Embassy of the United States Athens, Greece

IMPORTANT NOTICE: 

All applicants who wish to apply for a non-immigrant visa at our office will have to mandatorily follow the new procedure regarding scheduling an appointment without any exceptions.

This procedure will affect the processing time required for the completion of a non-immigrant visa (appointment, MRV payment & courier service).  As such, please take into consideration that 10 working days may be needed for the whole process.

We strongly recommend that you make your travel plans accordingly, so that you have ample time available in Greece for your visa process.

Non-Immigrant Visas

Welcome to the Non-immigrant Visa Unit of the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Athens. Our office processes visas for individuals traveling to the U.S. for a temporary period. 

The following provides visa information for travelers to the United States who wish to visit, work or study for a temporary period. The type of visa required will depend on the purpose of your travel.

Who needs a visa?

Anyone who is not eligible to enter the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), or whose registration has been denied under ESTA. 

ESTA Fraud Warning

Participation in the Visa Waiver Program, via ESTA, costs $14.00.   This includes $10.00 collected pursuant to the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) and a $4.00 administration fee.  There are NO other fees charged by the U.S. Government for ESTA.   The only official ESTA website can be found at:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.  Unauthorized  web sites charge fees of up to $100 for information about ESTA and to submit ESTA applications on your behalf. Such businesses and web sites are not endorsed by, associated with, or affiliated in any way with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the U.S. Government. Travelers should be very cautious if they decide to use these services.   The Embassy has no control over private companies who wish to offer such services for a fee, but the bottom line is, you don’t need them. 
 
For more information regarding the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website at: www.cbp.gov/esta

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

Many travelers seeking to enter the U.S. for business or tourism (B-1/B-2 visa) for less than 90 days will be eligible to travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).  If you have yet to determine your eligibility to travel visa free, use our visa waiver wizard to help you decide.

Applying for the visa

Nonimmigrant visa applicants aged 14 to 79 are required to schedule an appointment for an interview with a U.S. consular officer. Applicants under the age of 14 or those aged 80 or over are generally not required to appear in person and may use our office’s DROP-BOX services to submit their application.  

Before beginning the application process, you are required to determine which type of visa is appropriate for travel. Please click on the relevant link below for further information.