🇬🇷 Greece Visa Guide for Indian Passport Holders

Important: Greece uses a different visa partner than other Schengen countries in this archive

If you've applied for a Schengen visa through our France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, or Portugal guides, you used VFS Global. If you've read our Spain guide, you used BLS International. Greece is different again — Greek visa applications from India are handled exclusively by Global Visa Center World (GVCW), a separate official partner confirmed directly on their own portal as "the exclusive External Service Provider of the Greek Consular Authorities in India." Don't assume your VFS Global or BLS International login works for Greece — you'll need to register separately on GVCW's own platform.

At a glance

Indian passport holders need a Schengen Short-Stay visa (Type C) to visit Greece for tourism or business — Greece is part of the Schengen Area, so this same visa also covers travel across other Schengen countries during your trip. There is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival option.

About the Schengen Area (full explanation on our France guide)

Greece is one of 29 Schengen Area countries, and a Schengen Type C visa allows a stay of up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, calculated across the whole area. See our France visa guide for the full explanation, the list of member countries, and the EU's official short-stay calculator.

Choose your purpose of travel

GVCW's own portal organises applications by specific purpose: Tourism, Business, Visiting Family or Friends, Cultural Reasons, Sports, Official, Medical Reason, Short-term Study, Airport Transit, Seafarers, and separately, Long-term (National D Visa). Select the category matching your actual purpose before starting your application, since GVCW's own guidance states staff are not permitted to advise or guide you on choosing a visa category.

Visa requirement for an Indian passport holder

A visa is required for every visit to Greece, regardless of length or purpose, since India has no visa-waiver arrangement with the Schengen Area.

Where and how to apply

• Complete the online application form on GVCW's official portal only — postal applications are not accepted.
• Print your completed application and your appointment letter, and bring both to your Visa Application Centre.
• Apply up to 6 months before your date of travel.
• Use only the official GVCW portal — the site itself explicitly warns applicants to be aware of and avoid unauthorized, fake entities claiming to facilitate the visa process at the Embassy of Greece in New Delhi, which may charge hefty fees for securing appointments and documentation.

iamravi.com is not affiliated with the Government of Greece, the Greek Consular Authorities, or Global Visa Center World. All application, payment, and biometric steps happen through the official GVCW platform — never here, and never through any third party offering to "facilitate" your application for an additional fee.

Eligibility and passport conditions

Your passport should be valid for at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, and have at least 2 blank pages — consistent with standard Schengen requirements described in our France guide.

Application steps

1. Select your purpose of travel on GVCW's official portal to see the specific document requirements for your case.
2. Complete the online application form and print it — postal applications are not accepted.
3. Schedule an appointment at the GVCW Visa Application Center for Greece; print your Appointment Letter and bring it with you.
4. Attend your appointment, submit your documents, give biometrics, and pay your visa fee.
5. Track your application through GVCW's own online tracking system.
6. Collect your passport at the GVCW Visa Application Center once processing is complete.

Forms required

The online application form, completed on GVCW's official portal and printed for submission, is the core document — GVCW does not accept postal applications.

Document checklist

GVCW's own portal provides a specific document list once you select your purpose of travel (Tourism, Business, Visiting Family or Friends, etc.) — follow the exact list generated for your category rather than a generic checklist, since requirements vary by purpose. Standard Schengen essentials common across purposes include your passport, a recent photo, travel medical insurance covering at least €30,000, and evidence of your travel plans and ties to India.

Photo and biometric requirements

A recent photo meeting standard Schengen specifications is required with your application. Fingerprints and a photo are captured in person at your GVCW appointment.

Fees

The Schengen short-stay visa fee is set at EU level, the same framework as our other Schengen-country guides in this archive. We were not able to independently confirm the exact current fee from a primary GVCW or Embassy of Greece fee-schedule source during this review. Confirm the current fee directly on the GVCW portal before applying, and pay only at the official GVCW Visa Application Centre — never to a third party.

Appointment process

Book your appointment directly through GVCW's official portal after completing your online application. Print your Appointment Letter and bring it with you — GVCW's own guidance notes that VAC closures do occur around Indian public holidays, so check current closure notices before planning your visit.

Processing information

Processing times vary by category and season; check the current estimate on GVCW's own portal for your specific case, since a single fixed figure was not confirmed from the primary sources reviewed.

Common mistakes

• Assuming Greece uses VFS Global or BLS International, like other Schengen countries in this archive — it uses Global Visa Center World (GVCW) instead.
• Using an unauthorized third-party "facilitator" claiming to secure appointments or documentation for a fee — GVCW's own site explicitly warns against this.
• Submitting a postal application — GVCW does not accept these.
• Applying without first selecting your specific purpose of travel on the portal, which determines your exact document checklist.

Official links

• Global Visa Center World — Schengen Visa from India to Greece
• GVCW — Visa Required Documents
• Common Information Sheet for Schengen Visa Applicants in India