Another five Greek islands have opened to tourism from Turkish citizens through the expedited visa entry process (visa express) as of Tuesday (April 30), the Greek embassy in Ankara posted on X.
Following Chios, Kos, Lesbos, Rhodes, and Samos, the visa program is also being extended to Leros, Lemnos, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, and Symi, the Greek embassy said.
The visa express program was announced on December 7 at the High-Level Cooperation Council between Greece and Turkiye held in Athens. The agreement was reached after negotiations between the Greek government and the European Commission, creating the first such exception in the Schengen Area.
The program, which was a response to the requests of both Greek islanders and Turkish tourists, has already yielded positive results. In the first ten days of April alone, the number of Turkish tourists tripled compared to last year on the initial five islands where the program began this year, thus significantly boosting the local economy.
The visa express is valid for 7 days, costs 60 euros, and can be issued at any time throughout the year. It is granted with a special stamp placed on the passport, while the visitor cannot leave Greece to travel to another destination during this period.
The goal of the program is to extend the tourist season and boost the local economy of the islands, some of which had faced greater challenges due to migration.