Greece is a good example of why the country name alone tells you little. From India, the Embassy in New Delhi asks for a flight reservation, the same document most Schengen states accept. From Kuwait, the Greek checklist asks for a confirmed ticket and warns you may have to prove you paid. Same country, same visa, very different flight line. This guide quotes both, explains how applications from India flow through GVCW to a single decision-maker in New Delhi, sets out the fees in rupees, and is straight with you about where a held reservation works and where it does not. For the EU-wide picture, see our Schengen visa reservation guide.
Greece visa key facts for 2026
| Item | Greek official position |
|---|---|
| Flight line (India) | "Flight reservation of return or round ticket", plus connecting transport if you visit several Schengen states.[3] |
| Flight line (Kuwait) | A confirmed return ticket with booking reference; proof of payment may be requested.[8] |
| Provider in India | GVCW (Global Visa Center World), the exclusive external service provider for Greek consular authorities in India.[6] |
| Who decides? | The Embassy of Greece, Consular Office, New Delhi, for every application lodged in India.[4] |
| Fees | €90 (INR 9,810) for a short-stay visa; GVCW lists children under 12 as free; service fee €30 payable in rupees.[4] |
| When to apply | Earliest six months before departure; latest 15 working days before it.[4] |
| Processing | Up to 15 days; up to 45 working days where other Schengen states are consulted; add 5 days outside New Delhi.[4] |
What does the Greek checklist say about flights?
The two official lists we read in October 2026 sit at opposite ends of the scale.
- Embassy of Greece, New Delhi (2026 notice published by GVCW): under "Proof of means of transport", the first item is a "Flight reservation of return or round ticket". Where you visit more than one Schengen state, the Embassy also wants proof of how you move between them, naming flights, trains or car hire.[3] For tourism it adds a travel agency certificate for an organised trip "or any other appropriate document indicating the travel plans".[3]
- Greece via VFS Global in Kuwait: "Copy of confirmed return airline/flight ticket with booking reference and confirmed hotel voucher." The note beneath reads: "Applicant may be asked to submit the proof of payment."[8]
Our honest reading: for India, a genuine held reservation answers the Embassy's request directly. For Kuwait, it may not. "Confirmed ticket" together with a possible request for proof of payment points to a purchased fare, and a held reservation cannot show payment. If you apply in Kuwait, buy a refundable ticket or ask VFS what the Embassy will accept before relying on a reservation.
Whatever you submit, call it what it is. In the cover letter the Embassy asks for, write "return flight reservation" and give the PNR. Never present a reservation as a paid ticket.
When does a held reservation fit for Greece?
| Applying from | Official words | Held reservation | What we suggest |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | "Flight reservation of return or round ticket"[3] | Fits | Book it a few days before your GVCW appointment |
| India, organised tour | Travel agency certificate or "any other appropriate document"[3] | Fits alongside the tour papers | Make flight dates match the tour itinerary |
| Kuwait | "confirmed return airline/flight ticket with booking reference"; payment proof possible[8] | May not satisfy | Refundable paid fare, or ask VFS first |
| Anywhere else | Check the local list | Depends on wording | Follow the words on your own checklist |
The Kuwait list is stricter in other ways too, which tells you something about how Greek posts treat Gulf residents. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date the visa is issued, the Kuwaiti residence permit must run six months past your Schengen exit date, and bank or salary statements cover six months rather than three.[8] If you live in another Gulf state, do not assume the Indian list applies to you; download the one for your country of residence.
We would rather you hear this from us than at the counter: a reservation is the right tool where a reservation is requested, and the wrong one where a paid ticket is.
How do Greece visa applications work in India?
Every short-stay application lodged in India is assessed by one office: the Greek Embassy's Consular Office in New Delhi. GVCW collects files and biometrics for it and has no say in the decision.[4] You can submit at a GVCW centre, or directly at the Embassy's consular office, and you may be called to New Delhi for an interview before a decision.[4]
GVCW lists centres in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Puducherry and Pune.[5] If you submit anywhere except New Delhi, GVCW says to add five extra days, because the file first travels to its New Delhi centre and reaches the Embassy the following day.[4]
GVCW also warns about unauthorised "facilitators" selling appointments. Booking online or through its call centre is free for individuals and authorised travel agents, and only its listed centres are recognised by the Embassy.[6]
Moving to Greece for longer than 90 days is a different process. GVCW's page for national (D) visas lists an "Air Ticket reservation" among the study documents, alongside medical exams and an interview at the Embassy.[11] This guide covers the short-stay (C) visa only.
