Applicants who wish to apply for a Visa are kindly requested to carefully read the provided information. The guidelines listed on this website are to help you prepare your documents as accurately as possible, on the basis of the common list of supporting documents to be presented by applicants for short stay Schengen visas in the U.K. This will reduce the chances of your application being incomplete or a delay in being processed. For non EU citizens who are not sure whether a Schengen visa is required to travel to the Schengen area, please click Do I need a visa? to find out.
A short stay type C Schengen Visa is for any person who plans to visit Greece and remain in the Schengen area for up to 90 days over a period of 180 days (6 months) (You will find information on how to calculate your visa travel days on this page in the category Travel Days Calculator). The purpose of travel could be Tourism, Business, Visiting Family or Friends, Cultural and Educational, Sports, Medical reasons, Studies, Airport transit, Seafarers and Other. A visa application may now be lodged six (6) months before and not later than fifteen (15) calendar days before the date of the intended visit.
Every applicant, including children/infants, has to submit their Schengen visa application in person and by appointment only on their appointment date, which needs to be booked online. Please click here.
Please note that to be eligible to submit an application, it is necessary to have a permanent or temporary residency permit valid for at least 1 month after the intended date of return to the U.K. in order to apply. In any other case the Greek Consular Authorities will not be able to process your application.
The visa applications may be submitted at the Visa Application Centres for Greece in London, Edinburgh and Manchester.
All applications will be assessed by the Embassy of Greece - Consular Office - Visa Section. The Visa Application Centres for Greece offer the option of courier service for the return of your submitted documents, directly at your doorstep. You may be required to appear before a Visa Officer for a personal or Skype interview at the Consular Office of the Greek Embassy in London, prior to a decision being made regarding your application and this may cause delays in the visa process, which applicants accept responsibility for.
Important - Visa applications may take up to 15 calendar days to process. For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks. Some applications may require further processing, which could take up to 45 days. Applicants submitting their visa application at the Visa Application Centre for Greece in Manchester or Edinburgh, need to calculate 5 extra days to their minimum processing time as their visa application will first be dispatched to the GVCW London VAC for Greece, from where it will be forwarded to the Embassy of Greece - Consular Office in London the following day. Please, click here to find more information regarding the processing time.
Important Note to Applicants: Please be informed that the standard processing time of a visa application, in accordance with the Schengen Code, amounts to fifteen (15) calendar days after the application has been lodged. In case the application has been submitted at a VAC outside London, additional time has to be taken into consideration.
However, we are currently experiencing a very high demand for travel to Greece, and as a result, there is a possibility that your application may take longer than 15 calendar days to be processed at the Consulate. Therefore, you are strongly advised to apply well in advance of your trip to Greece allowing a longer period than the standard 15 calendar days.
If, however, you decide to apply for a visa within the said 15 calendar days from your departure date of your trip, you are at risk of your application not being processed in time for the issue of a visa for the requested time period. For any enquiries, you are advised to contact GVCW or the Consular Office.
When lodging the application at the Visa Application Centres for Greece, applicants shall pay the Visa Fee and Service Fee, which may only be paid in GBP, and present the following Basic Documents:
| 1 | Visa application form | -Fully completed and signed by the applicant |
| 2 | Two recent passport-sized pictures | - In colour, 3.5 x 4 cm (approx. 1.2 x 1.6 inch) - Facing forward, white background |
| 3 | Passport | - Valid for at least three months after date of return to U.K. - Containing at least two blank visa pages - Issued within the previous ten (10) years -1 copy of the identification page and 1 copy of all visa pages |
| 4 | Medical insurance (holders of diplomatic passports are exempted) | -Minimum coverage 30,000 EURO, for medical costs and medical repatriation, valid in all Schengen countries during the whole validity of the issued visa. |
Additionally, and according to the purpose of the journey, applicant shall present the necessary required documents.
The GVCW Visa Application Centres for Greece are authorised by the Diplomatic and Consular Authorities of Greece in the U.K. to collect visa applications on their behalf. The VACs for Greece are only responsible for collecting/ retrieving visa applications, and play no part in the decision making process of visa applications.
