Visas to Greece: minimum processing time

The summer season has made its own adjustments to the timing of obtaining a Schengen visa to Greece.

Now you need to submit documents no later than two weeks before the planned trip, informs GreekReporter. Anatoly Garkushin, CEO of Pantheon, explains:

“Before, we also told tourists that it was necessary to lay down 14 days for a visa, but it usually took only a week to get it. Now you need to submit documents no less than two weeks in advance.”

And Vitaly Stamatov, CEO of Ambotis, confirms these deadlines and recalls that all requirements have been met:

“If the documents are drawn up correctly, then there are no refusals, they are issued stably. It happens that we fit in a week, but it’s better to serve two. Now the demand for visas has become higher, since the previously received Schengen has already ended for many.”

Meanwhile, according to experts, demand for tours to Greece is growing. Garkushin estimated this increase at about 30%, noting the particularly strong demand for island vacations. Kos, Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos are the most in demand, slightly less than Corfu. He says:

“Now people without children and those who are ready to pay dearly for the trip are resting in Greece. This is no longer a family vacation – it will be too expensive for a family, and several transplants for children, especially small ones, are also not an option.

Experts note that hotels in Greece have practically not risen in price. For example, a five-star hotel in Loutraki for two will cost from 87 thousand rubles. It’s even cheaper than a plane ticket for one.

Mostly tourists travel to Greece with connections using hubs in Belgrade, Istanbul, Dubai, Yerevan. A flight to Turkish Bodrum is also in demand, from where ferries go to the Greek islands. For example, a flight to Crete on June 30 with a return on July 8 will cost 180 thousand rubles per person on Emirates flights and 100 thousand on EgyptAir – in both cases we are talking about two connections.

With one transfer, the ticket will be even more expensive. For certain dates there are prices from 75 thousand rubles per person. But the most profitable way to get to the islands of Rhodes and Kos from Bodrum is by ferry. A flight to Bodrum costs from 45 to 60 thousand rubles, a ferry will cost about 30-50 euros.

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