{"id":608,"date":"2025-12-04T09:05:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T09:05:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/?post_type=service&p=608"},"modified":"2026-03-09T09:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T09:05:15","slug":"what-is-a-schengen-visa","status":"publish","type":"service","link":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/services\/visas\/schengen-visas\/what-is-a-schengen-visa\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Schengen Visa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is a Schengen Visa?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visa is an authorization issued by one of the member states of the Schengen area with a view to transit through or an intended stay in the territory of the member states for a duration of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A uniform Schengen visa allows the holder a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, and it is valid within the territory of the following countries:
Greece, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland<\/strong>\u00a0(Schengen Area<\/a> <\/path><\/svg><\/span>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To calculate the length of your stay in the Schengen Area, click\u00a0here<\/a> <\/path><\/svg><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who needs a Schengen visa?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you need a Schengen visa depends on your nationality. See the list<\/a> of countries the nationals of which need or do not require a Schengen visa for a stay of up to 90-days in the Schengen area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airport Transit Visa (ATV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nationals of certain third countries may also need an airport transit visa (ATV) when they are to change planes at an airport of a Schengen member state. See the common list<\/a> and the national list of countries<\/a> whose nationals require an ATV. See also the exemptions<\/a> from the ATV requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior Consultation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Schengen member state may require the central authorities of other member states to consult its central authorities during the examination of applications lodged by nationals of specific third countries. This consultation process can take up to seven days. Thus, visa applicants must bear this in mind when they lodge their visa applications. See the list<\/a> of countries for which consultation is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family members of EU\/EEA & Swiss citizens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are a family member<\/a> of a citizen of a member state of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, you may be eligible
\u2022 for priority service when you lodge a visa application,
\u2022 to apply directly at the Consulate,
\u2022 to submit fewer documents and
\u2022 for waiving of the visa fee,
provided you can respond in the affirmative to all the following questions:
A) Is there a citizen of the EU who exercises the right of free movement and from whom the visa applicant derives any rights?
B) Does the visa applicant come under the definition of family member?
C) Is the visa applicant accompanying or going to meet the EU citizen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rights deriving from the issued visa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mere possession of an entry visa does not automatically confer the holder the right to enter the Schengen area. The border control authorities or other competent authorities can check the purpose of the journey and whether entry conditions are met. During their entry into Greece, citizens of third countries must be able to show that they have the necessary financial resources for their stay. For information, click here<\/a>. These checks may result in the visa holder not being allowed to enter the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refusal of visa application<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the visa application is refused, the consular authority will notify you in writing of the reasons for refusal. The refusal of a visa application is an individual administrative act that you can appeal. The form notifying you of the refusal of your application contains the necessary information on how you can appeal the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important Notice:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of February 28, 2022, by an E.U. Council decision (6622\/22\/25-02-2022), the E.U. \u2013 Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement (VFA) was partially suspended for certain categories of Russian Federation citizens when they apply for a Schengen visa. In particular:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. Visa exemption has been waived from all diplomatic passport holders, thus all of them should apply for a visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Applicants, enumerated below, are required to (i) pay a full visa fee (80 Euro) and (ii) submit in full all necessary documents in accordance with the Visa Code (the relevant provision, as for required attachments to their applications, of the VFA was waived too):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the Russian Federation's official delegations who, following an official invitation addressed to the Russian Federation, are to participate in official meetings, consultations, negotiations or exchange programmes, as well as in events held in the territory of one of the Member States by intergovernmental organizations {Article 4 (1), point (a) & Article 5 (2), point (a)};<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of national and regional Governments and Parliaments, as well as members Russian Federation\u2019s Constitutional and Supreme Courts {Article 5 (1), point (a)};<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Business applicants and representatives of business organizations {Article 4 (1), point (b)};<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citizens of the Russian Federation or the Member States holding valid diplomatic passports;<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":607,"menu_order":0,"template":"template-post-with-index.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"service_icon":""},"service-category":[48,51,52,53,54,56,58,59,60],"class_list":["post-608","service","type-service","status-publish","hentry","service-category-sf-services","service-category-atlanta-services","service-category-boston-services","service-category-la-services","service-category-ny-services","service-category-washington-services","service-category-chicago-services","service-category-tampa-services","service-category-houston-services"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service\/608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/service"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service\/607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"service-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mfa.gr\/usa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/service-category?post=608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}