Greece Extends Turkish Express Visa Scheme Until April 2026

Greece special visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish citizens has been officially extended for another year, starting April 1, 2025. We discuss the reasons for the extension and the positive outlook for Türkiye-Greece relations.

By Daniel Golan and Giulia Interesse

Following diplomatic efforts by the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry, Greece’s special visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish citizens has been officially extended for another year, starting April 1, 2025.

The program allows Turkish nationals and their families to visit twelve designated Greek islands for short-term stays—ranging from one to seven days—without the need to apply in advance for a Schengen travel visa.

In this article, we examine how the program the visa-on-arrival program has influenced tourism flows to the eastern Aegean islands, evaluate its broader economic implications, and assess the evolving dynamics of Greek-Turkish economic relations.

What is the Greece-Türkiye visa-on-arrival scheme?

The visa scheme extension is expected to increase Turkish tourism in the country. The visa-on-arrival allows Turkish nationals and their families to travel to twelve designated Greek islands without the need to apply in advance for a Schengen visa. The visa is valid for short stays of one to seven days and is intended for tourism purposes only. Importantly, the scheme applies solely to maritime entry points and does not allow transit to mainland Greece or airport-based travel.

Which islands are included in the scheme?

The full list of Greek islands that can be visited with the visa-on-arrival includes:

• Kalymnos;
• Kastellorizo;
• Kos;
• Lesbos (Lesvos);
• Leros;
• Limnos;
• Rhodes;
• Samos;
• Symi;
• Chios (Hios);
• Patmos; and
• Samothrace.

This marks a significant expansion from the original scheme, which initially covered only Rhodes, Kos, Lesvos, Samos, and Chios.

How has the visa impacted tourism figures?

In 2024, a total of 1,153,727 Turkish nationals visited the Greek islands, representing a 93 percent increase over the previous year. The visa-on-arrival system played a major role in this surge, making travel significantly easier for Turkish tourists. Ferry activity also increased in parallel, with 8,629 ferry routes operating between Turkish ports and the designated Greek islands.

Among the top destinations:

• Lesvos received the highest number of Turkish visitors (27,000),
• Chios followed closely with 25,000,
• Rhodes, Samos, and Kos each hosted between 8,000 and 16,000 Turkish tourists.

What are the patterns in tourist stays?

Statistical breakdowns show that the program has encouraged longer average stays:

• 37,000 visas were issued for three-day visits,
• 21,500 for four-day stays,
• 22,000 for five to six days,
• Only 4,000 were issued for single-day visits,
• 12,700 for two-day stays.

This indicates that over 82 percent of all visa holders opted for stays of three days or longer, suggesting deeper engagement with local economies beyond day-trip tourism.

The top island visited under the “express visa” was Lesvos, totalling 27,000 visas. This is followed by 25,000 Turks visiting Chios (Hios), and Rhodes, Samos, and Kos all saw visitors total between 8,000 and 16,000. Initially, the visa scheme only covered Rhodes, Kos, Lesvos, Samos, and Chios but will now feature a great selection, adding Leros, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Symi, and Lemnos to the list.

Furthermore, an impressive total of 1,153,727 Turkish tourists travelled to the Greek islands in 2024, including 8,629 ferry routes. This accounts for a 93 per cent increase on figures from 2023. The large increase owes itself in large parts to the visa-on-arrival scheme.

What are the economic implications?

The extended stays have directly benefited local businesses, hospitality providers, and ferry operators, particularly in regions still recovering from the economic impact of COVID-19. The islands’ proximity to Türkiye, combined with cost advantages in accommodation and dining, has made them attractive and accessible options for Turkish families.

While detailed economic data remains limited at the island level, the growth in ferry traffic and accommodation bookings suggests a strong multiplier effect for local economies. These benefits come at a time when both countries are actively promoting economic cooperation in tourism, healthcare, energy, and logistics.

Tovima, a Greek digital publication, has reported that the president of the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecast (ITEP) supports the move as a sign of greater economic relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Businesses, research foundations, and on a governmental basis show a positive outlook on the idea of making the visa a permanent feature in the future. Due to the close proximity between the islands and Turkey, the visitors provide a crucial boost for tourist destinations, hotels, and the entire hospitality sector. The visa has encouraged longer stays- on average an increase from three days to five.

How does this fit Türkiye-Greece economic relations?

