Do you need a visa to study in Greece?
US citizens (U.S. passport holders) visiting Greece for 90 days or less do NOT need to apply for any sort of advance visa to study. When you go through customs and complete your customs form, we recommend listing “tourism” as your purpose of travel, as your primary purpose is certainly not “business,” and identifying yourself as a student might imply that you are staying in Athens for longer than 90 days to pursue a degree, which would require a “Visa for a long stay in Greece.” Once you pass through customs, they will put a visitor stamp in your passport and you will be allowed to enter into Greece.
Please make sure you have a valid passport for your travels and check to ensure it will not expire within six months of your return date to the United States.
Do have your official letter of offer from Hellenic American University with you for your summer program, as well as your return flight information if you have booked a return flight already to further demonstrate that you will not be staying longer than a few weeks. Your official letter of offer will be sent to you as an attachment to an email from your program coordinator entitled: “IMPORTANT: HAU Offer Letter! Please Print and Put in Carry-On!”
Do also make a note of the address of your CISabroad apartment, and have it written down and accessible somewhere in your carry-on bag, as you will need to enter your address onto your customs form. CISabroad will send you an email with your Athens address in the weeks leading up to the program.
IMPORTANT: CISabroad will only advise students on visa procedures for travel requirements for your CISabroad program only. CISabroad is not responsible for advising students on visa issues if they plan to travel internationally before or after the program dates.
If you are not a US passport holder, there may be additional immigration requirements for citizens of your home country. International students must be aware of their own visa requirements and any additional documentation and/or processing time needed. Please contact your Program Coordinator for further information and to discuss your visa.