IMMIGRATION POLICY
*The full text of this article is available as PDF below.
A third-country national applying for a residence permit in Greece after entering the country and before the expiry of an entry visa, unless otherwise provided herein, must submit application for its grant.
Applications for residence permits are filed at the office of the competent Aliens and Immigration Directorate of the Decentralized Administration of the applicant’s place of residence or the competent Department of Immigration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior.
The competent authorities for the receipt of applications from third-country nationals for the issue of residence permits, provided that the supporting documents are complete, shall provide a certificate of lodging an application, the duration of which shall be one year. The holder of an application for asylum is legally resident in the country for as long as this is in force. If a negative decision is issued, the certificate shall automatically cease to be valid.
Categories of residence permits:
Please visit http://www.immigration.gov.gr/en_US/web/guest/katigories-adeion-diamonis-dikaiologitika (official web site of Ministry of Migration Policy) where you can find requirements and procedures for each category of residence permit.
Note: The applicant of all aforementioned permits, must have a legal status when submitting the application, no one who is illegally in the country can be legalized with these permits. In addition, for the victims of criminal acts, in which the residence permits last until the completion of the criminal proceedings.
Are you an EU Citizen?
EU citizens are free to enter Greece for up to six months to look for work or to establish a business. An EU passport is required.
EU nationals do not require a work permit to work in Greece, though a Certificate of Registration (Residence Certificate) is required for any EU national staying over 90 days.
If EU nationals intend to stay for more than 90 days, they must register at the local Department of Aliens bureau (these are found at police stations with a foreigners’ department) in the area of residency (Τμήμα Αλλοδαπών/ Tmima Allodapon), where a Certificate of Registration (Residence Certificate) (βεβαίωσης εγγραφής πολιτών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης/ Veveosi Egrafis Politon Evropaikis Enoseis) is issued.
Are you a non EU Citizen?
Residence/work permits for non-EEA nationals are very difficult to obtain for those who are not of Greek origin or not married to a Greek. Once separate permits, the residence permit and the work permit are now all-in-one, meaning residence permits can include the right to work. It is not possible for a non-EU national to obtain a stand-alone work permit; the permission to work is included in the residence permit. Work permits in Greece are employer-specific (although there can be exceptions), occupation-specific, and location-specific, and are normally valid for one year. Greece also links residence status for non-EU nationals to continuous employment. A worker from a non-EU country must first obtain a visa to enter Greece and then apply for the residence/work permit once in Greece.
Entry visas
A visa (National; Type D) for work must be obtained for any non-EU national planning to stay in Greece for more than 90 days and work. This visa must be obtained before arriving in Greece, from the Greek Embassy or Consular Section in the applicant’s country of residence. It is suggested to contact the Greek Embassy or Consular Section for exact documentation requirements.
New EU rules on short-stay visas
The applications procedure becomes more user-friendly: travellers may, for example, submit visa applications up to 6 months ahead of a planned trip, instead of 3 months previously. Multiple-entry, long-validity visas are easier to obtain for frequent travellers, saving them time and money.
Obtaining a work permit
Within 30 days of arrival in Greece, the visa holder must apply in person for a residence/work permit at the local municipal office (Δημαρχείο / Dimarchio). In some areas, application may be made at the police station. There are numerous types of residence permit available, depending on the applicant’s circumstances (self-employed, consultant, employee, executive). Validity periods range from one to five years. It is suggested to file the application as soon as possible after arrival, as the process can be lengthy.
According to the Citizenship Code, citizenship may be granted to a foreigner who:
(a) Has reached the age of majority by the time of the submission of the declaration of naturalisation;
(b) Has not been irrevocably convicted of a number of crimes committed intentionally in the last 10 years, with a sentence of at least one year or at least 6 months regardless of the time of the issuance of the conviction decision. Conviction for illegal entry in the country does not obstruct the naturalisation procedure.
(c) Has no pending deportation procedure or any other issues with regards to his or her status of residence;
(d) Has lawfully resided in Greece for 7 continuous years before the submission of the application. A period of 3 years of lawful residence is sufficient in case of: holders of citizenship of a Member State of the European Union, spouses of a Greek or Greek woman with a child, those who have the parental responsibility of a child of Greek nationality, born in Greece, as well as stateless persons.
