You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.