HOW CAN I BECOME A GREEK CITIZEN?

(Simplified instructions on the acquisition of Greek citizenship)*

HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?
For citizens of non- • Those that don’t have a • After 7 years of • A “declaration of Naturalisation” at the At the Directorate • 700 euros for 1 year (in
EU countries residence permit or only permanent and legal municipality of my residence. of Civic Status of the first - time practice 2-4
possess temporary residence in Greece the Decentralised application years)
• An application of Naturalisation
permits Administration of
• After 3 years of • 200 euros for
• A residence permit of the following types the area where I
• Those that have been permanent and legal the second
as: reside
convicted into sentences residence in Greece application and
of more than 6 months, provided that I’m a) Long-term residence permit or second for all those that
for certain types of crimes, married with a Greek generation one, b) for spouses of Greek or may follow
or for more than 1 year, citizen and have a EU citizens, or a parent of an underage
• 100 euros for
for crimes that have been child with him/her. Greek citizen, c) a political refugee, or with
the first
committed intentionally. subsidiary protection, d) as a stateless
• After 3 years of legal application and
person
and permanent for all those that
residence if I have an • Passport may follow, if I
underage child that am a refugee or
• If I have been born abroad, a birth
holds the Greek a stateless
certificate, authenticated and translated
citizenship (not person
into Greek/ If I have been born in Greece, a
applied to those who
Greek birth certificate.
acquired the
citizenship because • Personal tax audits for recent years.
they attended a
Greek school) • Social security number (Α.Μ.Κ.Α.)

• After 3 years of legal • Other document proving my relations to

and permanent Greece and the Greeks
residence in Greece,
if I am a refugee or
have been
recognized as a
stateless person by
the Greek
authorities.
 HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?

For citizens of EU • Those that don’t hold a After 3 years of • A “Declaration of Naturalisation” at the At the Directorate 100 euros for the 1 year (in
countries registration certificate or a permanent and legal municipality of my residence. of Civic Status of first time practice 2-4
permanent residence residence in Greece the Decentralised application and all years)
• An application of Naturalisation
certificate of a EU citizen Administration of that will follow
• Registration certificate or a permanent the area where I
• Those that have been
residence certificate of EU citizens, reside
convicted into sentences
provided by the immigration departments
of more than 6 months,
of the Greek Police
for certain types of crimes,
or for more than 1 year • Passport
for intentionally
committed crimes. • If I have been born abroad, a birth
certificate, authenticated and translated
into Greek/ If I have been born in Greece, a
Greek birth certificate
• Personal tax audits for recent years.
• Social security number (Α.Μ.Κ.Α.)
• Other document proving my relations to
Greece and the Greeks
For co-ethnic • Those that don’t hold a Whenever • An application of Naturalisation At the Directorate 100 euros 1 year ( in
Greeks from Special Identity Card for of Civic Status of practice 1-2
• Special Identity Card for co-ethnic Greeks
Albania, Turkey, co-ethnic Greeks the Decentralised years)
(Ε.D.Τ.Ο.)
and successor (Ε.D.Τ.Ο.) Administration of
states of the former • Passport the area where I
• Those that have been
USSR, who hold a reside
convicted into sentences • a birth certificate, authenticated and
Special Identity of more than 6 months, translated into Greek
Card (EDTO) for certain types of crimes,
or for more than 1 year • a family status certificate (family civil
for crimes that are registry) authenticated and translated into
committed intentionally. Greek.

• Those that don’t live

permanently in Greece
 HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?
For co - ethnic Those that are not co-ethnic Whenever • An application of Naturalisation or a Special At the Greek No fee Not specified
Greeks residing in Greeks Identity Card for co-ethnic Greeks (Ε.D.Τ.Ο.) consular office,
successor countries • Passport mandated to serve
of the former USSR the area where I
• Birth certificate of the applicant and his/her reside
parents, authenticated and officially
translated
• Marriage certificate of the parents,
authenticated and officially translated
• Other documents that prove my Greek
ethnic heritage (conscription id, citizenship
certificate, consular passport, documents
of the soviet authorities containing ethnic
designation etc)
For co-ethnic Those that have arrive to Whenever • An application of Naturalisation At the Directorate No fee Not specified
Greeks from ex- Greece after 2 May 2001 and of Civic Status of
• Passport
USSR successor are not parents or children the Decentralised
countries who have of co-ethnic Greeks that • Birth certificate of the applicant and his/her Administration of
settled in Greece have acquired the Greek parents, authenticated and officially the area where I
before 2 May 2001, citizenship translated reside
or are parents or • Marriage certificate of the parents,
children of co- authenticated and officially translated
ethnic Greeks that
have already • The decision for acquisition of Greek
acquired the Greek citizenship of my parent (applies to the
citizenship children of co-ethnic Greeks) and a recent
family status certificate of the parent, from
the municipality of his/her registry
• Other documents that prove my Greek
ethnic heritage (conscription id, citizenship
certificate, consular passport, documents
of the soviet authorities containing ethnic
designation etc.
 HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?