(e) Hold one of the categories of residence permits foreseen in the Citizenship Code, inter alia long-term residence permit, residence permit granted to recognised refugees or subsidiary protection beneficiaries, or second generation residence permit. Applicants should also have: (1) sufficient knowledge of the Greek language; (2) be normally integrated in the economic and social life of the country; and (3) be able to actively participate in political life. A book with information on Greek history, civilisation, geography etc. is issued by the Ministry of Interior and dedicated to foreigners willing to apply for naturalisation.
The Greek Ombudsman in cooperation with the Citizenship Directorate of the Greek Ministry of Interior has produced a set of instructions per status type aiming at promoting integration policies for immigrants, through better understanding of the administrative procedures of the Greek state. Please visit:
https://www.synigoros.gr/resources/docs/howcanibecomeagreekcitizen.pdf
for free access to the detailed info.
What is Greek citizenship?
Citizenship is the legal connection between the person and the country. So Greek citizenship is the legal connection between people who live in Greece or abroad and the country of Greece, the Hellenic Republic.
If you become a Greek citizen, you will get a Greek ID and enjoy the same rights as Greeks and other European Union citizens. For example, you will be able to live in another EU country in line with country’s terms and conditions. Also, you will be able to vote in Greek elections but have army duties in case for male citizens as well.
What are the requirements for Greek citizenship?
To get Greek citizenship, you need to:
What is important in this procedure is not the years you’ve been present in Greece but also having legal status.
If you’ve had refugee status or subsidiary protection and a residence permit for the past 7 years, then you are eligible to apply for Greek citizenship. You also need to prove that you have lived legally and continuously in Greece for the entire 7 years.
Stateless people need to have lived legally in Greece for 3 years
If you are married to a Greek national, you can apply for Greek citizenship after 3 years of legally living in Greece.
How do I apply for Greek citizenship?
First, go to the municipality where your permanent address is and submit a declaration that you want Greek citizenship.
After that, you can apply for Greek citizenship before the Decentralized Administration of the Region to which the municipality of your residence belongs. The law states that the naturalization application is addressed to the Minister of Interior, Decentralization and e-Government
How do I prove that I know the Greek language?
People studying at Greek schools prove their knowledge of the Greek language by attending school.
If you aren’t studying, you need to be interviewed by the Naturalization Committee, which will decide on your application.
What are the next steps after my interview?
If you have a successful interview, you will have to wait for about a year for your name to be announced in the National Gazette.
Unfortunately, you will then have to wait another year to take the oath of citizenship.
The last step is to register yourself in your local municipality.
How long does it take to grant citizenship?
The whole procedure could last approximately 5 years, delays are noticed especially at large cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki.
This is because the Greek state was not well-prepared to handle so many applications in such limited time.
How much does it cost?
There is a fee of €100 for recognized refugees, and a fee of €550 for migrants and all other categories, and an additional fee of €200 for resubmission of application.
Does my nationality play any role in getting Greek citizenship? Will I be treated differently?
No, your nationality does not play any role. The most important requirement is that you have legal status in Greece, also that you also know the Greek language well (to speak, to write, to read) and that you have strong ties and have joined the Greek society socially and professionally.
I have refugee status and live in Greece with my family. If I get Greek citizenship, does the rest of my family get it too?
The minors and unmarried members of the family will get citizenship automatically. The adults will have to apply and go through the Greek citizenship procedure.
What about babies who are born in Greece?
Being born in Greece does not give Greek citizenship to a child who is born to foreign parents.
Children born in Greece can apply for citizenship after they complete the first grade of primary school, and if both their parents have lived legally and continuously in Greece for at least 5 years before the child’s birth. Or since one of the parents has been born in Greece and has been living in the country permanently since birth or as long as does not acquire foreign citizenship at birth, neither can obtain such a statement from his parents.
RIGHTS
Third-country nationals who legally reside in the county may freely move and settle anywhere in its territory.
Third-country nationals who legally reside in Greece shall be insured with the relevant insurance institution and have the same insurance rights as Greek nationals. Uninsured and vulnerable social groups have the right of free access to public health Institutions and are entitled to nursing and medical care. The beneficiaries also include those who reside in Greece with a residence permit on humanitarian or exceptional grounds and their family members (spouse and minors or dependent children), whether they hold a valid residence permit, or a decision for the renewal of the request for international protection status is pending, or in case of administrative appeal or legal remedy against a negative decision of an application for renewal or during the time there is the right for administrative appeal or legal remedy. Also included are victims of crimes who are uninsured, as long as the measures of protection and assistance last, and third-country nationals who fall within the provisions of Law 3875/2010 (a 158) “Ratification and implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”, as long as the measures of protection and assistance last, by producing a relevant certificate from the competent police headquarters.
