Kat Reply:
September 12th, 2007 at 22:51

Is that a question or a statement? If it’s a question, the answer is in the 2nd or 3rd paragraph, depending on what kind of visa you need.

Kat Reply:
April 14th, 2008 at 06:53

As I say in the article, she must contact and go to the Greek Consulate or Greek embassy in her homeland to apply for a visa.

Kat Reply:
June 28th, 2008 at 16:24

“They are saying that I’v should left before 31-May-2008″ — Do you mean “should NOT have left?” I also don’t know what you mean by, “send my passport to be stamped from Greece.”

You are getting advice from the embassy and the municipality, and this is the right thing to do. What they say is correct. If there is a valid residence permit, you cannot get a visa. It doesn’t matter if you have it or not. And of course a friend is not allowed to pick it up for you, since you must give back the bebaiosi and sign a document saying you received the residence permit sticker or card. A lawyer can pick it up for you, but you must sign a document (dilosi) here at a Greek police station to assign them this right, then pay. As you are not in GR, I have no answers for you and I am not an attorney. This is typical Greek bureaucracy.

Kat Reply:
September 18th, 2008 at 20:54

Answers are already provided in the article. Please read it again.

Kat Reply:
October 1st, 2008 at 22:55

As I say in the article above, you need to go to the Greek embassy or consulate nearest you and apply for a visa. I am not a visa issuing authority and cannot advise you. I am simply giving you the knowledge to help yourself.

Kat Reply:
January 9th, 2009 at 22:58

There’s no way I can know why, as I don’t work for them and cannot examine your file. There are many reasons to refuse a visa, and the Greek Embassy is not obligated to give you one if you are not of Greek origin. Still, you might want to call them and ask, if you haven’t already.

Kat Reply:
February 2nd, 2009 at 07:39

Excellent question. If you or any non-EU citizen has a residence permit from Switzerland (which has a bilateral agreement with the EU) or one of the EU or EEA countries, you do not need a visa to travel to Greece or any other country in the EU or Schengen. Possession of the permit means you have already been granted permit to live legally, and are therefore entitled to rights and privileges on par with other EEA and EU residents.

Have a nice time!

Kat Reply:
February 25th, 2009 at 22:00

Bring an original long version birth certificate with apostille applied; you’ll need that to get married. The answers to your other questions are contained in, “How a non-EU citizen can move, live and work in Greece” and “Countries that enjoy visa-free entry to Greece” — both articles are listed above in the 5th question. Please read and search more carefully next time. We’ll see you over here!

Kat Reply:
March 15th, 2009 at 22:01

Visa-free travel for Mauritian citizens had not come into effect on the date of your comment, and the EU did not announce a date in the press release. However, Mauritius indeed entered the waiver program on May 29, 2009.

About your student visa, you need to ask Irish authorities about what your visa entitles you to do. Ireland and Greece are both in the EU, but each country retains its separate laws, permits and visas. You also did not provide enough information to make it possible for me to help you. Good luck.

Kat Reply:
March 16th, 2009 at 22:03

There’s no way a passport can be renewed and issued overseas by the U.S. passport authority in three days. Even with expedited handling and an extra processing fee, it takes one-two weeks minimum since this is not a life-death emergency.

Swiss airports were scheduled to end Schengen border checks on March 1, 2009, so it’s possible your boyfriend will not be checked coming into Greece, which is also in Schengen, or going out. However, I recommend you inquire at the U.S. Embassy because it is technically illegal to travel without a valid form of ID/passport. In fact, Swiss authorities should not have issued him a permit for a validity longer than his passport, i.e., they should have either forced him to renew his passport before issuing the permit, or shortened the length of the permit to match his passport.

Though you may not have the same type of ticket, Swiss Air does have economy tickets available that can be changed for 50 euros. I know this because I’ve flown with them for 9 years and have exercised this option. So “damning” them is unjustified — it’s a matter of the choice you made, rather than the airline’s availability. Have a nice trip!

Kat Reply:
August 9th, 2009 at 22:06

Hi Angel, that’s right. Because he has a permit for the UK, he is not required to get a visa to visit Greece as a tourist and can be in the entire Schengen zone for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. These answers are in the article above, but I was perfectly fine to repeat this information because you were polite and offered me valuable info in return. Have a nice trip!

