Today, Greece is one of the most coveted countries for immigrants in the world. Although the process of obtaining a passport is very long, it is not so difficult to use this opportunity. Let's look at the most effective ways to obtain Greek citizenship and what it takes.
Land of Homer and Herodotus
Before packing your suitcases with bathing accessories and choosing a sunblock, it is worth considering the pros and cons of life in the Greek Republic. To do this, it is best to read the reviews of those who have already immigrated here.
What good is waiting for a migrant in the country of Herodotus?
- 300 days a year of sunny weather.
- The gentle Mediterranean Sea.
- The opportunity to live in the cradle of modern culture.
- In addition to sea resorts, Greece has many ski resorts. So at any time of the year you can find a place to relax.
- Cheap accommodation. In particular, in comparison with other European states.
- Free higher education for both local residents and foreigners.
- Cheap and very tasty products. Unique local cuisine that falls in love once and for all.
- Friendly local people.
However, in this barrel of honey there are also several spoons with tar. They should be considered first of all, when planning to move here.
- The bureaucracy is very developed. Although a native of the post-Soviet space this can hardly be scared.
- High unemployment rate. 40% of the population are not employed. However, this was not always the case, and perhaps in a couple of years everything will change for the better.
- Frequent strikes interfering with work.
- Migrants from Arab and African countries. This is the scourge of modern Europe. In Greece, there are a lot of them because of the similar climate and relative proximity to their historical Homelands. Because of them, in the past 5 years, the criminal situation in the country has escalated.
Bipatrism
As in most developed European countries, Greece has bipatrism (dual citizenship). For migrants, this is very convenient, because, gaining local citizenship, they should not abandon the existing one, becoming bipatrides. Thus, having received Greek citizenship, a citizen of Russia or Belarus can freely use all the rights that it grants, without losing his birthright.
More difficult in this situation for Ukrainians. The laws of their country do not welcome bipatrism, but they do not prohibit it either. The incomplete procedure leads to the game of cat and mouse with the native state. While it does not officially know about the second citizenship of its subject, it remains a bipatrid. If it becomes known about the appearance of a second Motherland, a Ukrainian may be deprived of citizenship. Or maybe not. So, coming to visit relatives, Ukrainian bipatrides are forced to carefully hide Greek passports under their pillows.
Grounds for Immigration
Starting to plan how to obtain citizenship of Greece, a citizen of Russia, Ukraine or other independent powers, it is worth deciding on the basis for this.
The options are as follows:
- To be born or to be adopted.
- Be an ethnic Greek.
- Marriage.
- Study.
- Employment.
- Business, investment, real estate purchase.
- Refugee
In addition to the above, the basis for moving to Greece may be a foreigner joining the local military forces, as well as moving "to work" in a local monastery.
Special requirements for candidates
In order to obtain citizenship of Greece, a citizen of the Russian Federation, Ukraine or other powers, you must meet certain requirements:
- Do not be judged either in your own country or in a new country.
- Being mentally and physically healthy (a runny nose does not count).
- To live on Greek soil for at least 10 years from the last 12 legally. For investors - 7 years. Ethnic Greeks do not have this requirement.
- Provide yourself and have housing.
- Proficient in Greek.
What documents may be required
As a rule, when applying for citizenship (regardless of the basis) a standard package of documents is submitted.
- Statement.
- Application form issued at the consulate.
- 4 photographs of the established format.
- Certificate of good conduct. When applying for a residence permit, it is taken at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the homeland. Upon obtaining citizenship - provided by local law enforcement agencies.
- Tax return for 12 years (when applying for citizenship).
- Medical certificate on the absence of serious and contagious diseases.
- Bank statement on the availability of the necessary amount on the account for living.
- When applying for a residence permit, you will need a copy of your passport. In other cases - a copy of the residence permit certificate.
- A document confirming the grounds for staying in the country (needed to obtain a residence permit). This can be a contract and a letter of invitation from the employer, a marriage or birth certificate, a lease or ownership of residential real estate in Greece, etc.
