Greek Consulate NYC, New York – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Greece Schengen Visa

Why not join millions of other visitors to the fascinating land of Greece? With its interesting history that dates back to ancient times, it will captivate you from the moment you arrive. With majestic mountains, wine valleys, and olive groves for exploring, sparkling white beaches for lazy days on any of its beautiful islands, and charming blue and white villages to witness, it’s not surprising that Greece is one of the most popular destinations and Schengen countries in the world. In this article learn more about how to apply for Greece Visa at the Greek consulate in NYC, New York, Greece visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Greek visa application center and Greek Visa Application Process at the NYC, New York consulate.

Schengen Visa

In 2017, 1,029,564 applications for Greek Schengen visas were received worldwide. Of these, there was a 3.88% rejection rate. The Greek consulate in New York issued 1,721 visas out of 1,734 applications received.

Applying for Schengen Visa from the United States

If you are a non-US citizen and you live in the US on a permanent basis, you must apply for a visa in order to enter Greece.

First of all, you have to make sure you apply at the right Greek embassy and consulate. The Consulate General of Greece in New York deals with applications from residents of the following areas:

– Connecticut

– New Jersey

– New York

– Pennsylvania

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Greek Consulate in NYC, New York

There are two types of visas available from the Greek consulate in New York. The one you should apply for will depend on how long you are planning to stay in Greece

1. Up to 90 days – Schengen visa
2. Over 90 days – National visa

Schengen visas available will depend on why you wish to travel to Germany:

1. Tourism
2. Business
3. Visiting family/friends
4. Cultural
5. Sports
6. Official visit
7. Medical reasons
8. Study
9. Transit
10. Airport transit

National visas can be for:

1. Family reunion
2. Employment purposes
3. Studies, research, practical training, vocational training
4. Company staff
5. Independent financial activity/investment
6. Accreditation

You must ensure that you apply for the correct one to avoid your application being refused. It’s a good idea to read the information on the consulate’s website before you start.

All of these types of visa are offered as: 

1. Single entry – 1 entry during 90 days
2. Double entry – 2 entries during the 90 days
3. Multiple entry – No limit to entries during the 90 days

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Greece in New York  

You can apply for your Greek Schengen visa anytime from 15 days up to 3 months prior to your intended departure date. Processing times are around 10 to 15 days but could take up to 60 days depending on your nationality and the type of visa you wish to apply for. The date a decision will be reached will be given once you have submitted your application to the consulate. To be on the safe side, apply well in advance of when you need the visa.

To make the application process as easy as possible, follow these 4 straightforward steps.

Step 1: Make an appointment online

You should schedule your appointment as early as possible, particularly during the peak season which is from May to September. You cannot make an appointment by email or phone. You must use the consulate’s online system to do this.

First, go to the consulate’s website and click on “Announcement: Consulate General of New York: e-Appointment service system”:

Click on “number 5 – Visa Station 1 or Visa Station 2”

On the next screen, click on “sign in”:

If you do not have the sign in details, you must create a new account:

Go ahead and input your email address, password, name, telephone number, and address.

You’ll receive an email to confirm the account. Once you have done this, you can sign in and you will be able to make an appointment for the day and time that is convenient for you.

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Step 2: Preparing your documents

This step is vitally important. If you don’t have all the required paperwork to submit to the consulate you will run the risk of your application being rejected. Check the consulate’s website for everything you need to present. Please be aware that you must provide originals AND photocopies.

The list of documents can include:

1) Visa application form completed and signed

2) Passport with at least 2 blank pages, issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the intended departure date

3) A recent photograph

4) A valid Alien Resident Card or a visa to the US (except B1/B2)

5) Proof of financial sufficiency – W-2 tax forms for the last 2 years

6) Reference letter from employer stating position and salary (employees)

7) Bank letter stating company is in good standing (self-employed)

8) Valid I-20/letter from university/school confirming good standing, major, and expected graduation date (students with F1 visas)

9) Hotel reservations or proof of participation in group travel

10) Letter of invitation if visiting family/friends (notarized in Greece)

11) Letter from inviting company

12) Travel medical insurance with minimum cover of €30,000 for hospitalization, emergency medical care, and repatriation

13) Criminal record certificate issued by the foreign authorities

14) Medical certificate

15) Confirmed roundtrip flight/travel reservations and full itinerary

16) Bank and credit card statements for the last 3 months

17) EU national passport/evidence of family ties

18) Address details in Germany

19) Marriage/birth certificate

20) University degree/scholarship evidence

21) Rental agreement

22) Intention letter

23) Spouse’s bank statements/working certificate

24) Parental consent and/or financial responsibility agreement/parent’s passport (s) (minors)

It is your responsibility to check what you need depending on your reason for wanting to go to Greece. The consulate’s website has a lot of information which you should check out.

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 3: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment there are a few things to remember:

1. Arrive early
2. Have all your paperwork ready and on your person
3. Dress smartly

Arrive a few minutes early in order to prepare yourself for the appointment. You can check you have everything with you and have in mind answers to any questions you may be asked. It’s also a good idea to dress smartly in order to make a good impression. Every little thing helps!

When you submit your paperwork, the visa official is within their rights to ask you additional questions if they want to confirm any of the information you have stated.

Typical visa interview questions could be:

1. Is this your first trip to Greece or the Schengen area?
2. How will you pay for it?
3. How do we know you will come back to the US?
4. Are you meeting friends or family there?
5. Where do you live in the US?

Answer the questions honestly and be confident and make the official know that you are a genuine person who has honest reasons for wanting the visa.

Your fingerprints will be taken unless you have provided this data within the last 59 months and it is stored on the Visa Information System (VIS).

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

In addition, you’ll have to pay the relevant Schengen visa fee:

Schengen Visa Fee

Step 4: Receive your visa

When the decision about your visa application has been made, you will receive your passport back by mail. You must check that there are no errors with your new visa. If there are you must notify the consulate immediately because they are not responsible for any problems that you may incur when you try to enter Greece.

Schengen visa applications sometimes get rejected for any number of reasons:

1. Passport not valid for 3 months after the date
2. Not all paperwork has been submitted
3. The wrong type of visa has been applied for
4. Reason for the trip cannot be confirmed
5. Financial means cannot be confirmed
6. Invalid travel insurance

To prevent any of these rejection reasons, make sure your paperwork is in order, up to date, and you have everything that the consulate requires. Make sure all the details of your trip can be confirmed by either, producing the paperwork, and/or answering any extra questions to the satisfaction of the visa official. First and foremost, make sure you apply for the correct visa.

Contact detail for the Greek Consulate in NYC, New York

Address: 69 East 79^th Street, New York, NY 10075

Email: visa.nyc@mfa.gr

Phone: +12129885500 ext. 510

Fax: +12127348492

Hours: Monday to Friday, 09.00 am – 14.30 pm

Conclusion

There are 4 easy steps to apply for your Greek Schengen visa:

1. Make your appointment online
2. Get your paperwork ready
3. Attend your appointment
4. Receive your visa

Once you get to step 3, you only have to wait a short time to get a decision. Hopefully, you’ll get your visa and you can turn your attention to the best bit of the process – packing for your upcoming trip to Greece!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa and much more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.