Kat Reply:
September 6th, 2009 at 06:07

I have an article pertaining to visa and permits for non-EU citizens marrying in Greece, but it’s password protected due to several plagiarism incidents and commentators asking the same questions. You didn’t miss anything, and I appreciate you taking the time to look. Hopefully, it was a somewhat helpful learning experience and not a waste of time.

I hope by ‘stamp’ you mean an apostille attached to your birth certificate. You only need to have proof of one marriage announcement in Greek from a local newspaper in Greece, but you’ll need two originals of that announcement (one for City Hall, one for your files); they don’t accept photocopies.

Answers to your questions:
1) A person can only have one valid visa at a time, so the answer is ‘no.’ You’re Canadian, so you have a visa-free Schengen for 90 days in any 180-day period. If you haven’t used all 90 days in the past 180 days, you’re fine; that’s enough. If you already used all 90 days in the past 180 days, then you need to ask the Greek Consulate/Embassy what can be done.
2) Since you have intent to marry within a short time after arrival in Greece, you can absolutely have a one-way ticket because you’ll apply for your permit to stay here legally as the spouse of a Greek citizen. No one is going to ask you to show a return ticket anywhere during the process. So go ahead and save some money!

I just wanted to say thank-you so very much for your quick response! You really are a very special person!

Thank you again!

Kat Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 00:53

Hi Leigh,

I think I know the answer to this question. But this is a question for the UK Embassy/Consulate because you are seeking to enter the UK, not Greece.

Kat Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 00:35

sameh/raul – This may be difficult for you to understand, but hundreds of people seek my help every day. I run this website in my (unpaid) free time and have my own life, job, challenges to handle, so leaving multiple messages under different names (same IP address) will only cause me annoyance and make me want to ignore you.

Further, answers to most of your questions are already detailed above and in the article “How non-EU citizens can move, live and work in Greece,” also listed above. Therefore, you need to read them again. Please get used to it. If you make it to Greece, no one will help you once here.

As it says, you will be applying for a Schengen ‘D’ visa (in your case, based on family reunification with a Greek citizen), and they will ask for much more than a marriage certificate. Please go to the Greek Embassy/Greek Consulate nearest you and apply, as I say in the article. The Greek spouse must provide documents (tax statements, proof of current family status, insurance), and yes they can refuse to bring you into the country. There is nothing you can do if they say no.

Follow-up: You tell me, I “ignored you” and “thanks for nothing”? I could not help you or the other 12 people waiting for a reply for the past 10 days because of important events in my life. I did help you, and you were pushy, called me names and said that I wasn’t fast enough. Unbelievable. Read my policy in, “Comments, Questions and Contacting Me,” written two years ago. It states clearly what I can/can’t do.

The linked article indeed mentions Schengen ‘D’ in the visa section. Also, it’s true what I say that you cannot do anything if your Greek wife refuses to cooperate or cannot meet the requirements in issuing your visa and residence permit. Would you prefer that I lie? Plenty of other people will give you misinformation, if that’s what you want.

Why speculate about Greece saying no when you haven’t even applied at the Greek Consulate/Embassy? And if you’re already paying a lawyer for help, don’t you find it hypocritical that you’re asking me to help you for free, complaining about it and then giving the information to your lawyer who is supposed to be competent in these matters? Seems to me you should be upset with the lawyer, not me.

Thank you for your rude and ungrateful behavior. It’s people like you who make it difficult to justify staying up until 2 a.m. in the morning to help strangers I don’t know.

Please refer future questions to your lawyer, since that is why you are paying him. Your wife is also a Greek citizen and speaks Greek, so she should get used to making calls and helping you, starting now. I did everything myself without being Greek or speaking it; you should too.

Goodbye and good luck.

Kat Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 00:47

Αγγελος –

The Greek Consulate/Embassy has the right to request proof of economic support before a visa is issued, both in cases of travelers and potential residents of Greece. See Dubai Billy’s story in “Non-EU travelers need 50 euros a day.”

When a non-EU citizen wants to marry and come to live in Greece with a Greek citizen without having significant funds/assets of her own, Greece will ask that the Greek citizen produce proof of income for both himself and his spouse because the spouse will be unemployed and therefore dependent. The minimum annual salary is 8,500 euros + 1,275 euros for each dependent (unemployed spouse or child), so that’s 9,775 euros/year in your case, AND the non-EU fiancee/spouse must be added to the Greek citizen’s insurance to cover them in Greece, which also applies to you. If the Greek citizen cannot meet these requirements, the spouse will not be issued a permit and need to leave Greece. Therefore, it only makes sense that the screening process begin before issuing a visa.

