Schengen Airport Transit Visa (ATV) Verified 2026-04-30Airport Transit Visa (Schengen ATV)
Schengen Airport Transit Visa applies only to nationals of 13 specific countries. Indian citizens do NOT need an ATV for Greece. Informational guide.
- Processing time
- About 15 days
- after you submit
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Greece visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Indian citizens do not require a Schengen Airport Transit Visa.
Greece — Apply via GVCW (NOT VFS Global)
Greece uses Global Visa Centre World — a different operator from VFS. Embassy of Greece, New Delhi processes every application.
One Greece Schengen visa unlocks all 29 Schengen countries during validity. As a full Schengen member, the visa standards mirror EU rules — but the application route is unique to Greece in India: only GVCW handles submissions, and only the Embassy in New Delhi decides outcomes.
GVCW (not VFS)
Greece partners with Global Visa Centre World — separate from the VFS network most Indians know.
Embassy New Delhi only
All decisions made at Embassy of Greece, Consular Section, New Delhi. Non-Delhi GVCW centres add ~5 days transit.
Approved insurance only
Travel insurance MUST be from a Greek-Embassy-approved Indian insurer (rule since 01/10/2013).
Photo size note: Greece needs 3.5 × 4 cm (35×40mm) — slightly different from the typical Schengen 35×45mm. Use a Greek-spec photo to avoid rejection.
Processing
Up to 15 working days at the Embassy of Greece
Stay Duration
Transit only
Starting Fee
₹9,760
Apply At
11 VFS centres
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Greece visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1Applies ONLY to nationals of 13 listed countries. Indian nationals are NOT in this list.
- 2ATV does NOT permit entry into Schengen territory.
Who Can Apply
- Nationals of: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran (with diplomatic exemption), Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Turkey
- ATV NOT required for holders of EU/EEA, Andorran, Monégasque, Canadian, Japanese, San Marino, or US residence permits
Not eligible under this visa:
- Indian passport holders — ATV is NOT required
- Anyone wishing to leave the airport's international transit area — apply for Type C Tourist instead
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Greece / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Schengen Short-Stay visa fee — adult (Type C, 1–90 days) | ₹9,760 |
| Schengen visa fee — child (6–12 years) | ₹4,880 |
| GVCW service fee | Confirm at submission |
Visa fees in INR follow the current exchange rate set by the Greek Embassy and may change without notice. Visa and service fees are non-refundable if the application is refused. Diplomatic passport holders are exempt from the visa fee. Insurance, courier, and other GVCW value-added services are charged separately at submission.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Greece actually requires — and what it does not.
Greece applies the Schengen rules, so travel insurance is not a nice-to-have — it is a legal condition of the visa.
2 of 4 are compulsory for Greece
Flight reservation
The Greece consulate wants a return itinerary with a real PNR covering your exact dates. It does not want a paid ticket, and buying one before a decision puts your money at risk for nothing.
Where people slip: Flying into one city and out of another with nothing showing how you travel between them. Officers read the whole route, and an unexplained gap reads as a plan that does not hold together.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Accommodation for EVERY night of the stay. Not most nights — every one. A gap is a documented refusal ground under the Schengen code.
Where people slip: Free-cancellation bookings are accepted, but if the entire file is free-cancellation the officer sees a trip nobody has committed to. Some of it should be real spend.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen state, including repatriation and emergency medical evacuation, for the full period of stay. Regulation (EC) 810/2009 — this is law, not preference.
Where people slip: Buying cover for the adults and forgetting the children. Every traveller needs their own EUR 30,000, infants included — a real refusal we have seen on a family of four.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
A day-by-day plan matching your flights, your hotels and the country you applied to. Greece must be your main destination or your first point of entry, or you are at the wrong consulate.
Where people slip: Spending more nights in another Schengen country than in Greece. That gets a file rejected before it is even assessed.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Greece file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Personal Documents
6 items- Schengen Visa Application FormRequired
Fully completed and signed by the applicant.
- Valid passportRequired
Validity exceeding by 3 months the end date of the visa. At least 2 blank pages. Issued within the previous 10 years.
- Clear photocopy of 1st (bio data) and last page of passport + all visa stampsRequired
- Previous passport (if applicable)
- 1 recent passport-size photograph (3.5 x 4 cm)Required
Color, white background, facing forward, ICAO specifications. Note: 35x40mm — slightly different from typical Schengen 35x45mm.
