Updated 09/13/2021

NOTE: If you are a US Citizen or Permanent Resident (“Green Card” holder), the NIE information below does NOT apply to you. If you are the legal spouse of a US citizen or green card holder, scroll down to Family Based Exemptions.

Schengen travel restrictions remain in place

Presidential Proclamation 10143, has suspended trips from the 26 countries of the Schengen area, including Greece,remains in force. These restrictions apply regardless of whether you have a valid US visa, ESTA, or are fully vaccinated.

In most cases, non-US citizens of Greece can only enter the United States if they qualify and are approved for a National Interest Exception (NIE), are exempt from the visa class or qualify for a Family leave.

The fact that the Greek government has lifted most of the travel restrictions for travelers from the United States does not change this policy; This was not a mutual decision. Your COVID vaccination status does not matter either. We cannot predict how long these restrictions will persist.

TOURISM & LEISURE TRAVEL REMAIN SUSPENDED

Most of the purposes of travel that fall under visa category B1 / B2 will likely don’t qualify for an exception of national interest, even if you have a valid visa or ESTA. This includes, among other things, tourism; Holidays; Visiting family or friends; Visiting a fiancé, girlfriend, girlfriend, partner; Participation in a wedding or graduation ceremony; Visiting a pregnant relative or baby; routine business meetings; Participation in a specialist conference; Maintaining a rental or investment property; etc. We do not know when these restrictions will be lifted.

NATIONAL EXCLUSIONS OF INTEREST (NEVER) AND EXCLUDED TRAVELERS

While routine nonimmigrant visa (NIV) services remain suspended, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Athens continues to provide emergency and business critical visa services to applicants exempt from COVID-19-related presidential proclamations. For more information on the presidential proclamations, see the travel.state.gov Website.

Exceptions of national interest fall into the following categories:

  • Students*,
  • Academics / researchers,
  • Public health workers;
  • Government Officials *,
  • Team members,
  • Emergency medical treatment,
  • Humanitarian reasons
  • Others whose travel is in the US national interest to support vital infrastructure, significant economic activity, or national security.

* Excluding travelers: students with a valid F or M visa and a valid I-20 form and government Officials and Diplomats Traveling with a valid A or G visa does not require NIEs. You can continue with the journey.

athlete must apply for an NIE from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). We are no longer entitled to consider sport-related NIEs.

Applying for a National Interest Exemption (NIE)

CURRENT WAITING TIME: 5 WORKING DAYS AFTER RECEIVING A COMPLETE INQUIRY.

PLEASE READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW CAREFULLY BEFORE USING. INCOMPLETE / INCORRECT INQUIRIES DELAY YOUR CASE.

STEP 1: CONFIRM YOUR PHYSICAL PRESENCE. The US Embassy in Athens only considers NIE applicants who are physically resident in Greece and who have legal status, e.g. B. Greek citizens and permanent or temporary residents with a valid Greek residence card. For all other travelers, please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate general in your country of residence. If you qualify but are currently in the United States, please wait until you return to Athens before submitting your NIE application.

STEP 2: Send an email to AthensNIE@state.gov with the Subject line “NEVER dd-mmm-yyyy SURNAME”, Replace the letters with the day, month and year of your planned travel date. For example, “NEVER 25-DEC-2021 SMITH” if you are traveling on December 25, 2021 and your last name is Smith. Your email MUST contain the following:

    • A scanned copy of each traveller’s visa or ESTA authorization;
    • A scanned copy of each traveller’s passport photo page;
    • Purpose of the trip and any supporting documentation clearly showing how you qualify for an NIE;
    • A copy of your flight schedule or suggested travel dates;
    • Proof of Greek residence if you are not a Greek citizen (passport holder)
  • Please include the following information in the text of your email:
    • Last name:
    • First name:
    • Birth date:
    • Place of birth:
    • Nationality:
    • Gender:
    • Visa class / ESTA (valid until date):
    • Purpose of Travel:

Please note: the traveler must send all required attachments and information in one email. Important: If you are requesting a NIE on behalf of another traveler who is 18 or older, the traveler must be copied in all NIE correspondence due to data protection laws under Section 222 (f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

STEP 3: Please allow up to 5 working days for consular officers to check your documents and qualifications. The US Consular Section in Athens handles hundreds of NIE requests every day with limited resources. Thank you for your patience during this process. Please do not send multiple applications or update requests, as this will only slow down processing.

STEP 4: If your NIE is approved, you will be notified by email. Do not attempt to check-in for your flight or travel online before you have received an email notification of your NIE authorization. The NIE is issued electronically and is visible to relevant government agencies and airlines.

VALIDITY NEVER EXTENDED TO ONE YEAR, MULTIPLE ENTRIES

From July 5, 2021, all NIEs for the same travel purpose are valid for 12 months and for multiple entries. This applies retrospectively to NIEs issued on or after July 5, 2020. No further action or documents are required from the embassy and you can proceed with the trip. Your purpose of travel must match that of the NIE originally issued.
VISA APPLICANTS

If you are a visa applicant with an upcoming appointment at the US Consulate Athens or a visa was recently issued here, please DO NOT apply for a NEVER. Your NIE will be automatically issued when the visa is approved.

Travelers without a valid visa

If you think you might fall into one of the above categories but need a visa, please follow the instructions below https://gr.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/. You are responsible for completing your visa application yourself, paying the appropriate fee and making an appointment.

FAMILY BASED EXCEPTIONS

Certain travelers are exempt from COVID travel restrictions, including:

    • Legally married spouses of US citizens (USC);
    • Legally married spouses of Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs, also known as “Green Card” holders);
    • Under 21, unmarried child of a USC or LPR;
    • Parent or guardian of an unmarried USC or LPR under the age of 21;
    • Unmarried sibling under the age of 21 of an unmarried USC or LPR under the age of 21.

Illegitimate partners, civil partnership agreements, fiancées, fiancés, boyfriends, girlfriends, adult children, parents, grandparents and other extended families do not qualify for family exemption.

Required Documents: If you’re eligible for family exemptions, you don’t need a NIE. You must still have a valid ESTA or US visa, as well as documents proving your relationship with the US citizen or LPR relative, such as marriage certificate, birth certificate, adoption decrees, etc.

If you are a citizen of a country that requires a US visa, please https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gr/niv to apply for a visa, pay the visa fee and make an appointment for a B2 visa. After making an appointment, you can return to this website and request an expedited appointment with an explanation of your family leave status.

Mandatory COVID tests and quarantine requirements

All passengers traveling to the United States who are two years and older must present a negative COVID-19 virus test within three calendar days of travel – even if they are already fully vaccinated. Alternatively, travelers can provide a certificate from a licensed healthcare provider that they have recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days prior to travel. Check the CDC website for more information and frequently asked Questions. CDC Control and Prevention’s testing requirements also include testing and self-quarantine guidelines for you to follow upon arrival in the United States.

Entry into the United States is still subject to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) decision at the US port of entry. Having a valid visa or ESTA authorization along with an NIE is not a guarantee of admission.