Documents for a Greece visa 2026: the full list for Schengen and the national D visa

Two visas to Greece: how Schengen C differs from national D

Before gathering documents, you need to understand which visa you actually need - the whole package depends on it. There are two different channels into Greece, and they shouldn't be confused.

Category C Schengen visa- is a short-term visa for trips of up to 90 days within six months. It's used by tourists, visitors, conference attendees, property owners coming to relax. Since Greece is part of the Schengen zone, this visa allows free movement to other Schengen countries too. The document package here is standard and relatively simple.

National category D visa- is a visa for a long stay, over 90 days. This is no longer tourism, but entry with the purpose of living in Greece: under the Golden Visa, for work, study, as a financially independent person, or a retiree. The D visa is the first step toward a residence permit: after entering on it, you need to arrange a residence permit (resident card) before the visa expires. Naturally, the document requirements here are noticeably greater.

If your goal isn't to come for a couple of weeks but to stay in Greece long-term, it's more reasonable to look toward the D visa and a residence permit right away. We break down the basic visa procedure in detail in the article on how to get a Greece visa, and the general picture by type - in the guide on on Greece visas.

Documents for Schengen (visa C): the basic list 2026

Let's start with the short-term visa. The document list for a category C Greece visa in 2026 looks like this - this is exactly the basic package required by the consulate or visa center:

• International passport.Valid at least 3 months after the planned departure from Schengen, issued no more than 10 years ago, at least 2 blank pages. Plus copies of the data page and past visas.
• Visa application form.A completed and signed Schengen visa application form.
• Photographs.Two color photos 35x45 mm on a white background, taken no more than 6 months ago.
• Medical insurance.Coverage of at least 30,000 € for the whole duration of the trip and the whole Schengen territory (a separate section covers this, it's a common cause of refusal).
• Proof of accommodation.Hotel or apartment booking, or an invitation from the host, for the whole period of the trip.
• Ticket booking.Round-trip flight tickets or proof of itinerary.
• Proof of funds.A bank account statement for the last 3-6 months (roughly calculated at 50-65 € per day of stay).
• Proof of employment.An employment certificate, for entrepreneurs - registration documents, for retirees - a pension certificate.

This is the framework. A specific visa center may ask for additions, so always check the current checklist of the consulate or accredited center you're filing through.

Documents for the national D visa: what's added to the base

The national D visa is about relocation, so a whole block of documents is added to the base Schengen package, proving you're going to live there legally and with means. Besides the passport, application form, and photos, for the D visa you'll need:

• Clean criminal record certificate with an apostille.A document from the country of citizenship and countries of long-term residence, issued recently (usually no older than 3-6 months), legalized with an apostille and translated into Greek or English.
• Proof of grounds for the stay.This is the key document, which depends on your path: the contract and investment documents for the Golden Visa, an employment contract for the work visa, proof of passive income for a financially independent person, a certificate of enrollment for a student.
• Long-term medical insurance.A policy covering the entire period of stay in Greece, not just the days of a short trip.
• Proof of financial solvency.Account statements, income certificates, documents on the source of funds.
• AFM tax number.A Greek tax identifier needed for deals and arranging status (issued by the Greek tax office, including remotely through a representative by power of attorney).
• Documents on housing in Greece.A lease agreement, ownership title, or other proof of where you'll be living.

In other words, the C visa answers the question 'where are you going and for how long,' while the D visa also answers 'what money and on what grounds will you be living on.' That's exactly why the D package is thicker and takes longer to assemble.

Table: document - visa C - visa D

To make the difference clear, let's put all the main documents into one table. It's handy to check against it at the start: it shows what's in the base Schengen package and what's only in the national D visa.

The main takeaway from the table: moving from C to D isn't 'a couple of extra papers,' but a different level of preparation. A clean criminal record certificate with an apostille, proof of grounds, and AFM aren't needed at all in the Schengen package, but without them the D visa application simply won't be accepted.

Medical insurance from 30,000 €: the main stumbling block

Insurance is the document most applicants stumble on, so let's cover it separately. For the C Schengen visa the policy must meet strict requirements, and a formal 'I have insurance' doesn't work here.

Policy requirements for the C visa:

• Coverage of at least 30,000 €.This is the minimum insured amount for medical expenses and repatriation - the rule is the same across all of Schengen.
• Valid across the entire Schengen territory.The policy must cover not just Greece but any Schengen zone country, since on the C visa you can travel.
• Coverage for the whole duration of the trip.The policy's validity dates must fully cover the requested visa period, with no gaps.
• Medical expenses and repatriation.The policy must cover emergency medical care and repatriation in case of a serious situation.

For the national D visa the logic is different: you need long-term insurance covering your entire period of stay in Greece, not a short trip. This is often a policy that then transitions into full medical insurance for the duration of the residence permit.

Practical advice: don't buy the cheapest policy 'just for the checkbox.' Check that the insurance company is accredited and that the policy explicitly states the 30,000 € amount, repatriation, and the coverage area 'Schengen / all countries.' A mismatched insurance policy is one of the most common and, at the same time, most frustrating causes of refusal, because it's elementary to fix.

