A Greece visa is obtained directly from the embassy in Baku, and that is both an advantage and a difficulty. The advantage is that there is no visa centre and no cost beyond the 35-euro consular fee. The difficulty is in the summer: applications for Santorini, Mykonos and Crete grow so much in April-May that the appointment at the embassy falls weeks later. This article explains how to get an appointment, the documents, the visa subtleties of an island route and the flight options from Baku to Athens.
A Greece visa: the basics
| Visa type | Schengen visa, type «C» |
| Consular fee | 35 euros, free under 12 |
| Where are the documents submitted? | The Greek embassy, Baku, in person |
| Appointment | By phone or email, from the embassy |
| Visa centre charge | None |
| Decision | 15 days, up to 30–45 days in summer |
| Direct flight | Seasonal in summer; year-round via Istanbul |
How do you get an appointment for a Greece visa?
The consular section of the Greek embassy in Baku is in the Caspian Plaza building, and the appointment is taken by telephoning the embassy or sending an email; there is no online system. On the day of the appointment the documents are submitted in person, fingerprints are taken and the fee is paid. In summer the appointment can fall 3–5 weeks later, so for a July-August trip you need to call at the beginning of April. The document list and the contacts are given on the visa page of the Greek embassy.
Documents for a Greece visa
The Greek embassy pays attention to whether the bookings and the itinerary match: writing 2 nights in Athens and 3 nights in Santorini without showing a ferry ticket between them means extra questions. On a trip to the islands the full chain — the flight, the ferry, the hotel — has to be visible in the application.
Read next: An Italy visa: VFS Global, the requirement for a full itinerary and a cheap flight with Wizz Air
The summer trap: when should you start a Greece visa?
The great majority of trips to Greece fall in June–September, and in that period the embassy extends both the appointment and the processing time. The Schengen rule allows you to apply up to 6 months before the trip. For an August trip it is normal to start in March-April, while starting in June is risky. The island hotels fill up early too and the free-cancellation bookings go quickly; November–March is the quiet and cheap season for Athens and Thessaloniki.
How do you fly from Baku to Greece?
In the summer timetable there are seasonal direct flights from Baku to Athens, while year-round people fly with Turkish Airlines and Pegasus via Istanbul and with Austrian Airlines via Vienna, and the whole journey takes 6–8 hours. Baku–Athens ticket prices rise sharply in July-August, while May and October are good both for the sea and for the price. To the islands there are domestic flights from Athens with Aegean and Olympic, or a ferry from the port of Piraeus.
Athens, Santorini and Mykonos are toured in 7–8 days in the format of a Greek islands tour, and the tour operator prepares the ferry and hotel chain in advance for the visa application.
Frequently asked questions about the Greece visa
How long does a Greece visa take?
The embassy states 15 days, and in summer it can stretch to 30–45. Together with the appointment, count on 6–8 weeks in the season.
Can you cross to the Greek islands by ferry from Turkey?
Yes, there are daily ferries from Bodrum to Kos, from Kuşadası to Samos and from Marmaris to Rhodes; a Schengen visa is required on entry, and the visa must be multiple-entry so that you can return to Turkey and cross again.
Can you enter Greece on another Schengen visa?
Yes, you can enter on a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa; a separate Greek visa is needed only when Greece is the main country of the trip.
In closing
A Greece visa is among the cheapest Schengen visas, 35 euros and no centre charge; its difficulty is the summer queue and showing the island route as a complete chain. The Viza.az team helps with getting the embassy appointment, preparing the ferry and hotel chain for the visa and planning a summer trip in good time.
You can read more about Greece as a destination and our service fees or fill in the application form.
Note: the information here is as of the publication date. Fees and the embassy’s appointment procedure can change, so check the official site once more before applying.
