Indian travellers planning an Easter or summer escape to the Mediterranean just received welcome news. The Embassy of Greece in New Delhi has confirmed that all Greek Visa Application Centres (VACs) in India—temporarily closed during January’s system upgrade—re-opened on 12 February and have now resumed full Schengen-visa processing.(safariindia.com)
Under the restored procedure, applicants must first secure an appointment through the official VFS Global portal; walk-ins are no longer accepted. At the VAC, travellers need to present a completed Schengen form, passport valid for at least three months beyond return, biometrics (if not given in the past 59 months) and proof of funds and accommodation. The embassy reiterated that incomplete files will be refused at the counter, a rule aimed at cutting re-work and queue times.(safariindia.com)
Processing times return to the standard 15 calendar days, but the consulate warns that files routed for “consultation” with other Schengen states may stretch to 45 working days. Greece therefore recommends that Indians apply at least 15 working days before departure and allows filings up to six months in advance—useful for corporate travellers who must block flights early to secure competitive fares.(safariindia.com)
If you’d prefer expert help navigating these requirements, VisaHQ’s India team can manage the whole submission for you—from securing a VFS appointment to pre-checking documents and arranging courier pickup—minimising the risk of rejection and saving valuable time. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/india/
The reopening is timely: Indian arrivals to Greece rebounded to 90 % of pre-pandemic levels in 2025, driven by MICE events in Athens and destination weddings in Santorini and Crete. Travel agents say visa bottlenecks were the last remaining friction point; with centres back online, tour operators expect a 25 % surge in spring bookings. Corporates with project teams heading to Greek shipyards and energy sites also welcome the clarity, as previous appointment scarcity forced costly routings via Dubai or Colombo for quicker Schengen slots.
For mobility managers, the key takeaway is to lock appointment dates immediately and brief employees on the expanded document checklist. Organisations should also track passport return times closely if staff hold multiple overlapping travel obligations.
