Shipping to Greece from Portugal

No — Greece is an EU member state. Goods move freely within the EU single market with no customs declarations or import duties. A commercial invoice is standard for B2B shipments (include AFM number for reverse charge) but no customs declaration is needed.

Island delivery adds 1–3 days beyond mainland Athens transit times. Crete (Heraklion): +1 day (direct air). Rhodes, Kos (Dodecanese): +1–2 days. Remote Aegean islands (Santorini, Mykonos — primarily tourist): +1–2 days. Remote northern Aegean (Lesbos, Chios, Samos): +2–3 days. Always confirm island-specific transit times with DHL Express or your chosen carrier.

Greek FPA (Fóros Prostithémenis Axías — ΦΠΑ) is the Greek VAT. Standard rate: 24%. Reduced rates: 13% on food, non-alcoholic beverages, some agricultural inputs; 6% on medicines, books, newspapers, theatre/cinema/concert tickets. Some Aegean islands have special reduced rates. For B2C e-commerce from Portugal: register for EU OSS and charge 24% Greek FPA once cross-border EU B2C sales exceed €10,000/year.

For express: DHL Express delivers to Athens in 1–2 days and has direct air connections to major islands. For economy mainland: GLS via ACS has the strongest Greek ground network. DPD is slower for Greece due to routing complexity. For island destinations, express air (DHL) is strongly recommended over economy ground.

AFM (Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) is Greece's Tax Registration Number — a 9-digit code assigned to every Greek taxpayer (individuals and businesses). For B2B invoices to Greek companies, always request and include their AFM. The Greek VAT number is FI + AFM (e.g., EL + 9 digits). Verify Greek company AFM numbers at gsis.gr (AADE — Independent Authority for Public Revenue).

GLS (via ACS) and DPD accept parcels up to 31.5 kg per piece to mainland Greece. UPS and DHL Express accept up to 70 kg. Island deliveries may have lower practical weight limits depending on the ferry or aircraft used for the final leg. For heavy shipments to Greek islands, confirm with the carrier before booking. Athens and Thessaloniki have full carrier depot coverage with no special restrictions.

Greek FPA (Fóros Prostithémenis Axías — ΦΠΑ) is 24% standard rate. Once annual EU B2C cross-border sales exceed €10,000, register for OSS in Portugal and charge 24% FPA on orders to Greek consumers. Reduced rates: 13% on food, non-alcoholic beverages; 6% on medicines, books. Some Aegean islands (Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos, Leros) have reduced FPA rates — check the Greek AADE website for current island rates as these are updated periodically. B2B: include AFM on invoice, apply reverse charge.

Greece follows EU prohibitions with specific national rules. Archaeological objects and antiquities: Greek law (L. 3028/2002) strictly prohibits export of archaeological items — any item of potential archaeological significance requires YPPOA (Ministry of Culture) authorisation. CITES: Greece actively enforces CITES protection for Mediterranean sea species (sponges, coral) and turtle products (associated with tourism). Commercial import of certain marine products from non-certified sources is prohibited. Weapons: strict licensing via Greek Police (Ελληνική Αστυνομία). Fireworks above F1 category require permits.

CMR convention limits road carrier liability to approximately €11/kg for GLS/DPD road services. DHL Express has higher declared value coverage. Island deliveries add routing risk — insure all island-bound parcels at declared value. For valuable goods to Greek businesses in Athens or Thessaloniki, add declared value insurance at checkout on Cargosender. Claims must be filed within the carrier's specified window — typically 7–14 days from delivery or notification of loss.

GLS via ACS provides tracking for mainland and major island deliveries including ACS-specific last-mile tracking at acscourier.gr. DHL Express provides full tracking to Athens and major cities. DPD tracking may be less granular for Greek deliveries due to routing complexity. For island deliveries, tracking visibility may drop after the main hub (typically Athens) — the ferry and final local carrier leg may not be trackable. Include recipient mobile number — Greek couriers frequently call before delivery in urban areas.

Intra-EU returns from Greece require no customs. Book a return label via Cargosender. GLS ACS pickup points are available in Athens, Thessaloniki and major cities. Economy road returns from mainland Greece take 5–8 days back to Portugal. Returns from Greek islands take longer due to ferry connections. EU Consumer Rights Directive gives Greek consumers a 14-day right of return for online purchases. For B2C e-commerce selling to Greek consumers, offer a return address in Athens to simplify the process.

Greece has a growing parcel shop network, primarily for domestic e-commerce. ACS (GLS partner) operates service points at newsagents and convenience stores across mainland Greece. DHL Express has service points in Athens. For B2C e-commerce, Geniki Taxydromiki and ELTA (Hellenic Post) service points cover smaller Greek cities and island addresses. Greek online shoppers are increasingly familiar with out-of-home pickup — offering ACS or ELTA collection improves delivery rates, particularly on islands.

Greek address format: Recipient Name / Street Name + House Number / Postcode + City (+ Island if applicable) / GREECE. Example: Νίκος Παπαδόπουλος / Ερμού 15 / 10560 Αθήνα / ΕΛΛΑΔΑ. For international labels, use Latin script: Nikos Papadopoulos / Ermou 15 / 10560 Athens / GREECE. Greek postcodes are 5 digits. For island addresses, include the island name after the postcode and city. Always include the recipient's mobile number — essential for Greek delivery.

Island deliveries in Greece face additional routing risk due to ferry connections. Delays are most common during rough weather (November–March), during ferry strikes (fairly common in summer), or during peak tourist season when ferry capacity is strained. If a parcel is lost or significantly delayed on a Greek island route, contact the carrier immediately and file a trace request. DHL Express air to major islands minimises ferry-related risk. For high-value island shipments, always add declared value insurance at checkout on Cargosender.

Greek business addresses in Athens (central and northern suburbs) and Thessaloniki have high first-attempt delivery rates. Residential deliveries in Athens often involve apartment buildings (πολυκατοικία) — include buzzer/intercommunication codes and the recipient's mobile number so the courier can call ahead. B2C deliveries during August may find offices and some businesses closed for summer holidays — Greek businesses commonly close 2–4 weeks in August. ACS and DHL Express provide notification SMS in Greek for local recipients. Out-of-home pickup via ACS service points is the best fallback for missed residential deliveries.