Greece Schengen visa for citizens of Iraq

A Schengen visa allows citizens and residents of Iraq to visit Greece for up to 90 days, while also granting them access to 25 other European countries in the Schengen area. Because of its travel advantages and low price (see: “how much does a Greece visa cost from Iraq”), Schengen visas are highly coveted by Iraqi citizens and residents alike. Today’s blog will go over the ins and outs of applying for a short-stay Schengen visa from Iraq, including the Greece visa requirements for Iraq citizens and residents, where to apply for Greece Schengen visa in Baghdad, and how to access the Greece visa application for Iraq citizens and residents. See below for complete information on this subject: 

How to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa from Iraq

• 1. Decide when to apply 
  • Apply for the Greece visa for citizens and residents of Iraq well before you travel, so that you have time to prepare your application. In general, applicants are advised to apply no later than 30 days before leaving for Greece. However, you may wish to apply even earlier, keeping in mind that Schengen visa applications can take up to 60 days to be processed (do not however, apply earlier than six months prior to your trip). 
• 2. Select your visa type 
  • Popular Schengen visas and types for Iraq passport holders include “Medical,” “Student,” and “Visiting Family and Friends.” Choose the visa type on this list which best represents your reason for traveling to Greece.      
• 3. Select your visa entry category 
  • Single, double, and multiple: these are the available entry categories for the Greece visa for Iraqis and Iraq residents. 
  • Do you plan on traveling back and forth between Iraq and Greece throughout your visa validity period? If so, you will need a multiple-entry Schengen visa (which grants holders an unlimited number of entries and exists to the zone). 
  • If you don’t intend to leave the Schengen area until your visa is expired, you may wish to apply for a single-entry Schengen, which will allow you to enter Greece (and the Schengen area) one time, but will not enable you to return, should you seek to do so after exiting (even if you still have time left on your visa). 
  • Finally, a double-entry visa provides a medium amount of flexibility, allowing you to re-enter the zone one time after exiting (double-entry visa holders should keep in mind, however, that a third re-entry to the zone is prohibited in the event that it is attempted).   
• 4. Select “Greece” as your primary destination 
  • To apply for a Greek Schengen visa from Iraq, you must select Greece as your primary destination in the Schengen area. By selecting Greece as your primary destination on your visa application, you are indicating that, out of the 26 Schengen countries, Greece is where you intend to spend the most time post-entry. 
  • For those spending an equal number of days in Greece and in other Schengen countries; you should only select Greece if it is your first point of entry in the Schengen area. For example, if you are spending 45 days in both Greece and France, you should select Greece as your primary destination in the zone if you are flying directly from Baghdad to Athens (even if you ultimately will spend the same number of days in Paris).  
• 5. Decide where to apply in Iraq 
  • If you are applying for a Greek Schengen visa in Iraq, you should submit your application through either the Greek Embassy in Baghdad or the Greek Consulate General in Erbil. 
• 6. Assemble your required documents
  • To apply for the Greece visa for citizens and residents of Iraq, assemble the following basic required documents: 
    • Iraqi passport (or other valid country passport) 
    • Two passport size photos
    • Proof of having obtained travel medical insurance to Greece 
    • Evidence of accommodation 
    • Evidence that you can financially afford your trip 
    • Evidence that you will ultimately return to Iraq (i.e. leave the Schengen area prior to your visa expiring) 
  • A complete Greek Schengen visa application also includes, in addition to the above basic documents, supplemental materials relating to the specific type of visa the applicant is pursuing. For example, if you are applying for a “Visiting Family and Friends” Schengen visa, you will also have to provide an invitation letter (from the person you are visiting in Greece) among other supplemental documents relevant to your visa type. A more thorough list of Schengen visa requirements is available here.
  • Please note that Greek Schengen visa applications and all relevant required and supplemental documents must be completed in English (or include a translation into English) from Arabic. For more information on language requirements for submitted documents, please contact us here.
• 7. Complete your basic application form 
  • The main component of the Schengen visa application is the basic form, which  applicants for all Schengen visas and types for Iraq passport holders must fill out and submit (in paper form) at their visa appointment. 
  • The Greece visa application for Iraq citizens and residents is the universal Schengen visa form, which can be downloaded from here.
  • Once you print out the above form, sign and submit it (along with the rest of your application materials) at your upcoming visa appointment. 
• 8. Schedule your visa appointment
  • When you apply for a Greece Schengen visa from Iraq, you will be asked to attend a visa appointment, which must be scheduled in advance (i.e. you cannot simply show up at your application destination without first making an appointment). Your visa appointment  is where you will finalize your application. 
  • Your visa appointment will be conducted at either the Greek Embassy in Baghdad or the Greek Consulate in Erbil (whichever location you are applying through). Contact us to help you on how to proceed with scheduling your appointment. 
• 9. Attend your visa appointment 
  • The in-person Greece visa requirements for Iraq citizens and residents typically include some or all of the following: 
    • Submission of paper copy of Greece visa application for Iraq citizens and residents. 
    • Biometric information collection.
    • Payment of visa fee. 
    • Attendance of visa interview. 
  • “How much does a Greece visa cost from Iraq?” Most Iraqi citizens and residents are charged the equivalent of 80 EUR for a Schengen visa. However, there are exceptions to this general rule (diplomats, students, minors, and other types of travelers are typically not charged visa fees—or alternatively face reduced costs). To see whether you might be exempt from Schengen visa payments, click here. 
  • Biometric information collection = the submission of an applicant’s fingerprints and photos (for security reasons) into the Schengen visa information system (VIS). 
• 10. Await your decision 
  • If your Schengen visa application is accepted, you will be invited to collect your passport (containing your new Schengen visa) via email. Once you do, you are free to proceed with your trip to Greece. 
  • Rejected applicants for the Greece visa for Iraqis and Iraq residents are invited to appeal their rejection by following these general guidelines.