The bilateral relations between Greece and the U.S. are founded on longstanding cooperation and date back to the philhellenic movement that was prevalent in Europe and America in the early 19th century, in support of the Greek people’s struggle for independence. The two countries’ common values of Freedom and Democracy along with their comradeship-in-arms during the two World Wars, as well as their membership to NATO, the OSCE and other international organizations and multilateral treaties, compose the strong foundations of Greek-U.S. strategic cooperation.

The U.S. maintains a Naval Support Activity in Souda Bay, Crete.

Following the inclusion of Greece to the Visa Waiver Program, since March 2010, Greek citizens are eligible to visit the U.S. for tourism or professional reasons without a visa. The only requirement needed for Greek citizens wishing to visit the U.S. is an application for authorization in the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) web portal.

Frequent contacts, exchanges of visits and an extensive institutional framework contribute to the positive development of bilateral relations and enhanced cooperation across a wide range of sectors, such as political, economic, commercial, business and cultural ones.

Furthermore, EU-U.S. relations within the framework of the Transatlantic Dialogue cover a wide range of political, economic and commercial issues, as well as security issues and institutionalized contacts on many levels.

During his last official trip, President Barack Obama paid a visit to Greece (15-16 November 2016), characterized as “a historical visit to the Cradle of Democracy”. The American President reiterated the American support to Greek government’s efforts to rejuvenate the economy and expressed the appreciation on behalf of the US for the generosity the Greek government and the Greek people exhibited vis-à-vis the refugee/migration crisis.

The excellent level of the Greek-American political and defense cooperation relations coupled with the strategic partnership of the two countries were asserted anew during the visit of the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the United States (Washington, Chicago, 14-18 October 2017). The Prime Minister, accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy, Digital Policy & Defense, met with US President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, IMF Chief Christine Lagarde, representatives of the Greek Diaspora, foreign and Greek-American entrepreneurs, Senate members and journalists. The meetings were focused on further strengthening the strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation between Greece and the US in all sectors and attracting foreign investments. The Prime Minister also addressed a speech to the Brookings Institute think tank.

The then Minister of Foreign Affairs N. Kotzias also paid visit to Washington (21-23 May 2018), where he had a meeting with his American counterpart M. Pompeo and the National Security Advisor J. R. Bolton. The discussions held focused on further development of the US-Greece strategic relations, the Greek vision with regards to the wider region of Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and the Balkans. Other points of the discussion were the policy of stability and initiatives undertaken by Greece, the enhancement of cooperation in the energy sector and security, as well as the development of cooperation in the cultural field. Mr. Kotzias also informed his interlocutors about the recovery trajectory of the Greek economy, which outlines a projection for a larger influx of US investment in Greece.

Within the scope of having bilateral trade and economic relations strengthened and attracting new American investments in Greece, the USA was the honored country at the 2018 Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF, 8-16 September 2018). The theme of the US participation was “Harnessing the Power of Innovation and Creativity”. On behalf of the US Administration, Minister of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce paid a visit to Greece. Whilst, major US companies had special stands and organized various events at the TIF. Among the highlights of the International Fair were the Southeast Energy Forum, chaired by the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy G. Stathakis and the round-table with Greek-American entrepreneurs, chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister T. Quick. Leading US companies in the fields of modern technology, defense, tourism, pharmaceutical industry and others had a strong presence in the Greek event. Furthermore, the SouthEast Energy Forum, presided by the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy, G. Stathakis, as well as the round table with greek-american businessmen, presided by the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, T. Quick are also side events, in parallel to the TIF.

A Strategic Dialogue between Greece and the US was held for the first time on 13 December 2018 in Washington, between the Alternate Minister for  Foreign Affairs, Mr. G. Katrougkalos and the then Assistant State Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Mr. W. Mitchell, as heads of delegations comprising of representatives from several Ministries, marking the upgrading of bilateral cooperation. The official opening of the dialogue took place during the meeting of the Alternate Minister with the US Secretary of State, Mr. M. Pompeo. The issues discussed pertain to the sectors of regional co-operation, defense and security, law enforcement and counter-terrorism, trade and investment, energy and People-to-People contacts. Also, a meeting was held with the National Security Advisor, Mr. J. Bolton. It was agreed upon that the next session of the Strategic Dialogue will take place in Greece in 2019.

For information on bilateral economic relations, you can visit the AGORA internet portal.

Office E.C.A. New York

Office E.C.A. San Francisco

Office E.C.A. Washington

Office E.C.A. Chicago

The large and flourishing Greek-American community in the U.S., predominantly  concentrated in the areas of New York, Chicago, Boston, the State of Florida, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston, is an important link  between the peoples of the two countries, whose contribution to bilateral relations is indispensable. Many Greek Americans have distinguished themselves in their fields of enterprise, including business, culture and politics.