- Cover letter explaining details of visitRequired
Transit-Specific Documents
2 items- Visa or other entry permit for the third-country destinationRequired
- Documents related to onward journey to final destinationRequired
Financial Documents
6 items- Original private bank statement — last 3 monthsRequired
Duly stamped and signed by the bank.
- Indian ITR for last 2 assessment yearsRequired
Acknowledgement receipts.
- If employed — Last 3 months payslips + employment contract + employer's leave-approval letter
- If self-employed — Certificate of company registration
- If sponsored — Sponsor's national-form proof of accommodation/sponsorship + sponsor's bank/work/ITR
- If retired — Pension statements last 3 months + property/business income proof
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
8 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Confirm Greece is your main Schengen destination
If your itinerary spends most time (or has its main purpose) in Greece, apply with Greece. If splitting time equally between Schengen states, apply through the country of first entry.
- 02
Fill the Schengen visa application form
Download from https://greece.gvcworld.eu/en/apply, complete fully, and sign.
- 03
Gather all required documents
Use the document checklist for your specific category. All financial documents must be ORIGINALS, stamped and signed by the issuing bank. Insurance must be from an approved Indian insurer.
- 04
Book your GVCW appointment (NOT VFS)
Visit https://greece.gvcworld.eu/en/ — Greece uses GVCW (Global Visa Centre World), not VFS Global. Choose your nearest centre.
- 05
Submit at GVCW + pay fees
Attend in person with all documents. Pay visa fee + GVCW service charge in INR (cash). Diplomatic passport holders submit at the Embassy directly, not GVCW.
- 06
GVCW forwards to Embassy of Greece, New Delhi
GVCW Delhi forwards directly to the Embassy. Non-Delhi GVCW centres first transit through GVCW Delhi (~5 extra calendar days), then to the Embassy the following day.
- 07
Wait for the decision (15–45 working days)
The Consular Authorities of Greece may call you for a personal interview. Track via GVCW website.
- 08
Collect your passport from GVCW
Once notified, collect from GVCW (or use GVCW courier-back service). Verify visa validity dates and entry type before leaving the counter.
What works
2 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Indian citizens: skip this — you don't need an ATV.
- Holders of exempt-country residence permits should carry the permit at the airport.
What kills cases
Top 2 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Applying when not from one of the 13 listed nationalities
- 2Onward visa missing
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Greece page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Airport Transit Visa (Schengen ATV) is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Every case here is different
Tell us your situation and we will tell you what can be done.
There is no honest standard answer for Greece airport transit visa (schengen atv) — the route depends on who is sponsoring you, what the employer has already started, and which region is processing it. So rather than publish generic answers that may not fit your case, we would rather read your actual situation. Send us what you have: an offer letter, an email from the employer, or just the facts as they stand. A licensed consultant will tell you straight what is possible, what is not, and what it would take.
Reviewed by Sherbir Singh Grewal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
Other Greece Visa Types
Tourist Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Apply for a Greece Tourist Visa (Schengen Type C) from India through GVCW (NOT VFS). Complete fees, document checklist, and processing guide for Indian travellers.
View guideBusiness Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Apply for a Greece Business Visa (Schengen Type C) from India through GVCW. For meetings, conferences, training, and business-related events. Apply via GVCW (not VFS).
View guideVisiting Family & Friends Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for Indians visiting family or friends in Greece. Apply via GVCW (NOT VFS). Requires relationship proof and host invitation.
View guideCultural Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for Indians attending cultural events — performances, exhibitions, religious events, film crews. Apply via GVCW (not VFS).
View guideSports Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for Indians participating in sporting events in Greece. Apply via GVCW (not VFS). Requires event invitation + entry tickets / programmes.
View guideOfficial Delegation Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for members of official delegations. Initiated via the sending authority's note verbale. Submitted directly at the Embassy, not GVCW.
View guideMedical Treatment Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for Indians travelling for medical treatment. Apply via GVCW. Requires Greek institution acceptance + pre-payment proof.
View guideShort-Term Study Visa (Schengen Short-Stay, Type C)
Greece Schengen visa for Indians attending short courses, research, or internships in Greece (≤90 days). Apply via GVCW (not VFS).
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Greece website and Embassy of Greece. Last verified 2026-04-30. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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