Holders of ordinary passports who wish to apply for a Visa are kindly requested to carefully read the information on this website. The guidelines listed on this website are to help you prepare your documents as accurately as possible. This will reduce the risk of your application being incomplete or unnecessarily delayed.
Holders of Diplomatic, Service and Public affairs passports are welcome to submit their applications through the Embassy/ Consular Office - Visa Section in London.
The Consular Authorities of Greece reserve the right to ask for additional documents and may call the applicant for an interview.
To download the visa application form, please click here.
For visa applicants' rights in case of rejection due to registration in the Schengen Information System or the National Record of Undesirable Foreigners, please click here.
For information request form about personal data processed in the National SCHENGEN Information System(N-SIS), please click here.
You are kindly advised to check the list of required documents before submitting your application. This will minimise the chances of your application being delayed or declined due to inadequate or incorrect submission of documents.
You will need to prepare a separate application pack of supporting documents and Visa Application Form for each applicant (e.g. in case parents travel along with their children, confirmation of accommodation has to be given separately for every application pack).
You will need to complete the application form and submit it at the Visa Application Centre for Greece in the United Kingdom. For locations click here.
You are kindly advised to carefully read the presentation list below. Please ensure that you provide all of the required documents, and that the application form is fully filled in and signed.
Following this, we advise you to download, print out and fill in the checklist which contains and explains what documents you need to hand in along with your passport when visiting a VAC for Greece to submit your application.
This is done in order to help you prepare your application more effectively and save you time and efforts while you visit the GVCW Application Centres in London, Edinburgh and Manchester.
Under the new visa system implemented by all Schengen missions in the U.K. as of November 20, 2015, all VIS visa applicants must submit their application in person in order for their biometric data (10 fingerprints and digital photo) to be taken. Please note that appearance in person for all applicants regardless of age is mandatory for biometrics.
Visa applications may take up to 15 calendar days to process. For certain nationalities (see list here) the visa application needs consultation from the other Schengen countries and therefore the minimum processing time takes 3 weeks. Some applications may require further processing, which could take up to 45 days. Applicants submitting their visa application at the Visa Application Centre for Greece in Manchester or Edinburgh, need to calculate 2 extra days to their minimum processing time as their visa application will first be dispatched to the GVCW London VAC for Greece, from where it will be forwarded to the Embassy of Greece - Consular Office in London the following day. Please, click here to find more information regarding the processing time.
Important Note to Applicants: Please be informed that the standard processing time of a visa application, in accordance with the Schengen Code, amounts to fifteen (15) calendar days after the application has been lodged. In case the application has been submitted at a VAC outside London, additional time has to be taken into consideration.
However, we are currently experiencing a very high demand for travel to Greece, and as a result, there is a possibility that your application may take longer than 15 calendar days to be processed at the Consulate. Therefore, you are strongly advised to apply well in advance of your trip to Greece allowing a longer period than the standard 15 calendar days.
If, however, you decide to apply for a visa within the said 15 calendar days from your departure date of your trip, you are at risk of your application not being processed in time for the issue of a visa for the requested time period. For any enquiries, you are advised to contact GVCW or the Consular Office.
The list of documents below is not an exhaustive list of documents and the applicant can always be asked to provide additional information/ documents, if desired by the Mission.
The stay in Greece should be the longest of any other Schengen Member States or in case of equal duration of stay, Greece should be the first entry.
Both the standard and the supporting documentation have to be recent, i.e. not older than 1 month from the date of application, and need to be provided for every Schengen visa application; that means that couples/ families applying on the same day need to have each application separately, including all the documents as follows below.
Applicants always have to bring and present their original documents, but they only need to submit photocopies of the same, unless the requirements specify that an original document has to be submitted.
Before gathering the required documents mentioned below, applicants are advised to read the requirements under Overview (see here) in order to ensure they are entitled to apply for the chosen visa category.