- Certificate of payment of state duty (about 700 euros). This fee will have to be paid for each family member separately. At the same time, children who receive citizenship with their father or mother, refugees and members of their families are exempted from it. The rest will have to shell out, applying for a Greek passport.
The registration procedure includes passing the exam for knowledge of the state language and passing an interview with immigration officers.
All certificates and documents not in Greek must be translated and notarized. Other papers may be required. The applicant will be informed about this even when applying.
Citizenship Algorithm
The process of obtaining citizenship consists of such stages.
- Arriving in the country legally.
- Registration of a residence permit.
- Getting permanent residence.
- Passing a language exam.
- Passing an interview.
- Getting a passport.
Insidious interview
If everything is in order with your reasons, documents and knowledge of the local language, you will have to go through an interview before you receive Greek citizenship. This procedure is akin to an exam in the history, culture, geography and social life of this state. The immigration commission will ask all this very carefully and ask the most insidious questions.
You should not be afraid - their goal is not to overwhelm you, but to check how seriously you take your second homeland. Therefore, if you were preparing, you can handle it.
Usually, all questions during the interview are divided into such blocks.
- Personal life and work. The commission has the right and, most likely, will inquire about the reasons for the move, family relationships, work colleagues and other similar trifles.
- History. In addition to general knowledge about the different periods of the existence of this country, questions about national holidays will be asked in this block.
- Geography. Each applicant for citizenship should know the names of the islands, mountains, rivers and lakes of Greece, as well as the countries with which it borders.
- The culture. Here you have to sweat. After all, questions can concern both contemporary artists, sculptors, poets, musicians and philosophers, as well as antique ones. They may also ask about the names of ancient cities.
- Social Studies. They will ask about the Constitution of the country, its political and economic structure. And also about those local newspapers or magazines that you read. They may ask the number of stripes on the national flag - do not forget to count them in advance.
Birth / adoption right
The easiest way to get Greek citizenship is to be born here. Moreover, it is imperative that one of the parents has local citizenship. In this case, he passes it on to his child, even if his birth was in another country.
As a rule, citizenship is transmitted through the maternal side. However, in the event that a foreign mother gave birth to a Greek subject, the child will receive citizenship. Even if the parents were not married. It is only necessary to prove paternity (DNA test). In such a situation, you should apply for it before adulthood.
Similar benefits are given to adopted foreign children. Greek laws equate them with children of blood.
If a child is born in the territory of this state, but his dad and mother do not have citizenship, he will acquire it in the future with his parents. Moreover, this status is assigned to him after entering the 1st grade.
Educational Immigration Opportunities
The Greek Republic is one of the few countries where you can get citizenship for studying at a local school for 9 years (6 in primary and 3 in gymnasium). True, for this you need to be born on the territory of this state. This loophole is intended for children of non-residents or non-citizens of a given country who, by birth, cannot become Greek subjects.
This opportunity, how to obtain Greek citizenship, also applies if the child has been unlearned for 3 years at a local gymnasium, and then another 3 years at a lyceum. You can also apply a combination - 3 years of lyceum + training at a local university. By the way, the same category does not pass a mandatory interview for citizenship.
This law can be used as one of the ways to obtain Greek citizenship. Advantages, however, it provides specifically to children. Such a combination is theoretically possible. If your family is expecting a baby, you can go to the country of Herodotus on a tourist visa (for Ukrainians just go) and give birth to him there, and then return home with him. Thus, the child will receive citizenship in the country of parents. After finishing 9 classes there, he will be able to go to Greece and enroll in a local lyceum, and after graduation - to a university. Together with the diploma (which is quoted in most developed countries of the world), the graduate will also gain Greek citizenship.