Faculties and Programs of Greek Studies, in the fields of Philosophy, Ancient and Modern Greek Language and Culture, Classic and Byzantine studies, History of Art etc. operate in a number of prestigious American Universities, namely those of  Stanford, UCLA, Georgetown, New York, Columbia, Princeton, Yale, Illinois and others.

The cooperation between Greek and American museums is also noteworthy, honorable mentions of museum exhibitions being “The Greeks: from Agamemnon to Alexander the Great” (Chicago Field Museum of National History, National Geographic Museum Washington DC), “Heaven and Earth, Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections” (National Gallery of Art-Washington DC, Museum J. Paul Getty-Los Angeles, Art Institute of Chicagο).

Click here for information regarding the visa requirements for Greek citizens who want to travel to the USA.

Click here for information regarding visa requirements for citizens of USA who want to travel to Greece.

Embassy in Washington

Address : 2217, Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington D.C. 20008
Tel. : (001202) 9391300 
Fax : (001202) 9391324
Emergency phone: +1 202-578-3361
E-mail : 
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/

Ambassador:  Theocharis Lalakos

Consular Office in Washington

Address : 2217, Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington D.C. 20008
Tel. : (001202) 9391306  
Fax : (001202) 2342803
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/the-embassy/embassy-sections/consular-office.html

Chargé d'affaires: Christina Vasilatou

Commercial Section in Washington

Address : 2217, Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington D.C. 20008
Tel. : (001202) 9391308 
Fax : (001202) 9391324
E-mail :
Web Site

Head: Panagiotis Dermetzoglou, First Counselor

Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Address : 866 Second Avenue , 13th Floor, New York, NY 10017
Tel. : (001212) 8886900    4791300
Fax : 8884440
Emergency phone: 0016462038754
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/un

Permanent Representative : Maria Theofili

Consulate General in San Francisco

Address : 2441 Gough Street , San Francisco, CA 94123
Tel. : (001415) 7752102
Fax : 7766815
Emergency phone: 001415 8235693
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-san-francisco/

Consul General : Antonios Sgouropoulos

Commercial Section in San Francisco

Address : 2441 Gough Str., San Francisco CA 94123, USA
Tel. : (001415) 7752102
E-mail :
Web Site http://www.agora.mfa.gr/en/offices-of-economic-and-commercial-affairs/offices-by-country

Head: Dafni Vitsikounaki

Consulate General in Boston

Address : 86, Beacon Street, Boston, Ma 02108
Tel. : (001617) 5230100
Fax : (001617 5230511
Emergency phone: +1-617-523-1975
Ε-mail:
Web-Site: https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-boston/

Consul General : Stratos Efthymiou

Consulate General in Los Angeles

Address : 12424 Wilshire Blv., Suite 1170, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel. : (001310) 8265555, 8266032
Fax : 8268670
Emergency Tel:  001310 8803609
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-los-angeles/

Consul General : Evgenia Beniatoglou

Consulate General in New York

Address : 69, East 79th Street, New York 10075
Tel. : (001212) 9885500
Fax : 7348492
Emergency Tel: 001 6464693020
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-new-york/

Consul General : Konstantinos Koutras

Commercial Section in New York

Address : 866 2nd Avenue (11th floor), New York, NY 10017
Tel. : (001212) 7512404
Fax : 5932278
Emergency Tel: 0016464418772
E-mail :
Web Site

Head of Commercial Section: George Michailidis

Consulate General in Chicago

Address : 650 North St.Clair St. , Chicago, Illinois 60611
Tel. : (001312) 3353915, 3358848, 3356669    3353916-17        
Fax : 1 312 335 4744
Emergency Tel: 001-3123161469
E-mail :
Website: https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-chicago/

Consul General : Aikaterini Dimaki

Commercial Section in Chicago

Address: 650 North Saint Clair Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Telephone: 001 312 867 0464
Fax: 001 312 335 3958, 001 312 867 3824
E-mail:
Website: http://agora.mfa.gr/ta-grafeia-oikonomikon-emporikon-upotheseon/office/833

Head of Commercial Section: Yerassimos LAZARIS

Consulate General in Tampa

Address : 400 N. Tampa Street, Suite 1160 Tampa, Fl 33602
Tel. : (001813) 8650-204 
Fax : (001813) 8650-206
Emergency Tel: +1-813-690-0188
E-mail:
Website: https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-general-in-tampa/

Consul General : Dimitris Sparos

Consulate in Atlanta

Address : Tower Place 100, Suite 1670, 3340 Peachtree Rd, NE, GA30326
Tel. : (001404) 2613313, 2613391
Fax : 2622798
E-mail :
Website: https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-in-atlanta/

Consul : Emmanouil Androulakis

Consulate in Houston

Address : 2401 fountain view drive, Ste.850, Houston,TX,77057
Tel. : (001713) 8407522
Fax : 8400614
Emergency Tel: 001713 8400513
E-mail :
Web Site : https://www.mfa.gr/usa/en/consulate-in-houston/

Consul : Ioannis Stamatekos