Greece’s Express Visa Scheme for Turkish Travelers Opens for More Islands

Samos, Greece.

Greece announced this week that its newly launched fast-track visa scheme which allows Turkish nationals to travel visa-free had opened for five more islands on the list.

The program which initially opened for the Eastern Aegean Greek islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos, and Rhodes, now also includes Kalymnos, Limnos, Leros, Symi, and Kastelorizo.

The seven-day visa, issued on the spot and valid for a 12-month period, does not allow free travel to other European countries. No application is needed. The cost is 60 euros and includes passport check and fingerprints.

In efforts to facilitate the influx of travelers from Turkey, last month Greek authorities announced the opening of a visa station on Rhodes.

Greece is counting on the program to boost visitor arrivals to the islands. Indicative of the demand, in the first 10 days of April, the number of arrivals from Turkey to the first five islands tripled. For the Eid al-Fitr holiday, 20,000 Turkish travelers visited the five islands up from 5,969 a year ago: 3,800 visited Lesvos compared to 2023 and 390; 4,993 traveled to Chios up from 2,716 in the same period a year ago; 6,000 went to Rhodes up from 2,320; 2,851 to Samos, and 3,300 to Kos.

The goal, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni has said, is to extend the tourist season and support local communities.

The visa program was announced during a historic meeting in Athens between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year.