What does a Greece visa cost in India?
GVCW's tourism page lists the short-stay (Type C) visa at €90, shown as INR 9,810, with minors under twelve marked "Gratis". A service fee of €30, inclusive of taxes, is charged per application on top, calculated daily at the European Central Bank rate.[4] Both are paid in rupees at the centre.
Payment method matters on the day. A May 2026 notice says centres accept cash and UPI, except New Delhi, which was taking cash only because of technical issues.[7] Carry cash to be safe. The visa fee is not refunded if the visa is refused.[3][4]
One point to watch: EU guidance charges €45 for children aged 6 to 12,[1] while GVCW lists under-12s as free. We report what GVCW publishes; confirm at the centre for your child's application.
When should you apply and book?
GVCW says you may lodge an application six months before the trip and no later than 15 working days before it. Files take up to 15 days, and up to 45 working days where other Schengen states must be consulted.[4] Working days, not calendar days, so public holidays in India and Greece stretch the timeline.
Picture a family flying to Athens on 1 June and applying in Chennai. Fifteen working days plus five transit days already reaches back to late April, before you allow for an interview call or a holiday week. We would book the Chennai slot for the second half of April at the latest, and get the reservation two or three days before it. GVCW itself urges travellers to apply early rather than late.[4]
The reservation only needs to be live when you submit; our booking page displays the hold period before checkout.
What else in the Greek file must agree with the flight?
- Insurance of at least €30,000 for the entire stay across all member states, from one of the specific Indian insurers accepted since October 2013.[3]
- Passport valid three months beyond the end of the visa, with two blank pages, issued within ten years.[3]
- Proof of lodging: hotel reservations, a holiday rental or a host's sponsorship, and lodging in each country if you travel more widely.[3] A hotel booking for visa can cover unbooked nights.
- Money: three months of stamped bank statements, two years of ITR acknowledgements, three payslips, your contract and the employer's leave approval.[3]
- Couples: the spouse's name endorsed in the passport, an MEA-apostilled marriage certificate, or an affidavit; engaged couples submit an affidavit.[3]
- Sponsors: a separate set of the sponsor's financial papers for each applicant.[3]
Children have their own rules in the 2026 notice. If one parent is not travelling, that parent's notarised consent is needed; the notice now also asks for written consent from both parents when either cannot attend on the application date or the family travels on separate dates.[3] Put every child on the same reservation as the accompanying parent, so the dates line up without explanation.
Non-Indian passport holders applying in India also need an Indian residence permit valid more than three months after the planned return to India.[4]
Is Greece your main destination?
GVCW's FAQ puts it simply: apply to the country of your main purpose or longest stay, and if stays are equal, to the country whose external border you cross first.[9] EU guidance says the same.[1]
Island-hopping trips make this easy to get wrong. Athens two nights, Santorini three, Mykonos two, then Rome four: seven nights in Greece against four in Italy, so Greece is right. If you shorten the islands to three nights and stretch Rome to five, the file belongs with Italy; see our Italy visa guide. Domestic ferries and flights inside Greece are part of your plan, so mention them in the cover letter. The legs between Greece and another Schengen state are what the Embassy's transport line expects to see.[3] A multi-city reservation shows them together. Cruises have their own guide: reservations for cruise travel.
Preparing the flight side of a Greece application
- Count nights per country to confirm Greece is correct.
- Book a GVCW appointment on its own site, allowing 15 working days plus 5 if you are outside New Delhi.
- Complete the online form on the GVCW site and print it; postal applications are not taken.[10]
- Book the return reservation close to the appointment, plus any inter-country legs.
- Verify the PNR on the airline website and match it to the form, following our step-by-step check.
- Bring a copy of every original, as the Embassy notice requires.[3]
After approval: match the ticket to the sticker
GVCW's guidance tells you to check that your air ticket fits the entry and exit dates on the visa sticker, that the number of days matches, and that your name and passport number are right.[4] This is the moment to buy real flights. If the sticker's dates are tighter than your plan, shape the trip to the sticker.
