Citizenship Law

Citizenship is defined as the public law bond of a person to the state to whose people he belongs. Law 3284/2004 ratified the Citizenship Code in Greece, which provides for the conditions and method of acquiring and recognizing Greek citizenship, the reasons for its loss and the conditions and procedure for naturalization.

In particular, Greek citizenship is acquired in the following ways:

1. By birth 
2. By studying 
3. With recognition
4. By adoption
5. By rank in the armed forces
6. By naturalization

Standard conditions for naturalization (Article 5 of the Citizenship Code): (άρθρο 5 Κώδικα Ιθαγένειας):

The foreigner who wishes to become a Greek citizen with naturalization must:

1. Be of legal age at the time of submitting the naturalization application.
2. Not have been irrevocably convicted of the offenses described in detail in the above provision.
3. Not to be subject to deportation or other pending status of his legal stay in the Country.
4. To reside in Greece legally for seven consecutive years before submitting the naturalization application. For the holders of the citizenship of a member state of the European Union, the spouses of a Greek man or a Greek woman with a child, those who have the parental care of a child of Greek citizenship, who was born in Greece, as well as stateless persons, it is sufficient that they have previously resided legally in Greece for at least one three consecutive years. For expatriates and for those who were born and live continuously in Greece, the time requirement of seven years of residence is not required.
5. Possess one of the following legal residence permits::

a) long-term resident permit,
b) certificate or other document of residence granted to citizens of member states of the European Union or the EFTA countries, 

c) card or other residence document granted to family members of a Greek citizen or a citizen of a European Union member state or to parents of a minor citizen,
d) card of a recognized political refugee or subsidiary protection status or of a family member of the holder of such a card,
e) travel documents or a special card issued by a national authority, in accordance with the provisions of the New York International Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, g) a card or other expatriate residence document of any type, except for a Special Expatriate Identity Card.
g) second generation residence permit.

Essential conditions for naturalization  (article 3 of Law 4735/2020-amendment of article 5A of the Immigration Code):

1. Sufficient knowledge of the Greek language,so that the foreigner can fulfill the obligations deriving from the status of a Greek citizen.
2. Adequate knowledge of Greek history and geography,Greek culture and the customs of the Greek people, as well as how the country's political institutions function.
3. Ability to actively and meaningfully participate in the political life of the Country,respecting the fundamental principles that govern it.
4. Smooth integration of the foreigner into the economic and social life of the Country,having made it a continuous center of his livelihood activities.

Law 4735/2020 instituted a substantial reform in the naturalization process of aliens with the introduction of the Naturalization Proficiency Certificate (P.E.G.P) as a necessary condition for submitting a naturalization application. The exams are held twice a year and candidates must successfully respond to the knowledge fields of examination of the Greek language, Greek history, geography, Greek culture and the institutions of the country's culture. 

We are by your side at every stage of the citizenship acquisition process, we check that the formal and essential granting conditions are met, we inform you about the collection of the necessary supporting documents and we help you to properly prepare for the effective response to the demanding exams.