Greece asks for these things because immigrants should not be a burden on Greek systems/finances. Many countries have these requirements, not only Greece. Marriage to a Greek is not enough.

Kat Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 23:10

You did not provide enough information for me to help you. However, please see, “I had a visa for Greece, and now I want another. Can I get one?” in the above article. This addresses your question. Thank you.

Kat Reply:
January 11th, 2010 at 21:40

Your question is already answered in the article above. Under the question: “What if I have a residence permit?” Any non-EU citizen with a residence permit from an EU/EEA/EFTA country, such as the UK, does not need a visa to visit Greece. It does not matter who you are married to.

Please read more carefully next time, or your question will be deleted per my policy.

Kat Reply:
January 22nd, 2010 at 15:36

This question is already answered above (3rd question). You cannot invite her (she needs to qualify on her own), and she needs to contact the Greek Consulate/Embassy in Moldova.

Warning to Everyone: Half of commentators have asked redundant questions. I will close the ability to leave questions/comments if laziness persists.

Kat Reply:
February 17th, 2010 at 20:34

As it says in the post: a) you need to apply at the Greek Consulate or Greek Embassy nearest you; b) having a sponsor is pointless and disclosing that you have a Greek boyfriend may work against you; c) there is no such thing as a one-year visa.

It sounds like you’re coming here to be with a boyfriend and travel, which has nothing to do with studying.
In order to get a student visa, you need to apply and be accepted to a Greek university.

Kat Reply:
April 28th, 2010 at 20:15

You can only enter Greece with a Schengen or national visa issued by a Greek Consulate or Greek Embassy. Bulgarian visas are only good for Bulgaria.

Kat Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 07:27

It’s clear you didn’t read the article:

1. It says that countries on the list need a visa for any reason. Dominican Republic is on the list. Therefore, she needs a visa for any reason.
2. It says that those connected/married to a Greek/EU citizen still need to enter with a visa if it applies. See #1.

If you’re Greek, are you aware that Greece is spelled with a ‘c’?

Kat Reply:
June 27th, 2010 at 16:37

As it says in the article, you must go to the Greek embassy or consulate nearest you and apply for a tourist visa.

Kat Reply:
July 2nd, 2010 at 19:36

As it says in the article under “Why do they refuse visas?” Greek authorities are not required to give reasons why non-Greeks are refused visas. Therefore, it’s impossible to know how to overturn the unknown.

Sure, you’re welcome.

Kat Reply:
October 8th, 2010 at 01:59

When there is no Greek consulate or embassy in your city or country, you must contact a neighboring city or country to inquire about a visa. From my research, the Greek Embassy in Beijing handles Mongolia. See http://www.grpressbeijing.com

Kat Reply:
November 7th, 2010 at 01:37

Hi Dave,

Without speaking to your friend, I can only guess what she’s doing based on what you told me. My guess is that she’s trying to get you a visa based on work, not on tourism. Why do I think that? A few reasons: a) parabolo (parabulom) — whenever a parabolo is involved, it usually signifies an official bureaucratic process in Greece; b) her employer — for a work visa, an employer in Greece is involved; c) sending a visa from Greece to the Philippines by a Greek lawyer — this is not necessary for a tourist visa.

You need to make contact with the Greek embassy and apply for a tourist visa through them. See, “Greek Embassy in Manila, Philippines” for the address, phone number and email address.

Kat Reply:
December 28th, 2010 at 18:52

You did not provide enough information for me to help you, and the answer is already in the article above.

In the first question of the article, it says you need a visa if you are a CITIZEN (not resident, not green card holder) of one of the countries listed. What citizenship/passport do you have? If your country is on the list above, you need a visa for Greece and must go to the nearest Greek embassy/consulate to apply for one.

If your country is not on the list, then you do not need a visa as explained in “Countries that enjoy visa-free travel to Greece.”

Kat Reply:
February 17th, 2011 at 02:33

‘Comments’ is approximately 85 percent questions and 15 percent discussion and contributions by readers who are nice enough to give back to the website. It’s not necessary to ask something, in fact it’s a nice change for me that you don’t.