CONSULAR SCHENGEN VISA (C) FEE:
The below rates are applicable and they may vary at any time:
| Visa Type | EUR | GBP |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen Short stay (Type C) | 80 | 68.80 |
| Schengen Short stay (Type C) for nationals of the Gambia | 120 | 103.20 |
| Schengen Short stay (Type C) for nationals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Kosovo | 35 | 30.10 |
| Schengen Short stay (Type C) for nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine holders of non biometric passports* | 35 | 30.10 |
| Minors under twelve (12) years old | Gratis | |
| Holders of diplomatic and service passports | Gratis | |
| Spouses and children of EU citizen traveling with the latter as long as relevant sufficient proof is provided along with the application (i.e. ticket bookings, copy of EU citizen's valid passport and marriage certificate or unabridged birth certificate as applicable) | Gratis | |
| Organised groups of school pupils, students, postgraduate students accompanied by teachers on study/ educational trip: only applicable if applicants have a formal invitation from an educational institution in Greece | Gratis | |
| Researchers from third countries traveling for the purpose of carrying out scientific research (as defined in Recommendation No 2005/761/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 September 2005 to facilitate the issue by the Member States of uniform short-stay visas for researchers from third countries traveling within the Community for the purpose of carrying out scientific research) | Gratis | |
| Representatives and participants of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organised by non-profit organizations | Gratis | |
* Note: Citizens of: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine holders of biometric passports do not require Schengen visa.
SERVICE FEE:
The Service Fee amounts to GBP 25.80 (EUR 30) per application over and above the Visa Fees.
PLEASE NOTE:
All the above mentioned fees, in GBP (Pound Sterling - £), are as per the current exchange rate at the time of submission of application at the Visa Application Centre for Greece and are subject to change without notice.
All the above mentioned fees can be paid in cash (except in Manchester and in Edinburgh) or credit/ debit card.
As of 20 November 2015 all applicants applying for a Schengen visa will be required to present their biometric data - ten fingerprints and a digital photo. Biometric data will be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS), which is a central database for the exchange of data on short-stay visas (for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period) between Schengen States. The main objectives of the VIS are to facilitate visa application procedures and checks at external border as well as to enhance security.
Therefore, as of 20 November 2015 all visa applicants will have to appear in person at the Visa Application Centre for Greece, when lodging the application, in order to provide their fingerprints.
Under the VIS, mandatory fingerprinting is introduced for all passport categories. Consular sections must collect biometric data – digital photo and fingerprinting often fingers - from all visa applicants. Consequently, all visa applicants, irrespective of nationality, shall be required to present themselves at the Visa Application Centre for Greece at the time of their visa application for the biometric data collection.
(*)[1]Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
The following categories of applicants are exempt from the requirement to provide fingerprints (Article 13(7) of the Visa Code):
- Children under the age of 12;
- Persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible. If the fingerprinting of fewer than 10 fingers is possible, the maximum number of fingerprints shall be taken. However, should the impossibility be temporary, the applicant shall be required to give the fingerprints at the following application. The authorities competent in accordance with Article 4(1), (2) and (3) shall be entitled to ask for further clarification of the grounds for the temporary impossibility. Member States shall ensure that appropriate procedures guaranteeing the dignity of the applicant are in place in the event of there being difficulties in enrolling;
- Heads of State or government and members of a national government with accompanying spouses, and the members of their official delegation when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organizations for an official purpose;
- Sovereigns and other senior members of a royal family, when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organizations for an official purpose.
Basic Procedure:
Biometrics will be collected using a quick, discreet and non-intrusive process that captures a facial image with a digital camera and a 10-digit fingerprint scan with a digital finger scanner.
Your face must be clearly visible for a photograph to be taken. This means that you cannot:
- have hair that covers the eyes
- wear a hat or scarf or any other item that obscures the face, hair or neck (with the exception of religious head coverings detailed below)
- If you wear a head or neck covering for religious reasons you must ensure your face is clearly visible, from the bottom of your chin to above your eyebrows including both cheeks. If possible both ears should also be displayed. You may also need to remove your glasses when the photograph is taken.