Proof of funds and financial solvency

The consulate wants to see that you won't end up in Greece without money. So proof of financial solvency is a mandatory part for both C and D, but the requirements differ in depth.

For the C visa it's enough to show you have money for the trip. The benchmark is around 50-65 € per day of stay (Greece, incidentally, requires less than many other Schengen countries). This is confirmed by:

• By a bank account statementfor the last 3-6 months - with the bank's stamp, not just a printout from internet banking.
• By an income certificate / from the place of workstating the salary.
• By a sponsorship letter, if the trip is paid for by another person (with proof of their funds).

For the D visa the bar is higher: you need to show not a one-off amount for the trip but stable income or capital you'll be living on. For example, for a financially independent person and retirees the benchmark is stable passive income (by various estimates, roughly from 3,500 € per month), for Golden Visa investors - proof of the legal origin of the investment funds. Here the bank and authorities look not just at the amount but the source of the money: statements for six months or more, documents on the sale of assets, business income, dividends.

Clean criminal record certificate and apostille: how not to get confused

For the national D visa, the clean criminal record certificate is a mandatory document, and it's precisely its legalization that most often causes confusion. Let's break it down step by step.

• Where to get it.The clean criminal record certificate is requested from the country of citizenship, and if you've lived in another country for more than a year, from there too.
• Freshness.The document must be issued recently: at the time of filing it's usually no older than 3-6 months (under some requirements - no more than 3 months as of the filing date at the visa center). An old certificate won't be accepted.
• Apostille.This is a stamp confirming a document's authenticity for use abroad (under the Hague Convention). The clean criminal record certificate for the D visa, as a rule, needs to be apostilled in the issuing country.
• Translation.The apostilled document is translated into Greek (or English) and certified. The translation must be official.

An important nuance: apostille requirements depend on the issuing country and the situation. Within the EU, for clean certificates citizens are sometimes not required to get an apostille, but for applicants from third countries (including Russians) an apostille and translation are standard. You can check the current legalization procedure and arrange an electronic apostille for Greek documents on the official portal gov.gr. This block is best prepared in advance: the chain 'get the certificate - apostille it - translate it - certify it' takes weeks, and meanwhile the certificate 'goes stale.'

International passport, photos, and application form: requirements down to the details

The most 'technical' documents - passport, photo, and application form - seem simple, but it's precisely their formal requirements that trip up many applicants. Precision down to the millimeter matters here.

International passport:

• Valid at least 3 months after the planned departure date from the Schengen zone.
• Issued no more than 10 years ago.
• Has at least 2 blank pages for the visa.
• Not damaged; copies of the data page and past visas are attached.

Photos:

• Size 35x45 mm, on a white background.
• Taken no more than 6 months ago.
• Face fully visible, no headwear (except religious), neutral expression.

Application form:

• For the C visa - the Schengen application form, for the D visa - the national one.
• Filled out without errors or discrepancies with other documents (trip dates, purpose, passport details must match everywhere).
• Signed by hand.

A discrepancy between the application form and the attached documents is a typical cause of additional questions and delays. Before filing it's worth putting all the dates and data into one list and checking that they match across the application form, booking, insurance, and certificates.

Proof of grounds for the D visa: Golden Visa, work, income, study

The heart of the national D visa package is the document explaining why you're going to live in Greece. Without it the D visa is impossible in principle. The grounds determine exactly which papers you attach.

• The Golden Visa (a residence permit for investment).Proof of investment in real estate or another asset: a preliminary/main contract, property documents, proof of the funds transfer. Real estate thresholds in 2026 are roughly from 250,000 € (for properties under conversion or landmark restoration), 400,000 € in most regions, and 800,000 € in premium zones (Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, large islands). This is the most popular path to a residence permit for affluent applicants.
• Work.An employment contract with a Greek employer and a work permit.
• Financially independent person / retiree (FIP).Proof of stable passive income (roughly from 3,500 € per month) - pension, dividends, rent, interest.
• Study.A certificate of enrollment at a Greek university and proof of funds for living expenses.
• Family reunification.Documents proving kinship with a resident/citizen of Greece.

If your goal is specifically to stay in Greece with the prospect of permanent residence and EU citizenship, the most predictable path is the investment one. How it works and what thresholds apply is broken down in detail in the guide on the Greece Golden Visa. This is the case where correctly assembled grounds for the D visa immediately turn into a road to a residence permit.

Translation, apostille and certification of documents

Any foreign document you submit for the D visa needs to 'speak' a language the Greek authorities understand and be legally recognized. That's what the chain 'apostille + translation + certification' handles, and this is where applicants experience the most chaos.

How this works in practice:

• Apostilleis affixed in the country that issued the document (clean criminal record certificate, education documents, marital status documents, etc.). This confirms authenticity for use abroad.
• Translationinto Greek (or English, if allowed) is done by an authorized/sworn translator or a consular service.
• Certification of the translation- the translation is officially certified, otherwise the document won't be accepted.

