Residence Permit

A residence permit (definitive title of residence) is any kind of certification provided by the competent Greek authorities on the basis of which a citizen of a third country is allowed to reside legally in the Greek Territory.

The right of residence of citizens of third countries is in any case subject to some basic conditions which are as follows:

1. Be holders of a valid travel document recognized by Greece, the validity of which extends at least three (3) months after the last scheduled date of departure, containing at least two (2) blank pages and issued within the previous decade. 
2. Hold a valid national entry visa for one of the reasons listed in the Immigration Code, unless otherwise specified
3. Not be considered a threat to public orderrepresenting you during your interview before the Asylum Service and in general your representation where required. 
4. Do not pose a risk to public health.. 
5. Have full health insurance for all risks covered for nationals. 

Categories of residence permits

 The main categories of residence permits are the following: 

1. Residence permit for work and professional reasons (dependent work, provision of independent services, provision of project services, investment activity, etc.).
2. Residence permit for humanitarian, exceptional and other reasons.
3. Residence permit for family reunification (third-country national family members, independent residence permit for third-country family members, etc.).
4. Long-term residence permit.
5. Residence permit for studies, voluntary work, research and professional training, etc.

With Official Gazette A'/81/1-4-2023, the new Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023) was published in the Government Gazette, which is effective, unless otherwise specified, from 1-1-2024 and introduces amendments to the existing existing Law 4251/2014.

According to article 1 of the new law “Σ"The aim is to reform the Immigration Code and to include in it all the residence permits granted by the competent Greek authorities to citizens of third countries, in order to ensure the most complete response of immigration policy to modern needs of the Greek society and the Greek economy, as well as the simplification, transparency, efficiency and speed of the procedures".

The new law comes to deal with the problems created due to the multitude of provisions that amend, supplement or replace the original regulations of the current Immigration Code (law 4251/2014) and due to the dysfunction of the administration on the other hand. A new piece of legislation is therefore being drafted that includes all categories of residence permits, updates the application procedures in response to the needs of the domestic market, facilitates and speeds up the issuance and renewal of residence permits with the help of digital infrastructure as well as the minimization of the required supporting documents.

Residence permit granting procedure

According to the new Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023) a citizen of a third country who wishes to obtain one of the residence permits must submit an application for its granting, after entering the country and before the expiry of the entry visa,except if hereinafter provided otherwise.

The submission of applications for the granting of an initial residence permit and the supporting documents, as well as the receipt of any rejection decision or other documents from the relevant file, are done through the electronic services of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum (hereinafter "Integrated Information System (O. P.S.) "Immigration") by the citizen of a third country or by his attorney or by his spouses, ascendants and adult descendants. 

At our law office, being fully informed about developments in immigration law, we deal with the difficulties that arise and guarantee you immediate and speedy processing of your issues