If you have cut or damaged your fingertips, you should make an appointment with the Visa Application Centre for Greece when the injury has healed.
If you have a temporary decoration, such as mehndi, you should advise the Visa Application Centre for Greece when booking your appointment to determine whether a scan will be possible.
If you refuse to submit your biometric data, your visa application cannot be processed and you will be referred to the Embassy of Greece.
Before submitting your application make sure that your photo is in a high resolution format. Applicants should present two recent (not more than 6 months old) passport-sized photos that should be
- 3,5 x 4 cm (approx. 1.2 x 1.6 inch)
- with a light background (white or off-white) so that features are distinguishable and contrast against the background
- in color and with facing forward
- with the forehead and ears visible, without heavy jewelry
- full face, non-smiling (without sunglasses, a hat/ cap or other head covering, unless the applicant wears such items because of their religions belief or ethnic background)
- of high quality and printed on normal photographic paper (camera print), preferably not glossy
Please click here for the specifications.
Knowing and meeting properly these requirements is essential, as only if in the needed format, the biometric recognition of the applicant and perfect reproduction can be authorised correctly.
Note:
Please follow these instructions carefully. If photographs presented do not meet these requirements, your application will be considered incomplete.
Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Article 15) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009”, which entered into force on April 5 of 2010, applicants must purchase a travel medical insurance product before they apply for a visa. Purchasing adequate travel insurance is one of the requirements of the Schengen visa.
The requirements for Schengen travel medical insurance:
- The travel insurance must clearly mention the applicant's full name (a copy of travel insurance policy should be submitted)
- The insurance must be valid for the all Schengen States/ countries and cover the entire period of the intended stay in the Schengen area.
- The travel insurance should include emergency medical care, hospitalization and repatriation (in case of death included).
- The minimum coverage shall be EUR 30,000 (denominated in Euros).
- The insurance company must have a representative office in the European Union countries.
Regulation (EU) No 610/2013 of 26 June 2013, amended the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, the Schengen Borders Code and the Visa Code and – among others – re-defined the concept of "short stay" for third-country nationals in the Schengen area which is a fundamental element of the Schengen acquis.
As from 18 October 2013 for the vast majority of the third-country nationals – irrespective of being visa required or exempt – who intend to travel to the Schengen area for a short stay (contrary to reside in one of the Member States for longer than 3 months) the maximum duration of authorised stay is defined as "90 days in any 180-day period […]". "The date of entry shall be considered as the first day of stay on the territory of the Member States and the date of exit shall be considered as the last day of stay on the territory of the Member States. Periods of stay authorised under a residence permit or a long-stay visa shall not be taken into account in the calculation of the duration of stay on the territory of the Member States."
Contrary to the definition which was in force until 18 October 2013, the new concept is more precise by setting the duration in days, instead of months. Moreover, the term "from the date of first entry" which gave rise to many uncertainties and questions (especially after a judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU from 2006 (Case 241/05 "Bot)) has been dropped from the provision.
The notion of "any", implies the application of a "moving" 180-day reference period, looking backwards at each day of the stay (be it at the entry or at the day of an actual check), into the last 180-day period, in order to verify if the 90 days / 180-day requirement continues to be fulfilled.
Among others, it means that an absence for an uninterrupted period of 90 days allows for a new stay for up to 90 days.
Stays in Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Romania, Cyprus and the United Kingdom shall not be taken into account as they are not (yet) part of the Schengen area without internal borders. At the same time, the non-EU Member States Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland belong to the Schengen area; short stays in these countries count in when assessing the compliance with the 90 days / 180-day rule.
Please note that the change does not apply to the visa waiver agreements concluded between the EU and Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Mauritius, and Seychelles where the old definition ("3 months during a 6 months period following the date of first entry") continues to apply. For citizens of these 7 third countries the calculator is not recommended to be used.
The length of stay of non-EU citizens traveling with a visa issued in accordance with the visa facilitation agreements concluded by the EU and certain third countries is to be calculated according to the new calculation method as there is reference in these agreements to "90 days per period of 180 days".