For ordinary immigrants, studying at a university in GR is a rather long way to get a treasured passport. A plus can be considered that in many universities, education is provided free of charge for foreigners. In addition, housing and food are cheaper than in other European countries. And medical insurance is free. The granted visa gives the right to earn extra 20 hours a week. However, this is not enough to obtain a residence permit.
Another advantage is the future diploma, with the help of which it will be easier to find a job in this country, and later to naturalize.
How to obtain Greek citizenship to ethnic Greek
This category of foreigners has naturalization benefits. For them, the process of acquiring a passport is much faster. They only need to prove that among their ancestors in a straight line (parents, grandparents, great-grandparents) were Greeks.
They will have to provide their birth certificates, where this particular nationality will be indicated. You will also need a certificate of the baptism of an ancestor in the Greek Orthodox Church and a document on the registration of marriage there. It is also to be found evidence of baptism for all generations between the applicant and this ancestor.
This will become the basis for obtaining citizenship bypassing the residence permit.
You can speed up the process by joining the Greek army as a volunteer.
How to obtain Greek citizenship when buying real estate, opening a business or investing
Given the high unemployment rate, opening your own company here or investing in an existing one is akin to an adventure. The chances of burnout are very, very high. In addition, this does not provide any special benefits for naturalization. The only plus is obtaining a residence permit on this basis.
More promising is the acquisition of real estate. In this case, its owner not only receives a residence permit, but also reduces the waiting period for citizenship from 10 years to 7. Moreover, the purchased must have the status of a dwelling and cost its new owner no less than 250 thousand euros.
Marriage-based immigration
One of the most popular ways to obtain Greek citizenship for Russians and Ukrainians is marriage with a citizen of this state.
On this basis, the immigrant receives a residence permit for 5 years, after which you can apply for permanent residence, and then try to get a passport. At birth, the process accelerates.
Citizenship through employment
This method of obtaining Greek citizenship to a citizen of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and other post-Soviet countries is very problematic. After all, seasonal work to collect fruit and vegetables is not a full-time job, and therefore the basis for obtaining a residence permit.
In addition, GR is famous throughout Europe for its unemployment rate. Therefore, before taking on the normal work of a foreign specialist, the Greek employer will have to give good reasons why he did not employ a compatriot.
Finding a place here is real. But for this you need to be a very popular specialist with experience and clearly not a Russian or Ukrainian diploma.
Refuge
In conclusion, it is worth considering another way how to move to Greece and obtain citizenship. It's about becoming a refugee. The UN Convention, which the Homer country once joined, obliges it to grant asylum to foreigners who are subjected to political, national, religious or racial persecution in their homeland. If you fit into one of these categories and can prove it - the chances of moving here are very high.
Please note: economic or criminal reasons cannot be the basis for applying for asylum in Greece. That is, if you have a war in your country or you are oppressed due to religious beliefs or skin color - these are real reasons. And if you robbed a bank and hope to avoid punishment by moving abroad or you just don’t like the standard of living in your homeland - no.
To seek asylum, you first need to get here legally. Otherwise - deported back or transported to a less hospitable country. Most often, a tourist visa is used for this purpose. For Ukrainians it’s still easier. From 2017, they can come to Greece with their ID passport without a visa.
The algorithm for the design of refuge is as follows:
- Arrival in the country.
- Asylum can be sought immediately when crossing the border at a checkpoint or at any police station. To initiate the procedure, you must file a request in writing.
- The next step is to provide evidence why the person was forced to leave their homeland.
- If the application is accepted, the applicant will be relocated to a specialized settlement for refugees, where he will expect his fate for about 150 days. It is likely that the applicant may be sent to another country.
- If refugee status is granted, its holder receives a residence permit with the right to prolong. Now he can live and work in Greece until he has received a passport.
It is worth noting that moving to this country on such a basis, a person loses his first citizenship in an automatic manner. So there can be no talk of any bipatrism. By the way, benefits for refugees in this state are very scarce. So it’s better to choose other ways to get Greek citizenship. Fortunately, there is something.