7-Day Visa Exemption for Turkish Citizens to Eastern Aegean Islands: Which islands will it cover?

Turkey and Greece signed important decisions at the summit meeting held on December 7, 2023. Among these decisions was a 7-day visa exemption for Turkish citizens to the Eastern Aegean Islands.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated in his remarks following the summit, "We have decided to grant a 7-day visa exemption to Turkish citizens for the Eastern Aegean Islands. This decision will contribute to improving relations between the two countries and increasing tourism."

In his statement, Mitsotakis did not name the specific islands that would be subject to the visa exemption. However, it is estimated that 14 islands known as the Eastern Aegean Islands will be included in the scope of the visa exemption. These islands include major islands such as Thasos, Samothrace, Lemnos, Agios Efstratios, Lesbos, Chios, Psara, Samos, and Ikaria.

The Eastern Aegean Islands draw attention due to their proximity to the Turkish mainland. This situation raises expectations that granting a visa exemption to the islands will increase Turkey's tourism potential.

Documents Required Under the Visa Exemption

Greece has not yet announced the documents that will be required under the visa exemption. However, the documents generally requested for visa applications are as follows:

Passport valid for at least 1 year

Photocopy of passport

Money required for the visa fee

Travel insurance policy

Documents showing hotel reservation

At least 4 biometric photos

Bank account statement for at least 3 months

Visa application form

There may be changes to the documents required under the visa exemption. No official statement has been made on this matter yet.