From April 1, Turkish citizens will be eligible for fast-track visas for travel to Lesvos, as revealed by Mytilini Mayor Panagiotis Taktikos.
This move is part of a reinvigorated Schengen Express Visa program and follows an agreement between Athens and Ankara to bring back the special Schengen Express Visa program for Turkish citizens who want to visit certain eastern Aegean islands, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
According to schengenvisainfo.com, this agreement was announced last December after a meeting between the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Greek PM Mitsotakis stated back then that his government had previously received the approval of the EU Commission to introduce such a program.
He further expressed his support for Türkiye’s request to enter the Schengen Area visa-free.
Greece will issue visas on arrival for visits up to seven days to Turkish nationals. Turkish citizens will be able to obtain them at 10 Greek islands. Lemnos, Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, Symi, Kastelorizo.
Last week, a conference was held by Greek authorities in Mytilini to discuss the anticipated inflow of Turkish tourists, as reported by Ekathimerini. The meeting was attended, among others, by the police chief of the North Aegean Region, the Mytilini Coast Guard, and the island’s customs officials.
Additionally, it was reported that upgrades are being carried out at the port to better accommodate incoming tourists and their vehicles.
Source: schengenvisainfo.com
