Greece Visa from UK – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Greek Schengen Visa

Greece is known for its islands, like Crete and Rhodes, but there are other places in Greece that you shouldn’t miss out on. Delphi is packed with archaeological wonders and Meteora has monasteries built high up on the cliffs. Then there is Santorini with its gorgeous towns and volcano and the less touristy islands of Syros and Thassos. Wherever you go in this fabulous European country, you won’t be disappointed. In this article learn more about how to apply for Greece visa at the Greek consulate in UK, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Greece visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Greece visa application center, flight itinerary for Greece visa, hotel bookings for Greece visa, Schengen travel insurance for Greece visa application, and Greece Visa Application Process at the London, Edinburgh and Manchester embassy.

Greece Schengen Visas

In 2018, there was a total of 855,285 Greece Schengen visas applied for around the world. 42,013 (4.9%) were not issued. The Embassy of Greece in London received 6,271 applications and rejected 60 (1.0%).

Applying for a Greece Schengen Visa from the United Kingdom

If you are from any of the following countries you do NOT need to apply for a Greece Schengen visa:

If you are a citizen of any other country, you DO need to apply for a Greece Schengen visa. If you live in the United Kingdom, you can easily apply for the visa as long as you can prove you have legal residency status. If you don’t, you must apply for a Greece visa from your home country.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Greek embassy and consulate. The Embassy of Greece in London has outsourced visa applications to Global Visa Center World, so you will submit your visa application to any of their offices located in London, Manchester or Edinburgh depending on where you live. It is the embassy in London who will process your application and make the final decision about your visa.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Embassy of Greece in London

There are 2 types of visas and the one you need to apply for will depend on the length of your trip and the reason why you wish to go to Greece:

1. Short-stay Schengen visa – up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, business, visiting family or friends, cultural and educational, sports, medical reasons, studies, transit, airport transit and other
2. National visa – for stays exceeding 90 days for the purposes of employment, study, family reasons, etc. If you wish to apply for this type of visa, you will also to apply for a residence permit. Further information can be found on the embassy’s website

You can also choose the number of times you can enter Greece during the dates of your visa:

1. Single entry – 1 entry
2. Double entry – 2 entries
3. Multiple entry – Unlimited entries

Schengen Visa Application Process at Global Visa Center World/the Embassy of Greece

Visa applications are processed with 2 weeks, however, it could take as long as 3 weeks. This is due to the fact that applications for some nationalities are subject to prior consultation.

In addition, applying around Easter, summer holidays (July and August) and Christmas could take longer. This is because the embassy only processes a fixed amount of visa applications every day during these times. Processing times may also increase during Greek and UK public holidays.

Therefore, it is advisable to apply well in advance of your departure date. You may apply up to 90 days ahead, so don’t leave it too late.

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Greece visa:

Step 1: Book an appointment               

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!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:

The first thing you need to do is to book an appointment in order to submit your visa application to Global Visa Center World:

1. Go to Global Visa Center World’s website and click on: “Online services” then “Book your appointment”
2. Before you book your appointment, you will need to create a new account, so click on the link to do this
3. You will receive a confirmation email
4. Click on the link to access the online services and set up a new password
5. Log in, and choose the correct visa application center based on where you live – London, Manchester or Edinburgh
6. Then, you will be able to make a convenient appointment
7. Once you have completed an appointment online, remember to print out the confirmation because you need to take it with you to the visa application center

Step 2: Complete your application form

Go to Global Visa Center World’s website again and click on: “Online services” then “Apply for your visa”:

You will need to log into your account:

Then, you will be able to complete your application form online and submit it electronically. Make sure you make a note of the ID number and print the form because you need to take it with you to Global Visa Center World when you attend your appointment.

If you are applying for a National visa, you can find the application form here.

If you are a family member of an EU citizen, you are eligible to apply directly at the embassy. You do not need an appointment to submit your documents, but you can only apply on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12.00pm – 2.30 pm.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Each category of visa has a list of required documents and they are not all the same, so check what is required before you start to prepare your documents. You can find this information on Global Visa Center World’s website where you can download and print the checklist.

Please note, your documents should be recent (no older than 1 month) and you need originals as well as photocopies.

Documents include:

1. Visa application form. If the applicant is a minor, the application form has to be completed and signed by both parents
2. Passport with at least 2 blank pages, must be valid for at least 3 months after your return to the UK and must have been issued within the last 10 years. (Extended passport may still be valid, but if it is older than 10 years the passport is not accepted)
3. Photocopies of previous Schengen visas issued in the last 3 years (if applicable)
4. UK residence permit endorsed in your passport or issued as a biometrics card, must be valid for at least 3 months after your return to the UK
5. Passport-sized photograph – see here for photo requirements
6. Proof of current occupation for employees – employer letter with an original stamp and signature from the HR department of your company, stating how long you have been with the company and your job role OR the last 3 payslips
7. For students – letter from your university/college/school with original signature confirming attendance and addressed to the embassy
8. If self-employed – the last tax return form or a signed self-employment letter confirming what you do, and addressed to the embassy. It must have been obtained from the relevant official
9. For retirees – proof of pension income
10. Proof of funds – bank statement for the last 3 months to show that you have a minimum amount of £40.00 per day in Greece. Travelers’ checks can also be provided, but you MUST provide bank statements too
11. Details of sponsorship with a copy of your sponsor’s passport, proof of relationship, such as marriage/birth certificate (translated to English or Greek and certified by an official translator in the UK, if applicable), sponsor’s bank statement for the last 3 months and evidence that your sponsor is employed
    
