Travel Documents for Greece 2026 - Complete Checklist

Which Documents Are Mandatory to Enter Greece?

Greece is an EU and Schengen member state. Serbian citizens can enter without a visa for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period - but only with a valid biometric passport.

Passport Is Mandatory - ID Card Is Not Sufficient

A Serbian biometric ID card is not valid for entry into the Schengen area, including Greece. The ID card is accepted only for some neighbouring and regional countries (Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Turkey).

• Biometric passport - the only accepted document for entry into Greece
• Passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure from Greece
• No visa required - stays up to 90 days are free for Serbian citizens
• ID card alone is not sufficient - not accepted at Schengen borders

New Border Systems: EES and ETIAS

From 2025/2026 the EU is introducing digital systems that change how third-country nationals (including Serbian citizens) cross Schengen borders.

EES - Entry/Exit System (active from 2025)

EES records the biometric data of every non-EU traveller at Schengen borders: fingerprints and a photograph. The system began implementation in late 2025 and full rollout is from April 2026.

• Fingerprints and face scan at the border - carry your passport; expect slightly longer waits
• EES automatically tracks the 90/180-day rule - overstayers will be flagged
• First-time registration may take 5–10 minutes longer than usual

ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorisation System

ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation (similar to US ESTA). Expected to become mandatory for Serbian citizens from 2026/2027.

• Online application, fee of approximately €7
• Valid for 3 years or until passport expires
• Apply before departure - do not leave it to the last minute

Vehicle Documents - Green Card and Vignettes

Green Card (International Motor Insurance Certificate)

Mandatory if driving through North Macedonia or Bulgaria. Most Serbian insurers issue it free or at a nominal charge alongside your standard policy.

• Check that the green card covers North Macedonia (MK) and Bulgaria (BG)
• Some policies automatically include it; others require a separate request
• Without a green card, North Macedonian border police may refuse entry or require on-the-spot insurance

Road Vignettes

• North Macedonia - annual vignette required; available at the border or petrol stations (approx. €13–€15)
• Bulgaria - electronic vignette (e-vignette); purchase online at bgtoll.bg or at petrol stations before the border
• Greece - no vignette; tolls are pay-as-you-go at booths (E75 motorway: approx. €12–€16 one-way from the border)

EHIC - European Health Insurance Card

The EHIC (or its Serbian equivalent, the "blue card" of RFZO) is not directly applicable for Serbian citizens in Greece in the same way as for EU citizens. Travel health insurance is strongly recommended.

• Greece has both public and private health facilities; public hospitals provide emergency care to everyone
• Private travel insurance covering emergency treatment, hospitalisation and medical repatriation is the safest option
• Check that the policy covers all family members including children

Children's Documents

• Every child needs their own valid biometric passport
• Children cannot be added to a parent's passport in the Serbian system
• If a child travels with only one parent, a notarised consent letter from the absent parent is strongly recommended (in Serbian and English, with the child's details, destination and travel dates)
• Border officers can request this document; without it they may deny entry

Complete Pre-Travel Checklist