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I am a green card holder with Turkish citizenship.

I have been trying to understand if I need a visa or not.

The flight will be from New York USA to Athens Greece and after 10 hours of layover and will be from Athens to Izmir Turkey. I have a voice green card. Is the exemptions applicable to me?

Flights will be separate tickets per the website i am looking, also I would like to visit Athens during the layover.

I got a respond from the consulate with the links attached and pee exception list it looks like I do not need a visa.

Can anyone help me understand this?

DavidRecallsMonica
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Selin
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2 Answers2

13

You are confusing different types of transits and different types of visas.

  • If both your flights were on the same ticket, and you were able to stay airside (in the "international area" of the airport), not going through passport control, then you would not need a visa at all.

    Some people need an Airport Transit Visa (ATV, type A) in that situation. It's not the case for Turkish citizens in Athens (it's the case for Turkish citizens in France or for citizens of Cameroon in Athens, but not Turkish citizens in Athens).

    Even if Turkish citizens needed one in Athens, the Green Card would indeed give you an exemption for the ATV requirement.

  • But if you need to go through passport control for any reason, you need a "full" visitor visa (type C), not an Airport Transit Visa.

    Cases when you go through passport control include:

    • You want to go visit Athens (as is your case): you need to go through passport control to enter Greece.
    • You have flights booked separately and have hold luggage: you need to go through passport control to reclaim your bags and check in for the next flight.

  • But even if you don't have hold luggage and you skip the visit of Athens, the first airline considers your destination is Greece, and you must be able to enter Greece before they let you board. They don't care if you have another flight, don't know about it, don't want to know about it. For them, your destination is Greece, and you need a (full) visa for Greece.

The exemptions for Green Card holders are *only for Airport Transit Visas, not "full" visas.

So you need a Visitor Visa (type C) in this situation.

jcaron
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If you have two separate tickets, you will need a regular Schengen visa. For the airline taking you from New York to Athens, it seems as if your trip ends in Athens and they will most likely not let you board if you are not entitled to enter Greece.

Also, if you intend to visit Athens and not just stay at the airport, you will also need a regular Schengen visa.

As a Turkish citizen, you need a visa to enter the Schengen area and there are no exceptions for green card holders.

Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
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