Minors who are third-country nationals residing in Greece shall be subject to the same requirement of compulsory education as Greek nationals. Minors who are third-country nationals, students at any level of education shall have unlimited access to the activities of school or academic communities. Enrolment of minors who are third-country nationals to Greek schools of any level shall require the same supporting documents requested from Greek nationals. Exceptionally, the children of third-country nationals may be enrolled in public schools with incomplete supporting documents if: a. They are protected by the Greek State as beneficiaries of international protection and are under the protection of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, b. They come from highly turbulent areas, c. They have filed an application for international protection, d. They are third-country nationals residing in Greece, even if their legal residence in the country has not been regulated.
Asylum application
Who can apply for asylum?
Access to international protection (asylum) procedure system is free of charge.
A person seeking international protection is any alien or stateless person who declares to any Greek authority, orally or in writing, that he/she is seeking asylum or requests not to be deported because he/she is in fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, participation in a particular social group or his/her political beliefs, or because he/she is in danger of suffering serious harm in his/her country of origin or country of previous residence, especially because he/she is in danger of facing the death penalty or execution, torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or his/her life or physical integrity is in danger because of an international or civil war. Also, any alien who is transferred to Greece by a European state which implements “Dublin III” Regulation is regarded to be a person seeking international protection (asylum).
Where you can apply for asylum?
The competent authorities to register your application are the Regional Asylum Offices and the asylum unit.
To submit an application, you should come in person to one of the Regional Offices of the Asylum Service.
In case you are in detention or you remain in a First Reception Center and you wish to apply for asylum, the competent detention or first reception services must inform the Asylum Service regarding your wish to submit an application for international protection
What is the procedure?
Access to international protection (asylum) procedure system is free of charge.
You must submit your application in person to one of the Regional Asylum Offices or Asylum Units. You may also submit applications for members of your family, provided that they are also in Greece and that they wish to do so. They will also have to come to the Asylum Service with you. Due the large number of persons who wishes to submit an application you may not be able to actually submit your application if you present yourself to the Asylum Service. Therefore, you might book an appointment for the submission of your application (full registration) via Skype (how to book an appointment via Skype). During skype call your photograph will be taken and you will be asked to provide some personal information (e.g. name, surname, etc.) in order for the Asylum Service to be able to identify you the day you present yourself to receive your applicant’s card or the day of your appointment to submit your application.
There is also the process of “protective custody”, in line with which an unaccompanied minor to enter a hosting structure, must first be held in either a prison or detention center or hospital if he is under 15 and then given an approval from the competent authorities to enter in the host structure.
If you are a victim of torture, rape or any other serious violent act, you must inform the Asylum Service staff so that they can provide you with assistance. You may ask to come into contact with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or any organization that provides legal, medical and psychological support. Throughout the procedure you have the right to ask for the support of a lawyer or other counselor of your choice (without mediation by the Asylum Service). You can ask the support of a lawyer by Asylum Service, only in the second degree (appeal against a rejective decision of first degree of your asylum application).
If you are an unaccompanied minor, you will be informed by your representative regarding your interview. Your representative will be invited and he/she may be with you during the interview. The authorities may conduct medical tests in order to determine your age. Both you and your representative must be informed regarding this procedure and you or your representative must consent without further inmplications.
Rights of applicants for international protection
As an applicant for international protection in Greece:
Obligations of applicants for international protection
Decision
When a decision upon your application is issued, the Asylum Service will notify you to come in person and receive it. You will be notified based on the contact information you have declared. The Asylum Service must serve you with the decision with the assistance of an interpreter in a language that you understand.
If you are granted refugee status:
If you are granted subsidiary protection:
Contact information for Aliens and Immigration Departments in Greece http://www.immigration.gov.gr/contact
Track your residence permit application http://pf.emigrants.ypes.gr/pf
e-administrative fee https://www.minfin.gr/web/guest/-/e-parabolo-neo-
Asylum Service http://asylo.gov.gr/en/
Asylum Information in 19 languages http://asylo.gov.gr/en/?page_id=99
Regional Asylum Services http://asylo.gov.gr/en/?page_id=49
Instruction manual of the Skype service:
Skype for French-speaking and English-speaking third-country nationals
Skype for Arabic-speaking third-country nationals
Skype for Farsi- and Dari-speaking third-country nationals
Reception and Identification Service http://www.firstreception.gov.gr/index.php?lang=en
