Post by The March Hare on May 14, 2006 11:49:34 GMT 1
Home Page Living Guide Visa Renewing your tourist visa by visiting the Greek island of MEGISTI
Renewing your tourist visa by visiting the Greek island of MEGISTI
Tuesday, 09 August 2005
If you need to renew your 90 day visa tourist visa there’s a alternative to going over to Rhodes for the day. Here are two of our reader’s experiences of renewing their visas by going to the Greek island of KASTELLORIZO or MEGISTI just off Kas.
As the 90 days on our tourist visa were almost up we needed to arrange for a quick exit and return to get our new visa After talking to some friends we decided that we would try the trip to the small Greek island of Megisti for a change rather than going to Rhodes. The island is also sometimes referred to as Meis (sounds like Mace)
We found a company called Altug Boat Tours of Kas (0537 6745572) that regularly make to visa renewal trip to the Greek Island. Around 10 days before our visa was about to expire we contacted them to find the most suitable date to travel. The company like to make sure they have enough people to travel before they set off so pre booking and pre planning is essential.
On the agreed date we set off early (7:00am) from Fethiye Otogar for the 2 and a half hour journey to Kas. We needed to be there between 9:30 and 10:00 to catch the boat. We arrived at 9:30am and made our way to the harbour. We deposited our passports with the skipper who recorded all the passengers on a list and then visited the harbour masters office so that the customs could stamp our exits. This process took around and hour so we relaxed with a cup of coffee at the local café. The skipper returned and called for us all to get onto the boat.
After a 40 minute pleasant boat journey we arrived at the port of the little Greek island. With the mutual agreement of the passengers we agreed with the skipper that we would stay a few hours so that we could have a look around. Alternatively, he will stay for just 1 hour if that’s what the passengers want.
We had enough time to visit the local shops and stock up on bacon (9 Euro for 1 kilo), have breakfast (7 Euro for a full English) or visit the gift shops. We also had time to take a nice walk up to the castle. The views of the Turkish coast from the castle are stunning. We then ambled back through the small back streets and down to the port.
There is also a small duty free shop at the port so we stocked up on our favourites that are now so expensive in Turkey. Don’t forget to keep within the limits though – at present 2 bottles of spirits and 200 cigarettes each.
When you return to Kas the Harbour Master and Customs meet the boat checking that your duty free allowances are in order and that the boats passenger list is accurate.
We then paid the skipper for the trip and the new visa in Euros before going back to the café to wait for our passports, complete with new 90 day visa, to be returned to us.
It’s a painless and relaxing day out. The rest of your time in Kas can be spent strolling around the shops or having lunch in one of the many bars or cafes before returning on the bus to Fethiye.
We made our trip in July 2005
The costs per person were as follows:Bus from Fethiye to Kas and Back 20 YTL – 8 GBP
Boat trip to the island – 25 – 35 Euro depending on passenger numbers. We paid 25 Euro – 18 GBP
New 90 day tourist visa – 15 Euro – 10 GBP
Total cost excluding the money we spent on lunch, refreshments, duty frees and bacon was £36 per person.