The visa initiative forms part of a wider diplomatic rapprochement. Both governments have committed to improving economic relations under the “positive agenda” framework, which includes regular high-level meetings, the revival of the High-Level Cooperation Council, and new bilateral trade targets.

Despite historical frictions, economic relations between Türkiye and Greece have exhibited steady and structured progress, particularly since the early 2000s. A turning point came in 1999 with the initiation of regular bilateral dialogue mechanisms, paving the way for more consistent engagement in trade and investment. These mechanisms have since evolved into institutional frameworks aimed at fostering economic cooperation across a range of sectors.

A central platform for advancing bilateral economic dialogue is the High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC), established in 2010 at Türkiye’s initiative. Functioning as a key intergovernmental coordination mechanism, the HLCC has convened five times to date, most recently in Athens in December 2023. A total of 70 agreements, protocols, and memoranda of understanding have been signed across HLCC meetings, underscoring a mutual interest in formalizing cooperation in trade, infrastructure, tourism, energy, and transport.

Both countries have also focused on establishing institutional linkages to support the private sector. The Turkey-Greece Joint Economic Commission (JEC) convenes regularly to discuss key commercial issues, with the sixth meeting held in Istanbul in February 2024. In parallel, a Joint Business Council was established in May 2024 through a formal agreement between Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the Association of Greek Chambers of Commerce. This move is expected to deepen B2B connectivity, promote sectoral partnerships, and facilitate investment-led growth.

Infrastructure and logistics are also emerging as priority areas. Plans for constructing a second bridge at the İpsala-Kipi border crossing are underway, aimed at easing bottlenecks in road transportation and enhancing freight mobility between the two countries. Both governments see logistics modernization as instrumental in enabling more resilient trade corridors and supporting regional supply chains

Bilateral trade

Commercial relations have expanded significantly over the past decade. Bilateral trade volume, which stood at US$3.12 billion in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, rose US$6.2 billion by the end of 2024–nearly doubling its volume.

This marks a notable recovery following pandemic-related contractions and signals sustained momentum in cross-border commerce. The increase is largely driven by a consistent rise in Turkish exports to Greece, which have expanded from US$1.8 billion in 2020 to US$4.8 billion in 2024. Conversely, Greek exports to Türkiye have remained relatively modest and volatile, closing 2024 at approximately US$1.4 billion.

This growing asymmetry has resulted in a significant trade surplus in Türkiye’s favor, which stood at US$3.5 billion in 2024.

However, both governments have indicated a willingness to recalibrate trade relations by exploring new avenues of cooperation, particularly in healthcare, environmental technologies, cultural industries, and services trade—including tourism, where both countries have witnessed steady post-pandemic recovery.

As of 2025, both countries seem have entered a phase of intensified economic engagement, underpinned by a shared ambition to elevate bilateral trade volumes to US$10 billion in the medium term. This strategic objective, articulated within the framework of the “positive agenda” initiative launched in recent years, reflects both countries’ growing commitment to decoupling economic cooperation from longstanding political frictions.

Tourism: A strategic sector for bilateral cooperation

Tourism, meanwhile, has grown into a strategic sector for bilateral cooperation. In 2023, Türkiye was the origin of nearly 890,000 tourist arrivals to Greece, while approximately 686,000 Greek nationals visited Türkiye.

The reintroduction in 2024 of a targeted visa-on-arrival scheme for Turkish citizens traveling to designated Greek islands—originally implemented between 2012 and 2019—has played a key role in driving cross-border tourism, particularly to the eastern Aegean region.

Tourism is seen as a stabilizing economic force amid persistent geopolitical disputes in the Aegean. While challenges such as maritime boundary delineation remain unresolved, the tourism-focused visa policy reflects a pragmatic approach to economic interdependence, fostering people-to-people engagement and laying the groundwork for confidence-building.

What are some possible challenges ahead?

Despite the success of the scheme, Greek tourism authorities have highlighted gaps in infrastructure, especially on smaller islands. If visitor volumes continue to rise, investments in ports, accommodation capacity, and digital visa processing systems may be required to ensure sustainability and prevent overcrowding.

Moreover, the scheme remains limited in scope. It does not grant access to the Greek mainland or airports and is contingent on sea arrivals. Calls for a permanent or expanded arrangement have emerged from both business communities and regional stakeholders.

Also read:

• Türkiye’s Free Zones Exports Goal by 2025: Key Sectors, Benefits, and Investment Opportunities

• Previous Article Trump’s Tariffs Effect on the MENA Region: Overview and Implications
• Next Article