If you want to apply for citizenship by descent in Greece, our immigration specialists can help you. Discover below what the procedure entails and how our lawyers can help you.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Who can obtain citizenship by descent in Greece? | Persons born to a parent with Greek nationality |
Citizenship by descent for adopted children | Yes, if at least one parent is a Greek national |
Citizenship by descent in case of unmarried parents | When at least one parent is a Greek citizen |
| Citizenship by descent through grandparents | If at least one grandparent was a Greek citizen (subject to definitive proof) |
| Conditions for the ancestors | At least one ancestor was a Greek citizen (must be duly documented) |
| General required documents for citizenship by descent | Proof that the ancestor is/was registered in the Records of a Municipality of the Hellenic Republic. |
| Requirements for language knowledge | Not necessarily |
| Means of proving language knowledge | Not applicable in all cases |
| Other requirements | The applicant will be asked to take an oath at the end of the process. |
| Document requirements | Other documents may be needed on a case-by-case basis. |
| Translation requirements | Yes |
| Apostille | Yes, required so that a foreign-issued document is recognized (when issued in certain countries). |
| Power of attorney | Can be used. You can contact our immigration lawyers in Greece for details. |
| Situations in which citizenship applications are prohibited | In some cases, if the applicant is a threat to national security. Our team can give you more details. |
| Dual citizenship | Yes |
Table of Contents
Who can apply for citizenship by ancestry in Greece?
You can apply for citizenship by descent in Greece if:
- you have at least one parent who is a Greek citizen, in which case you will be granted citizenship automatically;
- you are born out of wedlock, and your mother has Greek nationality;
- you have at least one grandparent who was born in Greece;
- you have at least one great-grandparent who was a Greek citizen.
In the latter case, there may be additional steps to complete. Our Greek immigration lawyer, specialized in citizenship matters, can advise in this case.
Additionally, one can also apply for Greek nationality in the situation in which he or she was born before May 5th, 1984, to a Greek mother or before July 16th to a Greek father, in this case in wedlock.
What documents can I use to prove Greek ancestry for citizenship purposes?
If you decided to apply for Greek citizenship by means of lineage, you should have:
- the birth certificate of your Greek ancestor;
- the marriage certificate of the respective family member;
- the Greek ancestor’s registration certificates with the Greek municipality or their military records.
Other documents to be filed are:
- the application form and the applicant’s identification document (passport);
- the applicant’s legalized birth certificate;
- the baptism certificate.
NOTE: In certain cases, death certificates may also be accepted by the Greek authorities.
IMPORTANT! If you have difficulties in finding the above-mentioned documents, you can rely on our immigration specialists who can search the Greek Population Register.
Here is also an infographic on this subject:
What should I consider when filing the documents with the Greek authorities?
When making the application for Greek citizenship by descent, the following conditions apply to the documents that are submitted:
- the documents are to be submitted either in original form or certified copies of the original;
- all documents issued by a foreign authority are not only translated by a sworn translator but also legalized by a notary public; if the issuing state is part of the Hague Convention, an apostille is applied to the document in the issuing country;
- when applying for citizenship by descent in Greece, the document translations need to be made by a certified translator included in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ register of certified translators;
- the names of the applicant need to be consistent across all documents, as well as his or her particulars; this also applies to the names and the particulars of the ancestors.
What are the steps to complete to obtain Greek citizenship by descent?
The following:
- gather the necessary documents for the application (yours and of the relevant family member);
- submit them to the Greek authorities directly through our immigration specialists or the Greek consulate abroad (filing them directly in Greece can reduce the waiting period);
- wait for the application to be reviewed and recorded into the Citizenship Register;
- apply for a Greek passport.
Our immigration specialists invite you to watch a video about this manner of obtaining Greek citizenship:
Which authority determines if I get Greek citizenship by ancestry?
The procedure is handled by the Greek Ministry of Interior, Public Administration, and Decentralization and, as needed, by the General Districts in the country.
How long does it take for a Greek citizenship by descent application to be processed?
The procedure can take up to 3 years, depending on the ties you have with the Greek citizen.
Specialized legal advice can be very important during the citizenship application phase. You can contact our immigration lawyer in Greece if you are ready to start the application process.