Will Greece check the booking?
The Embassy does not publish its method, and the Kuwait list shows it may ask for more than a booking reference. A real PNR opens on the airline's "Manage booking" page with the surname, so it can be looked up. Anything invented or altered would be a false document and a refusal ground under the Visa Code.[2] We never make fake or edited tickets.
Greece visa flight reservation: what people ask
Is a flight reservation accepted for a Greece visa from India?
Yes, on the Embassy's published list. Under proof of means of transport it asks for a flight reservation of a return or round ticket, plus intra-Schengen travel proof if you visit other states. A genuine held booking in your name, on the dates in your form, meets that request. Buy the real ticket after approval.
Why does the Kuwait checklist ask for a confirmed ticket?
Each Greek post writes its own list. In Kuwait, the VFS list wants the return ticket confirmed, quoting its booking reference, and warns that payment proof can be demanded. A held reservation cannot show payment, so applicants in Kuwait should buy a refundable fare or ask VFS what the Embassy accepts.
How long does a Greece visa take from India?
GVCW says applications may take up to 15 days and up to 45 working days when other Schengen states are consulted. If you apply outside New Delhi, add five days for the file to reach the Embassy. Apply no later than 15 working days before travel, and earlier in peak season.
Can I pay the Greece visa fee by UPI?
A GVCW notice from May 2026 says centres take cash and UPI, except New Delhi, which was accepting cash only because of technical issues. Fees are charged in rupees at the day's rate. Carry enough cash as a fallback, because a payment problem at the counter can cost you the slot.
Do I need ferry tickets between Greek islands?
The Embassy's transport line is about entering and leaving Schengen and moving between Schengen states. Ferries inside Greece are not named. We suggest listing them in your cover letter and itinerary so the officer can follow the route, and making sure hotel nights on each island line up with those dates.
Can someone else book my GVCW appointment for a fee?
GVCW says booking is free for individuals and authorised travel agents, and that facilitators selling appointments are neither authorised nor affiliated with it. Dealing with them can mean paying the service fee twice. Book on the GVCW site or through its call centre yourself.
Should my reservation start from India even if I fly via Dubai?
Yes. Show the full journey from your Indian city to Greece and back, including any connection. The Embassy wants a return or round trip, and your passport is expected back in India. A connection through Dubai or Doha is normal; just keep the Schengen entry and exit dates consistent with your form.
Price and booking
We set up a real booking in your passport name on the airline's system, with a PNR you can open yourself, for the route and dates you decide. It is a reservation rather than a bought ticket, so it cannot be used for travel.
You pay per person, and one-way and return cost the same; multi-city trips are priced per pair of legs, as dummy ticket price explains. Payment runs through Razorpay with UPI, cards or netbanking, delivery by email typically takes about 10 minutes, and order tracking is there if you need it. Unsure which route to take? Flight reservation for visa compares the options, requirements by country covers other places, and onward ticket explains exit proof.
Book your Greece visa flight reservation
Athens return or an island-and-Europe loop, PNR you can check. ₹699 / $9 per head.
Please note: only reserve a trip you really plan. The Greek Embassy makes the decision, and where its list asks for a paid ticket, a reservation may not be enough.
Elsewhere in this series: Spain, the Netherlands and Italy, with Germany and France covered separately. Start over at the home page.
Sources
All sources last checked: October 2026.
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs, Applying for a Schengen visa.
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code), consolidated text: Articles 5 and 32.
- Embassy of Greece in New Delhi, Consular Section, via GVCW, Schengen visa: documents to be submitted (PDF, 2026).
- GVCW for Greece in India, Visa info: Tourism (timing, processing, fees, sticker checks).
- GVCW for Greece in India, Choose your visa application centre.
- GVCW for Greece in India, GVCW is the exclusive external service provider of the Greek consular authorities in India (19 June 2025).
- GVCW for Greece in India, Important notice: method of payment in VACs in India (20 May 2026).
- VFS Global for Greece in Kuwait, Checklist for tourist visa (PDF).
- GVCW for Greece in India, Frequently asked questions.
- GVCW for Greece in India, Visa from India to Greece: how to apply.
- GVCW for Greece in India, Long-term national D visa.
Related: flight reservation for visa · dummy ticket price · requirements by country · hotel booking for visa · all visa guides.