12. Evidence of travel (airplane, boat, coach, hired car etc) – fully paid return flight tickets and/or driving license, car registration, car insurance (hired car) and return travel tickets (ferry or Eurotunnel). Note that Embassies in UK may require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation based on the jurisdiction you live in. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the documents for visa application.
13. Proof of accommodation – confirmed hotel/holiday home reservation including dates of travel, address of hotel etc
14. Full itinerary for each day in Greece/the Schengen area
15. Host’s cover letter (signed & dated) – confirming travel period, address and contact details of host together with the host’s passport/residence permit in Greece
16. Letter of invitation from an individual, company, or an educational facility stating the reason for the trip, the duration etc
17. Schengen Travel insurance – valid throughout the complete territory of the Schengen area and must cover the entire trip. The insurance must cover medical emergency and repatriation for at least €30,000

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 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment:

1. Arrive early – it’s a good idea to get there at least 15 – 30 minute early. If you are late, you will have to make a new appointment and this may prevent you from leaving on your planned departure date
2. Remember your documents – if you submit an incomplete application, the visa center will not accept your application and it will not be sent to the embassy for processing, so check and recheck you have everything you need. Don’t forget to photocopy everything or sign in the appropriate places
3. Dress smartly – if you want to make a good impression, don’t dress too casually

The visa officer will examine your application and supporting documents and if he/she needs to clarify anything and/or need more information, the officer will question you. All you need to do is to answer truthfully and give as much, or as little, information as required.

Typical questions include:

1. Are you traveling alone?
2. Do you know anyone in Greece or the Schengen area?
3. Are you related to anyone involved in terrorist activities?
4. What is your salary?
5. How do we know that you will return to the UK after your trip?

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

You will also pay the fee for your visa. You can pay in cash (except Manchester and Edinburgh), credit/debit card or postal order payable to Greece Visa Application Centre. Please note, Global Visa Center World also charge a service fee of £18.92. These fees will not be refunded to you, even if your application gets rejected.

You will also provide a scan of your fingerprints and a photo. This biometric data will be uploaded on the Visa Information System (VIS) and will be used by the immigration authorities.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your application, you can track its progress. Go to Global Visa Center World’s website and click on: “Online services” and “Track your application”:

Key in your application ID and date of birth. Click on: “Submit” to find out what stage your application is at:

When the embassy has reached a decision, your passport will be returned to Global Visa Center World who will contact you when it has arrived. If you have submitted your application to the London office, you can collect it from Global Visa Center World. Otherwise, your passport will be returned by Courier Delivery for which there is an additional fee of £14.95. Please note, you can only collect your passport if you have your receipt.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – you will find your Greece visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason

Common rejection reasons

1. Valid travel insurance was not provided – when you apply for your Schengen visa, you must have valid travel insurance in place
2. Your intention to leave Greece/the Schengen area could not be established – you must provide evidence that you will return to your home country. For example, proof of your professional status in the UK
3. Incorrect application form – you need to use the correct application form which can be found on the embassy’s website or Global Visa Center World’s website. Provide truthful answers, fill in all the necessary fields and don’t forget to sign it where appropriate
4. Purpose of your trip was not clear – you must provide evidence of your trip and you can do this with documents such as tour itinerary, work contract, student acceptance letter etc

Contact details for Global Visa Center World in London

Address: 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT

Phone: +0871 376 0023

Email: info.ukgr@gvc24assist.eu

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 2.00 pm (Submissions); 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm (Passport collections)

Contact details for Global Visa Center World in Manchester

Address: 50 Devonshire Street North, Manchester, M12 6JH

Phone: +0871 376 0023

Email: info.ukgr@gvc24assist.eu

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 2.30 pm (Submissions)

Contact details for Global Visa Center World in Edinburgh

Address: 1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QT

Phone: +0871 376 0023

Email: info.ukgr@gvc24assist.eu

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 2.30 pm (Submissions)

Contact details for the Embassy of Greece in London

Address: 1a Holland Park, London, W11 3TP

Phone: + 44 207 313 5601 & 5617

Email: visas.lon@mfa.gr

Conclusion

In summary, all you need to to get your Greece visa before you fly off is:

1. Book an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

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 , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

Apply Schengen Visa From UK

Apply France Visa From UK

Apply Germany Visa From UK

Apply Spain Visa From UK

Apply Italy Visa From UK

Apply Switzerland Visa From UK

Apply Netherlands Visa From UK