Greek visas that use your PCC
Greece lists a "recent certificate of criminal record" among the general documents for its national long-stay visa, handed in on the day of your interview. The Greek mission can also ask for extra documents for your category. Indian applicants most often meet this requirement in three situations:
| Your situation | Who usually asks | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Employment visa with a Greek employer | Greek mission, employer's lawyer | Whether the PCC must be apostilled and translated |
| Seasonal or agricultural work | Recruiting agency, farm employer, Greek mission | How recent the PCC must be on interview day |
| Joining family in Greece | Greek mission, sponsor's lawyer in Greece | Translation rules for all family documents |
Your final checklist comes from the Greek mission or the person handling your file in Greece. Follow that list over any general guide, including this page.
Apostille route for your PCC
India and Greece are both in the Hague Apostille Convention, so your PCC needs the MEA apostille and no Greek embassy stamp. What happens before the MEA depends on who issued the PCC.
Signed by the Regional Passport Office
Passport office PCC
From a PSK or POPSK. Goes directly to the MEA. ₹1,000 per certificate.
Signed by police station, SP or Commissioner
Police PCC
State authentication comes first. Notary + SDM where accepted, ₹1,500 in total. Otherwise the Home Department of the issuing state, on quote.
Greek translation, if your checklist asks
Greek authorities work in Greek, and many applicants are asked for a Greek translation of their Indian documents. Not every checklist says so, which is why we ask to see yours first.
- If your checklist asks for a Greek translation, we translate the PCC after the apostille, so the apostille text is translated too.
- If it asks for a translation made or certified in Greece, by a lawyer or an official translation service there, send the apostilled PCC to them instead. We will not sell you a translation that will be redone.
- If it says nothing about translation, ask the mission or your employer before you pay for one.
What "recent" means for your interview
The Greek page does not define "recent". Many visa offices want a criminal record issued within the last few months. For seasonal and farm visas especially, interview dates are often fixed by the employer at short notice, so plan backwards from the interview date:
- Get the interview dateOr at least the month, from your employer or agency.
- Apply for the PCC yourselfAt Passport Seva or the police, close to that date.
- Send it to usOffice drop-off in Delhi, or courier from your city.
- Apostille and translationMEA apostille, then Greek translation if asked.
- Back to youCollect it, or receive it by Blue Dart before the interview.
We give you a time estimate with the price, before you send anything.
What to send us
- Original PCC
- Copy of your passport, front and back pages
- Your Greek visa checklist or employer's list
- Your interview date, if you have it
Questions about PCC apostille for Greece
I am going to Greece for farm work through an agency. Does my PCC need an apostille?
If the Greek mission or the agency's list asks for the criminal record to be apostilled, yes. Ask the agency for the written checklist and send it to us. We tell you what applies before you pay.
Is a Greek embassy attestation needed on top of the apostille?
No. Greece is an apostille country, so the MEA apostille replaces embassy attestation for Indian documents.
My spouse lives in Greece. Will the PCC for family reunification follow the same route?
Yes, the apostille route is the same. Family files often include a marriage certificate too. See marriage certificate apostille for that document.
Can my brother send my PCC to you while I am at work?
Yes. Anyone can courier or drop off the original PCC with a copy of your passport. Tell us their name so we know whose document it is.
The name on my PCC is spelled differently from my passport. Can you fix it?
No. Only the office that issued the PCC can correct it. Get it corrected before the apostille, because the Greek mission compares the PCC with your passport.