I can understand your frustration, especially since (as you said) Turkey shares a border with Greece, and Turkey allows Greek citizens to visit visa-free. Ironically, I listened to Greek citizens criticize me and my country for 11 years before they were allowed in the U.S. visa waiver program but in that case it was due to Greece’s inability to meet rules and requirements demanded of all countries.

In Turkey’s case, I do believe some of it is political. But on the same day you left your comment, a Ta Nea article said that steps were being taken to make it easier for Turkish citizens to acquire visas to Greece more quickly and with less bureaucracy at dedicated centers opening soon. Visa-free status was not discussed.

South America is a nice destination, with better service and cheaper food and accommodation. Maybe it’s not a bad thing.

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I must go, as it’s late.

Kat Reply:
March 3rd, 2011 at 01:52

You did not provide enough information for me to give a customized answer, but all answers are already detailed above.

It doesn’t matter what UK visas he has; UK visas only pertain to the UK. Being married to you does not grant him exemptions, as I say in “If you are married to an EU citizen.” What matters is what kind of passport he has, as I say in the second sentence of the article.
— If he has an Albanian biometric passport, he may travel to Greece without a visa. Meaning, he does not need to go to the Greek embassy/consulate and apply for one.
— If he does not have an Albanian biometric passport, he must go to the Greek consulate/embassy and apply for a visa to visit Greece and his parents.
— If he has a full residence/work permit issued by the UK, he may travel to Greece with any Albanian passport in his possession without a visa as I explain in “If you have a residence/work permit.”

Kat Reply:
May 12th, 2011 at 18:27

I can’t answer your question about Turkish visas because I don’t live/work in Turkey; you could do a Google search or call the Turkish consulate/embassy nearest your residence to receive official advice.

In reference to the second question: In general, a Schengen visa entitles you to unlimited travel to all countries in the Schengen zone for the time specified in any order you like as long as it’s valid, unless restrictions are listed (i.e., number of entries, countries you cannot visit, etc.). If you don’t know what kind of visa you’ll be getting, of course there’s no way for me to know either.

Follow-up: What was the point of asking me to answer these questions if you didn’t follow the advice, then posting the same questions in a forum, only to get the same answers? If you’re not going to help yourself, let me use the time to help someone else.

Kat Reply:
August 19th, 2011 at 19:01

See, “How and where do I get a visa for Greece?” under Questions and Answers. Good luck.

Kat Reply:
September 9th, 2011 at 18:00

You didn’t provide enough information for me to assist you, and it’s fairly obvious you didn’t read the information above.

Having a sponsor will not necessarily help you get a visa, as I say in the section “I have a sponsor in Greece, does that help?” You need to qualify for a visa to Greece on your own by submitting an application, supporting documents and financial proof at the Greek embassy/consulate nearest you. Contact them now.

Kat Reply:
November 9th, 2011 at 07:48

There’s no way I (or anyone) can answer this question because the only way to know is if you apply for a visa and find out. As I say above in the section, “How long does it take to get a visa for Greece,” it depends on many factors, and these factors differ according to each visa applicant (you and your husband) and the location where you submit the application.

In general, applying for a visa two weeks in advance is not enough time. However, it may go faster than you think and, if you are set on visiting Greece, I urge you to make the application as soon as possible at the Greek embassy/consulate nearest you in UAE.

Kat Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 17:52

You didn’t provide enough information for me to help you, so all I can give you is general information, all of it already stated above in the article.

In general, all citizens from Nepal require a visa to enter Greece for any reason, as I say under “Do I need a visa for Greece?” The fact she is the wife of an EU citizen certainly helps, but it will be based on why she is coming to Greece and if she qualifies, as I say under “What if I’m married to an EU or Greek citizen?” Your citizenship is British. It’s irrelevant whether you’re of Greek origin or have a Greek surname if you do not have Greek citizenship. If you’re between the age of 19-45, that actually may work against you since you’re considered a draft evader.

As I say above under “How and where to get a visa for Greece,” you need to go to the Greek embassy/consulate nearest your current residence and apply for a visa. They determine what visa your wife qualifies for. There’s no such thing as an EU family member or spousal visa.

Kat Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 10:44

There’s no such thing as a 6-month tourist visa, so the answer is ‘no.’ Having an invitation from a Greek is irrelevant. Contact the Greek embassy/consulate.

