Greece visa requirements for Turkish citizens
Turkish citizens need a visa for Greece and must apply for it before the trip at a consulate or embassy.
- Consular fee
- €90
- Minimum passport validity
- 3 months after departure
How to apply for this visa: the step-by-step process →
How long it takes and how far ahead to book →
If it's refused: grounds and how to appeal →
Last verified: 24 September 2026
How this visa is processed
Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul or Kosmos Vize centres (Istanbul, Trabzon, Bursa, Çanakkale); elsewhere in the country, the Embassy in Ankara or the Consulates General in Izmir and Edirne
Turkish citizens need a Schengen visa for Greece, but this corridor has its own route for short island trips. Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 31 March 2026 that, after talks with the European Commission, it had been approved to renew for one more year, from that date, the temporary programme that issues short-stay visas at entry points on Eastern Aegean islands to Turkish citizens and their family members. The list of islands covered and the maximum stay on that visa could not be confirmed against the official text, so check them with the ferry operator or the consulate before travelling. Any other trip requires the standard Schengen visa. Greece has its Embassy in Ankara and consulates general in Istanbul, Izmir and Edirne in Turkey. In the Istanbul jurisdiction (Istanbul, Trabzon, Bursa and Çanakkale), collection of applications and fingerprints is outsourced to Kosmos Vize, which charges a EUR 30 service fee; applicants can also book at the Consulate itself (Turnacıbaşı Sokak 22, Beyoğlu), which handles visas on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 13:00. Accredited travel agencies can lodge the application for the traveller if their fingerprints are in the VIS from the last 59 months. The decision generally comes within 15 calendar days, extendable to 30 or, in specific cases, 60. Istanbul Consulate contact: +90 212 393 8290 and visaist@mfa.gr.
Official application site →Application details verified on 24 September 2026. Sources: mfa.gr, Greece's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: the visa page of the Consulate General in Istanbul (Kosmos Vize and its EUR 30 fee, jurisdiction, address, visa hours, accredited agencies, decision periods, contact) and the Ministry spokesperson's briefing of 31 March 2026 (one-year renewal of the visa programme at entry points on Eastern Aegean islands for Turkish citizens and their family members). Checked 24 September 2026.
How many visas are refused in Turkey
In 2025, the consulates of Greece in Turkey received 310,920 short-stay Schengen visa applications and refused 33,420, 10.8 % of those decided. That is a rate lower than the average of all Schengen States worldwide, which was 14.6 %.
- Applications
- 310,920
- Refused
- 33,420
- Refusal rate
- 10.8 %
- Schengen average
- 14.6 %
This is European Commission data by consulate. It counts applications lodged in Turkey, of any nationality.
Source: European Commission, short-stay visa statistics 2025. If it's refused: grounds and how to appeal →
Verified practical details
You'll need to apply for a visa at a consulate or embassy before travelling. Here are the practical details we've verified:
Fee
€90
The €90 is the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. It is not a fee set by Greece: the same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children from the age of 6 and under 12 pay €45, and children under 6 are exempt. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee at all.
Processing time
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).
Required documents
- A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
- Documents backing up the purpose and conditions of your stay: an accommodation booking, an invitation from your host, or your travel itinerary (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(c) and Annex I)
- A return ticket, or evidence that you can pay for the journey home
How much money you need to show
€50 per person per day, with a minimum of €300 for stays of up to 5 days
Minors show half. The figure is set by Joint Ministerial Decision No 3021/22/10-f of 24 December 2007.
What each Schengen country asks for →Source: European Commission, Annex 25 to the Practical Handbook for Border Guards (reference amounts notified by each State), version of 8 June 2026. Checked on 1 November 2026.
Health insurance
Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →
When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓How long you can stay
Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.
Calculate your available Schengen days →More Greece rules
They don't depend on your passport, so they are on the Greece page:
Official portal: https://migration.gov.gr/en/. Destination data verified on 25 August 2026. Sources: migration.gov.gr/en (Ministry of Migration and Asylum); mitos.gov.gr (Greek State's National Registry of Administrative Procedures: €600/€1,200 overstay fine, legal basis Law 3386/2005 Art. 73(5), Joint Ministerial Decision 4000/2/14-ith of 2012, and Law 5038/2023); travel-europe.europa.eu/etias (ETIAS "not operational" status) (checked 25 August 2026). europa.eu/youreurope, the European Commission's page on alcohol, tobacco and excise duties (alcohol and tobacco allowances for travellers arriving from outside the EU, minimum age of 17, and Greece among the countries applying the reduced tobacco limit to land and sea travellers); europa.eu/youreurope, the European Commission's page on taking cash into and out of the EU (€10,000 declaration threshold) (checked 29 September 2026).
Insurance for the Schengen visa
The consulate asks for a policy with at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire stay. Check those terms in the policy before you pay.
See IATI's international site →IATI sells its policies according to the country you live in. Where do you live?
If your country isn't listed, try IATI's international site.
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Things to see and do in Greece
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Seeing the featured activities here needs advertising cookies. In the meantime, you can open them directly:
Browse activities on GetYourGuide →This is an affiliate link: if you buy through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
This pair in context
In the other direction, citizens of Greece can enter Turkey visa-free. See the Greece → Turkey page.
Of the 18 passports from Western Asia that VisaRadar tracks, for travel to Greece 4 enter visa-free and 14 need a visa. Same result as Turkey: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait.
With a passport from Turkey, in the rest of Southern Europe you can enter Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia visa-free; you need a visa for Andorra, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain and Vatican.
A passport from Turkey ranks 90 of 199 in the VisaRadar passport ranking and reaches 106 of 198 destinations without applying for a visa in advance.
Counts from the same requirements matrix behind this page's verdict, using the UN M49 subregions.
Frequently asked questions
Do Turkish citizens need a visa for Greece?
Yes. You must apply for the visa in advance at the relevant consulate or embassy.
How long does it take to get the entry permit?
Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).
What minimum passport validity is required?
At least 3 months of validity beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area, and issued within the previous ten years (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a)).
Do I need travel insurance to apply for the Schengen visa?
Yes, to apply for the visa: travel medical insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay, is mandatory (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).
Can I visit a Greek island without applying for a Schengen visa in advance?
A temporary programme issues short-stay visas to Turkish citizens at entry points on Eastern Aegean islands, renewed for one year from 31 March 2026. Check with the ferry operator or the consulate which islands are covered and how many days it allows before travelling.
Where do I apply for the Greek Schengen visa if I live in Istanbul?
At a Kosmos Vize centre (EUR 30 service fee) or by appointment at the Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul, which handles visas on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 13:00.
Can an agency lodge the application for me?
Yes, an accredited agency can do so in the Istanbul jurisdiction if your fingerprints were taken for a Schengen visa within the last 59 months.
How much money do Turkish passport holders need to enter Greece?
The reference amount is €50 per person per day, with a minimum of €300 for stays of up to 5 days. Minors show half. The figure is set by Joint Ministerial Decision No 3021/22/10-f of 24 December 2007.
How many Schengen visas do the consulates of Greece refuse in Turkey?
In 2025, the consulates of Greece in Turkey received 310,920 short-stay Schengen visa applications and refused 33,420, 10.8 % of those decided. That is a rate lower than the average of all Schengen States worldwide, which was 14.6 %.
What do Turkish passport holders need for the countries near Greece?
With a passport from Turkey, in the rest of Southern Europe you can enter Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia visa-free; you need a visa for Andorra, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain and Vatican.
Related pages
See Greece requirements for other passports →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.