FedHATTA has reiterated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the urgent need to simplify and speed up the visa issuance process for Indian citizens wishing to visit our country. Greece expects significant travel demand from Indians with the upcoming launch of the first direct flights between the two countries, announced for 2026 by AEGEAN and IndiGo, which raises the urgency of the visa issue.

India, a market with a population of 1.4 billion and a rapidly growing middle class, has long been a target market for Greek travel agencies operating in incoming tourism, and there has been significant and rising interest by Indians in travel to Greece in recent years.

Despite the new impetus that the new direct air links between Greece and India are expected to provide, the goal of strengthening Greek tourism from the dynamic Indian market remains uncertain, as the complex visa issuance process and the high rejection rate deter potential visitors.

Specifically, the waiting period for final updates regarding whether a visa is approved or not can reach up to 2 months, even though it is necessary to submit proof of flight and hotel bookings for the application review. This means that Indians wishing to visit Greece must first bear the cost of the bookings, for which they do not know if they will be reimbursed if the visa is not issued.

FedHATTA President Lysandros Tsilidis stated: “Greek businesses continue to make efforts for the opening of the Indian market, which proves the opportunities available there, highlighted by the announcement of the start of direct flights from AEGEAN. In this context, enhancing entry permit issuance services is more important than ever, to ensure that each application is thoroughly reviewed before being denied. This way, the negative sentiment that has developed among travelers can be reversed, and the enormous potential of this market can be harnessed to further strengthen Greek tourism.”