Greece Visit Visa — Overview for Pakistanis
Greece is one of the most popular Schengen destinations for Pakistani tourists — offering Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Thessaloniki, the Aegean islands, and some of Europe's most celebrated Mediterranean culture. A Greece Schengen visa (Type C) allows travel across all 29 Schengen member states for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Applications from Pakistan are submitted through the Greek Embassy in Islamabad or VFS Global Pakistan. Greece applies standard Schengen scrutiny but with one important Greece-specific note: if your itinerary includes multiple Greek islands, you must provide accommodation proof for each individual island, not just the mainland. The main-destination rule applies — apply through Greece only if it is the country where you spend the most nights, or your first Schengen entry when nights are equal across countries.
The Schengen short-stay visa fee for adult applicants is EUR 90 (approximately PKR 29,200). Children aged 6–12 pay EUR 45 (approximately PKR 14,600); children under 6 are generally exempt. VAC, embassy service charges, courier fees, and optional premium services are additional — confirm the current total payable before your appointment. Standard processing is around 15 calendar days after a complete, admissible application with biometrics is submitted. Apply at least 6–8 weeks before intended travel. Your stay across the entire Schengen Area (all 29 countries combined) is limited to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period.
Required Documents
- Valid passport — valid at least 3 months beyond planned Schengen departure, minimum 2 blank pages
- Previous passports — all travel history passports
- Completed Schengen application form — signed original
- Biometric photograph — 35×45mm, white background, Schengen format
- CNIC — Pakistani national identity card
- Bank statements (3–6 months) — original bank-stamped, consistent income and balance
- Employment letter — position, salary, approved leave, and return-to-work date
- Salary slips — 3 months minimum
- Business documents if self-employed — NTN/STRN, registration, tax returns, business bank statement
- Hotel bookings — for full duration of stay, including each island or location in Greece
- Return flight reservation — confirmed or on-hold
- Schengen travel insurance — mandatory, minimum EUR 30,000 Schengen-wide
- Detailed travel itinerary — day-by-day plan with cities, islands, ferry/flight connections in Greece
- Cover letter — purpose of visit, financial situation, ties to Pakistan, and intent to return
- Invitation letter — if visiting family or friends in Greece, plus host's Greek residence proof
Common Refusal Reasons
- Missing or non-compliant travel insurance — automatic rejection; EUR 30,000 Schengen-wide is mandatory
- Weak or inconsistent bank evidence — large unexplained deposits, low balance, or income that does not match salary slips For island itineraries specifically, officers also check whether the stated accommodation includes confirmed bookings for each island separately — a vague island-hop plan without Santorini or Mykonos pre-bookings is a distinct Greek refusal pattern.
- Incomplete island accommodation proof — Greece-specific: each island stop requires its own hotel booking
- Vague or unrealistic itinerary — no day-by-day plan, no specific Greek destinations or ferry/flight connections
- Weak ties to Pakistan — no stable employment, property, or dependent family members
- Previous Schengen refusal not declared or not addressed — all Schengen refusals are stored in VIS and visible to all member state consulates
- Wrong mission application — applying to Greece when another Schengen country is the main destination
- Mismatch across form, cover letter, bank statement, and bookings — inconsistency seriously damages credibility
Applicant-Specific Strategy
A generic document checklist is not enough for a Schengen visa from Pakistan. Each profile has specific strengths and risks that must be addressed in the file:
- Employed applicants: Salary credits in your bank statement must match your employment letter and salary slips exactly. Leave approval should confirm exact travel dates, your position, salary, and return-to-work date.
- Business owners: Business registration, NTN/STRN, tax profile, business bank statement, and personal bank statement must tell a consistent financial story. A business cover letter explaining why you need to travel and why you will return to manage your business strengthens the ties argument.
- Students: Enrollment letter, student card, NOC or leave from institution, and full financial package from a sponsoring parent or guardian. Document your family ties in Pakistan clearly.
- Housewife / dependents: Sponsor income, bank statements, maintenance letter, NADRA marriage certificate or FRC, and a clear explanation of family ties remaining in Pakistan.
- Family application: Family Registration Certificate (FRC), children's school letters, consistent shared financial evidence, and a single clear travel plan for the whole group including all Greek destinations and island stops.
- Previous Schengen refusal: All Schengen refusals are recorded in the Visa Information System (VIS) and visible to every member state consulate. Declare all prior refusals and directly address the specific weakness — submitting without correction almost always produces the same outcome.
How Shaheen Visa Helps
- Initial eligibility and refusal-risk assessment based on your profile
- Personalized document checklist — tailored to your applicant type and Greek itinerary
- Bank statement review — consistency check, salary-to-balance matching, deposit explanation
- Cover letter drafting — professionally written, profile-specific, credible itinerary narrative
- Travel insurance sourcing guidance — EUR 30,000 Schengen-wide requirement confirmed
- VAC appointment preparation — correct centre, required documents, appointment process
- Previous Schengen refusal analysis and reapplication strategy
No consultant can guarantee Schengen visa approval. The final decision rests with the embassy or consulate of the member state you apply to. Our role is to ensure your genuine case is presented as clearly and completely as possible.
Processing Times
Greece Schengen visa processing is normally around 15 calendar days after a complete, admissible application with biometrics is submitted. During the peak Greek summer season (June–September) processing may take longer and island accommodation fills quickly — apply at least 6–8 weeks before intended travel. Applications can be submitted up to 6 months in advance but no earlier.
Last verified: June 2026. Always confirm current processing times before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
📋 Start with a free profile review. Send us your passport details, previous travel history, any previous Schengen visas or refusals, employment or business profile, bank statement summary, and intended travel dates. We will assess your eligibility, identify refusal risks, and explain what your specific profile needs — before you pay the Schengen visa fee. Tell us whether your itinerary includes the islands or is mainland-only — island ferry bookings, accommodation on Santorini or Mykonos, and the 90-day count across all Schengen countries all affect how we structure your file.
Official Resources
Always verify current requirements: VFS Global — Greece Visa Pakistan
Information last reviewed: June 2026. Requirements may change — always check official sources before applying.