UK and all other EU
nationals (plus those of
Norway and Iceland) need
only a valid passport
for entry to Greece; you
are no longer stamped in
on arrival or out upon
departure, and in theory
at least enjoy uniform
civil rights with Greek
citizens. US, Australian,
New Zealand, Canadian
and most non-EU
Europeans receive
mandatory entry and exit
stamps in their
passports and can stay,
as tourists, for ninety
days. Note that such
nationals arriving by
flight or boat from
another EU state may not
be stamped in routinely
at minor ports, so it's
best to make sure this
is done in order to
avoid unpleasantness on
exit.
If you are planning
to travel overland
, you should check
current visa
requirements for Hungary,
Romania and Bulgaria at
their closest consulates;
transit visas for most
of these territories are
at present issued at the
borders, though at a
higher price than if
obtained in advance at a
local consulate.
Visa extensions
If you wish to remain in
Greece for longer than
three months, as a
non-EU/EFTA national you
should officially apply
for an extension. This
can be done in the
larger cities like
Athens, Thessaloníki,
Pátra, Rhodes and
Iráklion through the
Ypiresía Allodhapón (Aliens'
Bureau); prepare
yourself for concerted
bureaucracy. In other
locations you visit the
local police station,
where the staff are apt
to be more co-operative.
Unless of Greek
descent, visitors from
non-EU countries
are currently allowed
only one six-month
extension to a tourist
visa, for which a hefty
fee is charged - up to
¬150. In theory, EU
nationals are allowed to
stay indefinitely but,
to be sure of avoiding
any problems, it's best
to get a resident visa
and (if appropriate) a
work permit. In either
case, the procedure
should be set in motion
at least four weeks
before your time runs
out. If you don't
already have a work
permit, you will be
required to present pink,
personalized bank
exchange receipts
totalling at least ¬1500
for the preceding three
months, as proof that
you are importing
sufficient funds to
support yourself without
working. Possession of
unexpired credit cards,
a Greek savings
account passbook or
travellers' cheques can
to some extent
substitute for the pink
receipts; the pages of
the passbook in
particular should be
photocopied and given to
the police.
Certain individuals
get around the law by
leaving Greece every
three months and re-entering
a few days later,
ideally via a different
frontier post, for a new,
ninety-day tourist stamp.
However, with the recent
flood of Albanian and
eastern European
refugees into the
country, all looking for
work, security and
immigration personnel
don't always look very
kindly on this practice.
If you overstay
your time and then leave
under your own power -
ie are not deported -
you'll be hit with a
huge spot fine upon
departure, effectively a
double-priced
retroactive visa
extension; no excuses
will be entertained
except perhaps a
doctor's certificate
stating you were
immobilized in hospital.
It cannot be
overemphasized just how
exigent Greek
immigration officials
often are on this issue.
Greek embassies
abroad
Australia 9
Turrana St, Yarralumla,
Canberra, ACT 2600 tel
02/6273 3011.
Britain 1a
Holland Park, London W11
3TP tel 020/7221 6467,
www.greekembassy.org.uk
.
Canada 80
Maclaren St, Ottawa, ON
K2P 0K6 tel
613/238-6271.
Ireland 1
Upper Pembroke St,
Dublin 2 tel 01/676
7254.
New Zealand
5-7 Willeston St,
Wellington tel 04/473
7775.
USA 2221
Massachusetts Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20008 tel
202/939-5800,
www.greekembassy.org
.
