Greek island visas give Turkish tourists easier EU entry

Greece's visa-on-arrival scheme for nearby Aegean islands is giving Turkish tourists a faster route into part of the EU, easing trips that previously required a full Schengen visa.

Introduced in April 2024 and known in Turkey as the “door visa,” the scheme initially covered 10 islands and was renewed and expanded to 12 in 2025. The participating islands, including Rhodes, Chios, Kos and Samos, are near Turkey's coast.

Turkish citizens can use the permit to visit participating islands for up to seven days. It cannot be extended and does not allow onward travel to mainland Greece or other Schengen-area countries.

Bank of Greece figures show nearly 1.5 million Turks visited Greece in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024. Turkish travel agents said most used the express visa to visit the islands, as Schengen visa applications have become slower, costlier and more uncertain for many Turks.

On Samos, Turkish-language menus and regular ferry traffic from Turkey reflect the visitor flow. Tour guide Mikail Esabalioglu said Turkish guests, especially from Izmir and other parts of Turkey's Aegean coast, have become increasingly important for the island's tourism economy, though he said arrival waits can be long. Business owner Giannis Kagias said Turkish visitors had made “a big difference” for local businesses.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the scheme “particularly successful” during a February visit to Ankara and said both countries wanted to renew it. The programme stands out amid broader tensions between Greece and Turkey, including disputes over Turkish-language schools and claims in the Aegean.