GreeceBusiness and self-employment

Greece business visa (Schengen)

Schengen short-stay visa (type C) for business

In short

Meetings, negotiations, trade fairs and visits to Greek partners within 90 days need a Schengen C visa in the business category. You show an invitation from the Greek company and documents proving your own company or employment; paid work in Greece is not allowed.

checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen area.
Validity
Single, double or multiple entry; regular travellers with a good visa history can receive multiple-entry visas of longer validity (for Turkish citizens, a 2025 EU cascade leads from 6 months up to 5 years).
Fee
€90Standard adult Schengen fee. Children and some groups (e.g. pupils on study trips, researchers) pay less or nothing, as listed in the fee table of the Greek missions. An external service provider, where the mission uses one, adds its own service fee.
Funds required
€50 per dayReference amount set by Greece for border checks and visa decisions: EUR 50 per person per day, minimum EUR 300 for stays up to 5 days; half for minors.
Processing time
Decision normally within 15 calendar days of an admissible application; longer in individual cases that need more checks (the Visa Code allows up to 45 days).
Work
Business activities only (meetings, fairs, negotiations); no employment or paid service delivery.
Family
Each family member applies separately with their own form and fee; children can be included in one appointment.
Where to apply
At the Greek embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or the external service provider it uses.

What counts as business

Typical purposes are meetings with Greek companies, contract negotiations, trade fairs and exhibitions, inspections and short training at a business partner. Technicians sent to carry out work under a supply contract, or employees posted to deliver a service, need a national visa instead.

Business documents

Missions ask for a letter from the inviting Greek company or the fair organiser stating the purpose and dates, plus a letter from your employer. Company owners and partners add company registration and tax documents; employees add proof of employment.

If the Greek side or your employer pays the costs, the letters should say so; otherwise show personal or company bank statements.

Required documents

Identity

  • Schengen application form, completed and signed (minors: signed by both parents or the guardian).
  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond the planned exit from the Schengen area, with two blank pages; copies of earlier visas.
  • One recent ICAO-compliant photo; fingerprints are taken unless stored in the VIS within the last 59 months.

Travel

  • Return or round-trip reservation (flight, ferry or bus) and proof of accommodation for the whole stay.

Money

  • Bank statements for the last 3 months and proof of regular income; Greece expects means of EUR 50 per person per day (at least EUR 300 in total).

Work

  • Proof of your situation in your country of residence: employer letter and proof of employment for employees, business registration and tax documents for business owners, student certificate for students, pension certificate for retirees.
  • Invitation from the Greek company or fair registration, with purpose, dates and who pays the costs.
  • Letter from your employer or own company confirming the business trip; for owners the Trade Registry Gazette, tax plate and signature circular.

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay, at least EUR 30,000 cover for emergency care, hospital treatment and repatriation.

Processing and frequent travellers

Business files are decided within 15 days as a rule. Frequent business travellers with a good visa history can receive multiple-entry visas; for Turkish citizens, the 2025 EU cascade leads to multiple-entry visas of up to five years.

Refusal and appeal

Refusals are reasoned and can be appealed as indicated on the refusal form.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Find the Greek embassy or consulate responsible for your place of legal residence; Greece should be the main destination of your trip.
  2. Book an appointment with the competent Greek mission or its external service provider, choosing the category that matches business. Apply at least 15 days before travel; the Visa Code allows lodging up to six months ahead.
  3. Prepare the standard Schengen documents plus the purpose-specific papers listed by your mission; bring originals and copies.
  4. Attend in person, give fingerprints if needed and pay the EUR 90 visa fee plus any service fee.
  5. Wait for the decision (normally 15 days); the consulate may ask for more documents or an interview.
  6. Check the visa sticker as soon as you collect your passport and report any error to the consulate immediately.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install machinery for a Greek client on a business visa?

No. Delivering technical work under a contract is a service, which requires a national visa for contractual service suppliers or posted workers.

How long does a decision on a business visa take?

As a rule 15 calendar days from an admissible application; individual cases that need more checks can take longer, up to 45 days under the Visa Code.

Does a multiple-entry business visa count my days?

Yes. Even a five-year visa allows no more than 90 days in any 180-day period; the Entry/Exit System records each crossing.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Greece

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

  • Investor visa Validity: Five years, renewable for the same period while the investment continues or operates.

Study and training

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Long stay; the visa is converted into the residence permit.
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: Long stay; the card allows residence and work in Greece.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Total transfer period across the EU: up to 3 years for managers and specialists, 1 year for trainees.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Up to nine months of residence and work in any 12-month period on the E.6 permit; leave Greece for the remaining three months.
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Visa for up to 12 months; residence permit afterwards.

Family

Residence

  • Golden visa and residence by investment Maximum stay: Permanent residence right while the investment is held; the card is renewed every five years.
  • Retirement visa Validity: Under the Migration Code initial permits are, as a rule, issued for three years and renewed for the same period; the exact validity is printed on the permit.
  • Permanent residence Validity: M.1: five years, renewable for five years. M.2: ten years, then automatic conversion to M.1 if absences were limited.

Protection

Greece visa guide