Kat Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 10:52

You did not provide enough information for me to help you.

If you are a citizen and passport holder of the Dominican Republic, look at the article and see if that country is on the list. Yes? You need to go to the Greek embassy/consulate nearest you and apply for a visa.

If you are a U.S. citizen and American passport holder, look at the article and see if it is on the list. No? You don’t need a visa.

Kat Reply:
March 9th, 2012 at 09:13

Your question is already answered in the section, ‘How and where do I get a visa for Greece?’ All best.

Kat Reply:
June 29th, 2012 at 11:07

Regardless of her present citizenship, I assume that your wife has an indefinite stay permit issued by UK authorities based on marriage to you or another reason if she applied for UK citizenship. This alone grants her rights to travel.

In the article above, please look at the Questions and Answers section under ‘What if I have a residence permit?’ — I explain that persons granted residency by EU/EEA member states can typically travel and stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, but you are encouraged to confirm this with the UKBA for the reasons I state.

Kat Reply:
October 2nd, 2012 at 11:10

This question is already answered. See ‘How and where do I get a visa for Greece?’ in the Questions and Answers section.

Having a boyfriend in Greece to pay expenses has nothing to do with getting a visa, in fact that may work against you.

Kat Reply:
November 30th, 2012 at 18:40

You cannot apply for a Schengen visa on arrival. It must be secured in advance at the Greek consulate/embassy nearest your residence.

Kat Reply:
December 10th, 2012 at 09:36

All travelers are required to carry valid, unexpired travel documents; and you said she already has a Bolivian passport. Therefore, I don’t understand the question.

If you meant to ask if she needs a visa, please see the last section called “What if I have a residence permit?” in the Questions and Answers section.

Kat Reply:
February 5th, 2013 at 19:37

Under the section ‘Questions and Answers’, read the entry for “What if I have a residence permit?”

Kat Reply:
February 5th, 2013 at 19:39

If your cruise is only stopping in Greece, see the section ‘Questions and Answers’ and read the entry for “What if my country is not on the list?”

If your cruise stops in other countries, you need to do further research for all of them.

Kat Reply:
February 10th, 2013 at 23:50

You quoted part of my answer in “What if I have a residence permit?” In that same section and paragraph, it says there is no way that I (or anyone) can know the permissions granted by every single permit issued by all 27 EU/EEA members and I recommend contacting the border agency, interior ministry or local Greek consulate/embassy of the relevant country to confirm.

You could start with UKBA, which is a very rich resource for citizens and residents of the UK. All best.

Kat Reply:
April 2nd, 2014 at 17:28

Greece can ask people to provide proof of funds, as described in “Non-EU travelers to Greece need 50 euros a day.”

Greece is a “results may vary” country, in that two people with identical circumstances can have completely different experiences, told different things or be charged different prices that change by the minute. Why? That’s how it is. It’s like that in Greece for everything.

It is also typical for staff at Greek embassies/consulates to discriminate against non-white persons of all nationalities, as reported by dozens of readers worldwide, including Americans, Australians and Canadians. Tourists experience the same treatment.

Therefore, and unfortunately, there is nothing I can help you with. All you can do is be patient and do what they say, or decide to abandon the process. I wish you luck.

Kat Reply:
May 15th, 2014 at 10:05

See ‘How much money will I need to show?’ in the Questions and Answers section. You may also call the Greek embassy.

You’re welcome.

Kat Reply:
December 20th, 2014 at 10:57

That’s three questions (not one), and two are already answered in the article above. In the Questions and Answers section, see ‘Do I need a visa for Greece?’ ‘Is there anything I can do to make the visa process go faster?’ and ‘What if I’m married to an EU/Greek citizen?’

Further, no reputable company can claim to issue a visa in X number of days as each case is unique. Based on first-hand experience examining cases of visas/permits over 18 years, your case raises suspicion for lots of reasons.
a) You don’t live in the same country. If you lived/married in the same country previous to being separated for good reason, then it may not be a big deal because it shows a long-term and genuine connection. If it’s anything else, it’s a red flag. Why? Visas are frequently denied if the applicant is considered a flight risk (aka, has no reason to return home to family, stable employment, income).
b) Many (not all) Russian women have been known to marry men from westernized countries for visas.
c) She didn’t apply for the visa herself.
d) The name change.
All of these will delay the visa process or stop it from moving forward.

Good luck.