Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis submits an amendment regarding the new ‘Business Visa’ (14 January 2020)

Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis announced in Parliament the submission of an amendment establishing a new form of business invitation.

The “business visa” amendment was submitted as part of the Brexit bill and concerns third-country nationals who wish to enter Greece to participate in conferences, meetings or other business-related events without having to complete the usual bureaucratic process for obtaining a visa.

In this case, Greek citizens will submit to the competent Consular Authorities a standardised invitation form, taking responsibility for hosting the visa applicant.

The establishment of the business visa renders the visa issuing process faster and more efficient, as applications will be considered within 15 days.

According to the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, this amendment is in the right direction and responds to the longstanding request from chambers that it be made easier for companies to host visiting businesspeople.

Finally, he clarified that violation of the terms by a host will result in the company’s losing the right to submit further applications.
Read the amendment here.