For persons who Those that reside Whenever • An application of Naturalisation At the Greek 120 euros 1 year (in
have a co-ethnic permanently abroad and Embassy or practice 1-2
• A “Declaration of Naturalisation” before the (The cost may rise
Greek ancestor cannot be regarded as consulate of the years)
Consul depending on the
Greeks area where I reside
consular fees)
• Criminal history report (criminal record
certificate) from my country of origin,
authenticated and translated into Greek
• Passport
• Birth certificate of the applicant
authenticated and officially translated
• Documents that prove my relationship to
the Greek ancestor

For persons who Whenever • Registry of the ancestor to Greek municipal At the Greek If the application is 18 months
have an ancestor records Embassy or at the submitted to a
who was Greek Directorate of Civic Greek Embassy
• Documents that prove my relationship to
citizen (designation Status of the
the Greek ancestor there is a 100
/assertion of Decentralised
Administration of Euros consular fee
citizenship)
the area where I
reside
 HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?

For people who • Those that don’t have a After I successfully • Declaration – Application for acquisition of At the Directorate 100 euros • 6 months if
have attended a residence permit or have conclude 9 school years Greek citizenship of Civic Status of I’m under 18
school that only a temporary one at the Elementary and the Decentralised years old at
• School attendance certificate issued by the
implements the Secondary education Administration of the time of
• Those who have been Peripheral Directorate of Primary and
Greek mandatory level, the area where I the
convicted to sentences Secondary Education.
curriculum reside application
that are above 6 months, or
• Residence permit submission
for certain types of crimes, After concluding 6 (in practice 1
or to more than 1 year for school years at the • If I have been born abroad, a birth year - 18
crimes that have been Secondary education certificate, authenticated and officially months)
committed intentionally level translated into Greek.
• 1 year if I’m
• Those who have or • If I have been born in Greece, the municipal over 18 at
completed 6 or 9 school birth registration.
When having graduated the time of
years while they where
both from a Greek High • Passport the
minors and now they are
School (Lykio) and a application
over 21 years old • An optional “Solemn Declaration” about the
Greek University (ΑΕΙ or submission
• Those who have adaptation into the Greek language of my (in practice 1
ΤΕΙ) name and surname. It applies only to those
completed 6 or 9 school year - 18
years after their 23
rd who are over 18 and wish to make that months)
birthday change.

• Those that have

completed 6 or 9 school
years after being 18y.o.
and before they become
23y.o., but there has been
3 years since they have
finished their school
studies
• When more than 3 years
have passed since the
date of graduation from a
Greek university (AEI or
TEI).
 HOW LONG
SHOULD I WAIT
WHEN CAN I MAKE THE WHERE DO I HOW MUCH DOES FOR A
WHO CANNOT APPLY? WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
APPLICATION? APPLY? IT COST? DECISION,
ACCORDING TO
THE LAW?

For those who have • When neither of the From the enrolment in • Declaration – Application for acquisition of At the Directorate 100 euros 6 months (in
st
been born in parents’ holds a residence the 1 grade of the Greek citizenship of Civil Registry of practice about 1
Greece and have permit or they hold only elementary school. the Decentralised year)
• The Greek municipal birth registration.
attended a school temporary residence Administration of
that implements permits • The marriage certificate of the parents, the area where I
the Greek authenticated and translated into Greek, or, reside
• When neither of the
mandatory if the marriage took place in Greece the
minor’s parents has been
curriculum municipal marriage registration.
living in Greece for more
than 5 years with a • The parents’ residence permits. At least one
residence permit, before of the parents must hold one of the
the minor’s birth, nor has following permits that are issued: for long
been residing in Greece term residence, for second generation, for
with a residence permit indefinite period, for 10 years, for refugees,
for more than 10 years in for persons with subsidiary protection
total, before and after the status, for stateless persons and for EU
birth of the minor . citizens
• The passports of the parents, officially
translated.
• Certificate of the child’s enrollment and
st
attendance of the 1 grade of the
elementary school. It is issued by the
School’s Director.

*The present codification of the citizenship processes has been made by the Greek Ombudsman, with the cooperation of the Citizenship Directorate of the Ministry of Interior. It is a summary of the pertinent
legislation and for this reason it does not include all the special cases, exceptions and transitional regulations that exist. For more information you should contact the local Directorates for Civil Registry of the
Decentralized Administration