Timelines and procedure depend on the document type and country. Greek government documents can now be apostilled electronically - the e-Apostille service is available on the portal gov.gr. Foreign documents (for example a Russian clean criminal record certificate), on the other hand, are apostilled according to the rules of the issuing country. A mistake at this stage - for example, an uncertified translation or an apostille that's expired by the time of filing - sets the case back weeks, so it's better to plan the legalization first, not at the last moment.

Common mistakes when gathering documents and how to avoid them

Over years of practice, we've seen that refusals and delays are most often caused not by complex circumstances but by the same typical mistakes in documents. Let's break them down so you don't lose time and money.

• Incorrect insurance.A policy without explicit 30,000 € coverage, without repatriation, or not covering all of Schengen is a common cause of C visa refusal. Check the wording in the policy.
• An expired clean criminal record certificate.The document was issued too long ago or the apostille was affixed late - and by the time of filing the certificate is already 'no good.' Do the legalization last in the timeline, but plan for it in advance.
• A translation without certification.A plain translation without official certification isn't accepted. The translation must be done by an authorized translator and certified.
• Discrepancies in the application form.The trip dates, purpose, and passport details must match across all documents - in the application form, booking, insurance. Any mismatch raises questions.
• An internet-banking statement without a stamp.To prove funds you need an official statement with the bank's stamp, not a screenshot.
• Confusing C and D.Trying to 'live out' your stay in Greece on the tourist C visa is illegal and closes off the road to legal status. For residence - only the D visa.

Most of these mistakes are eliminated in advance and cost only attentiveness. What's hardest to fix is what surfaces after filing - so it's always better to check the package before the visit to the consulate.

An expert's view: how to check the package before filing

When we prepare a client for filing, we don't just gather papers - we run the whole package through a final check. We're sharing the logic you should use to check your documents too.

• Check the dates across the whole chain.The visa term, accommodation booking, tickets, insurance validity period - everything must match to the day.
• Check the insurance line by line.An amount from 30,000 €, repatriation, the 'Schengen' territory, dates covering the whole period. For the D visa - a long-term policy.
• Check how recent the certificates are.The clean criminal record certificate and financial statements mustn't be expired at the time of filing. Remember the 'shelf life' of the apostille and the certificate.
• Make sure the grounds are complete (for D).Contract, investment, income, or enrollment - the grounds document must be complete and legible, otherwise the D visa won't go through.

A properly assembled package goes through on the first try. If there are nuances - sanctions compliance for Russians, a complex source of funds, a disputed certificate-issuing country - it's better to work them out with a lawyer before filing. Current requirements and forms should always be checked on the official portal gov.gr, and we break down the filing procedure itself in the guide on how to get a Greece visa.

Visa documents for Greece for Russians: what's important to consider

For Russian citizens the procedure is generally the same, but there are a few practical points worth knowing in advance. Greece issues visas to Russians, but since 2022 checks are stricter and multi-entry visas are issued to a limited extent.

• The C visa for short trips is issued.The base package (passport, application form, photo, insurance from 30,000 €, booking, funds) is standard. But proof of the trip's purpose and finances is scrutinized more carefully, and long multi-entry visas are given less often than before.
• For residence - only the D visa.You can't live in Greece on the tourist C visa. Relocation, work, investment - that's the national D visa and a subsequent residence permit.
• The Golden Visa is available to Russians.The investment path is open, but with enhanced verification of the source of funds. Here it's critical to assemble transparent documents on the source of the money and act strictly legally, with no attempts to circumvent sanctions restrictions.
• Clean criminal record certificate and apostille.For the D visa, Russians must have an apostille and a certified translation of the certificate - mandatory.

A separate detailed breakdown of the nuances - timelines, filing specifics, typical difficulties - we keep in the article on on the Greece visa for Russians. The main rule for Russian applicants in 2026 is maximum document transparency: the cleaner and clearer the source of funds and the purpose of the trip, the higher the chance of a positive decision.

From visa to residence permit: when visa documents alone aren't enough

It's important to fix the key fork here. If you're planning to live in Greece rather than come for a vacation, gathering visa documents is only the first step. The national D visa gives the right to enter the country for a long stay, but it doesn't replace the residence permit itself: after entry you need to arrange the resident card (residence permit) before the D visa expires.

For those whose goal is to stay in Greece long-term, with the prospect of permanent residence in 5 years and then EU citizenship, the optimal scenario looks like this:

• Determine the grounds- most often this is an investment (Golden Visa) or stable income (FIP).
• Assemble the package for the D visa- with a clean criminal record certificate, an apostille, AFM, and proof of grounds.
• Enter and arrange a residence permit- apply for the resident card, which is what gives the right to live in the country.

The investment path is the most predictable here: a real estate investment immediately forms both the grounds for the D visa and the basis for a 5-year residence permit renewable for the whole family. If this is your case, it makes sense to build the strategy around the residence permit from the start, not assemble the visa 'blindly.' How the investment path works and which properties qualify is broken down in the guide on the Greece Golden Visa.