Greece Renews Easy-Entry Visa Scheme for Turkish Visitors

Charlie Visa on Arrival Systems 7 April 2025 | Updated On April 15, 2025 | 0

Turkish tourists will be able to keep enjoying Greece’s fast-track visa-on-arrival program for another year until April 2026.

This special scheme allows Turkish citizens to visit 12 Greek islands without going through the full Schengen visa process. Instead, they can get a short-stay visa (from one to seven days) directly at the port of entry.

The European Commission approved the extension starting from April 1, 2025, noting that the program has helped strengthen ties between Greece and Türkiye.

Third-country nationals not part of this program need a Schengen Visa to visit Greece. Before starting a visa application, or getting a flight to Greece, make sure to check whether you need a visa to Greece or not.

Which Greek Islands Are Included?

The program started with just five islands but has since expanded to include several more.

Turkish visitors can use the visa-on-arrival scheme to travel to these islands:

Kalymnos
Kastellorizo
Kos
Lesbos (Lesvos)
Leros
Limnos
Rhodes
Samos
Symi
Chios (Hios)
Patmos
Samothrace

Since Greece is part of the Schengen Area, travellers who are not EU/EEA citizens and whose countries don’t have a visa agreement with Greece will likely need a Schengen Visa for short visits. If you need assistance with your Schengen Visa application, contact IaM.

Over 100,000 Visas Issued in Just a Few Months

The program first began on April 1, 2024, after a deal between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The scheme has been a big success. Since then, over 100,000 visas have been issued to Turkish tourists.

During the peak summer season, around 400,000 Turkish travellers visited the Greek islands. In just three islands of the Northeast Aegean, over 54,000 visas were given out by the end of August 2024.

In 2024, more than 1.15 million Turkish tourists travelled to the Greek islands—a 93% increase compared to the year before. Many locals in Türkiye have commented that the surge is helping boost Greece’s tourism industry.

Greek Minister of Shipping Christos Stylianidis emphasised the strong connection between the two countries, especially in the maritime sector, saying, “We are not just neighbors—we are partners.”

Many now support making the program permanent, as it has played a key role in boosting tourism to the islands. However, experts warn that better infrastructure is needed to ensure a smooth experience for travellers using the fast-track visa.

Do you have plans to visit Greece? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

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