After you submit your application we strongly encourage you to use our online service provided in order to track your application online and to check whether your passport is ready for collection. It is a secure procedure that is designed to help you to better plan and save your time.
In order to track your application you need to know the application ID, which is on the Payment Receipt given to you during the submission, and the applicant's passport number.
Dear Applicants,
Protecting the health of the applicants and our employees during these testing times of the pandemic is of utmost importance. We are following the recommendations of the Health and Governmental authorities and have put in place best practices to minimize the possible exposure of applicants and employees to the coronavirus. Applicants, if they wish, can avoid a return to the VAC in London and have their passports returned via the optional courier service at an additional cost that will be kept to the minimum.
After having tracked online whether your passport is ready for collection, you can collect your passport in person at the end of the visa application process.
When the visa application has been processed on the submission day, applicant’s receipt is stapled to the extra photocopy of the passport bio data page, which applicants need to bring when collecting their passport.
Passport Collection time in London: 16:00 - 17:00 from Monday until Friday (without an appointment).
There is only Passport Collection facility in London and not in the satellite centres in Manchester and Edinburgh, where passports will be returned via Courier Delivery DX (www.dxdelivery.com) at an additional fee per passport.
When applicants are unable to collect in person themselves, they may authorise another person to collect the passport on their behalf. The authorised person will need to bring an authorisation letter signed by the applicant, the applicant’s passport photocopy with the stapled receipt and some proof of Identity (with photograph).
In case of minors, the authorised person will need to bring an authorization letter signed by the mother and the father of the minor, the minor’s passport photocopy with the stapled receipt and some proof of Identity (with photograph).
When the passport is collected, the passport photocopy with the receipt will be stamped for collection and the authorisation letter, if any, will remain with GVCW.
Upon collection of passports, applicants are advised to immediately check it the visa granted meets their intended travel schedule.
INFORMATION SHEET TO VISA HOLDERS
You have been issued a visa for the territories of the Schengen States.
As soon as you receive your short-stay visa, make sure that all the information it contains is correct.
Check the following:
- Your passport has a passport number. This number is also indicated on the visa sticker. Make sure that these numbers are the same.
- You applied for your visa for a specific period or periods. Check that your air ticket corresponds with the entry and exit dates indicated on the visa sticker.
- Check that the number of entries you applied for (one, two, or multiple) corresponds with the number of entries indicated on your visa sticker.
- Check that your name is spelled correctly.
- Do this yourself in order to avoid any problems or extra costs arising when using your visa. If you think that the information on the visa is incorrect, tell the Consular Authority immediately, so that any errors can be corrected.
How to read the visa sticker:
DURATION OF STAY.........DAYS indicates the number of days, you may stay in the Schengen area. The days should be counted from the date you enter the Schengen area (the entry stamp) to the date you exit the Schengen area (the exit stamp), i.e. both days included.
The period of time between “FROM ...UNTIL” is usually longer than the number of days printed in the “DURATION OF STAY” field. The difference in period is meant to give you flexibility to plan your entry into and exit from the Schengen area, but your stay in the Schengen area must never exceed the exact number of days in the “DURATION OF STAY ...DAYS” field. No matter how many days you have stayed in the Schengen area, you must leave no later than the date printed in the “UNTIL” field."
Controls at the border
Your short-stay visa allows you to travel to Greece and usually to other Schengen States. But it does not automatically entitle you to enter the Schengen area. So you may have to provide certain information at border or other controls. You may, for instance, have to provide information on your means of support, how long you intend to stay in Greece and in the Schengen area, and why you are visiting. In some cases, such checks may result in a refusal for the visa holder to enter Greece or the Schengen area.
It is therefore recommended that you carry with you copies of the documents which you presented when you applied for the visa (e.g. letters of invitation, travel confirmations, other documents stating the purpose of your stay). This will help to make the border control procedure easier and avoid delays at the border.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
You must keep to the period of stay allowed by your visa. Misuse and overstay may result in you being expelled and banned from obtaining a new visa for a certain period of time.
