As the number of applications for Greek Schengen visas continues to rise, Greek authorities have announced plans to issue over 200,000 visas to Turkish nationals in 2025. This increase in visa allocations comes as tourism between the two countries continues to soar, with 2025 projected to set new records for visitor arrivals in Greece.
Konstantinos Kutras, the Greek Consul General in Istanbul, confirmed the new initiative and stated that the number of visa applications from Turkey has been steadily increasing each year. In 2023, the Greek consulate in Istanbul received 152,778 applications, making it the largest consulate in Türkiye and the most popular choice for Turkish citizens seeking visas to Greece. This represented 60 percent of the total 254,377 visa applications submitted to the Greek consulate in 2023.
With tourism on the rise, Greece expects to see record-breaking numbers of visitors in 2025. The country’s popularity as a prime tourist destination, especially during the summer months, continues to grow. Additionally, Greece’s appeal as a winter tourism hotspot is also gaining momentum, with more visitors choosing to explore its scenic winter destinations.
Kutras shared that a significant portion of the 200,000 visas issued in 2025 will be multi-entry visas, which will allow Turkish nationals to visit Greece multiple times without needing to reapply for a new visa each time. This move is expected to facilitate easier travel for Turkish tourists, further boosting the number of visitors traveling to Greece for both leisure and business purposes.
In 2023, Turkish nationals made up 24.1 percent of the total Schengen visa applications to Greece, with over one million Schengen applications being filed by Turkish citizens. The Greek consulate in Istanbul received the highest number of these applications, followed by the consulate in Izmir, which received 63,359 visa applications. Other consulates in Edirne and Ankara received 29,414 and 8,826 applications, respectively.
The introduction of more multi-entry visas and the increased issuance of Schengen visas is seen as a response to the growing demand for travel between Greece and Turkey. In 2024, Greece launched a special visa program that enabled Turkish nationals to travel to certain Greek ports with a €60 visa fee. This visa-on-arrival program, which allows for seven-day stays, has contributed to a surge in Turkish tourism to Greece. The program has also been viewed as a way to ease tensions between the two countries, as it offers a more accessible travel option for Turkish citizens.
Meanwhile, Greece is also seeing a rise in Turkish visitors, with many Greek tourists travelling to Türkiye. Popular destinations for Greek travellers include Istanbul, Izmir, and Bodrum, reflecting the growing cross-border tourism between the two nations.
With the launch of the new visa initiative and continued strong demand for travel to both countries, the Greek-Turkish tourism sector is set for another successful year in 2025, further strengthening the ties between the two neighbouring nations.
