Where you come from is part of who you are. If you’re entitled to Greek citizenship by descent, claiming it is about more than securing a powerful passport. It’s also about acknowledging your cultural heritage.
Of course, a Greek passport also offers lots of practical advantages. It gives you the right to live, work, and study anywhere in the EU, and the ability to pass your citizenship on to future generations.
At Remitly, we believe in acknowledging and celebrating what makes us unique. In this guide, we’re going to walk you through the citizenship application process and give you a clear roadmap to claiming your Greek citizenship. Breaking down the process into manageable steps will make the journey approachable and achievable. Let’s go!
What is Greek citizenship by descent?
Like many countries, Greece determines citizenship based on the legal principle of jus sanguinis, or “right of blood.” Put simply, that means that citizenship is passed down through your family lineage instead of being determined by where you were born.
In other words, if you have Greek ancestors, you may already be a citizen of Greece according to the Greek government. You just need to prove it.
Technically, Greece recognizes citizens born outside the country even if their last Greek ancestor was a great-grandparent. But in practice, you need to be able to document an unbroken chain of Greek nationality to show that your ancestors passed Greek citizenship onto the next generation without interruption.
What does that mean? Well, it means providing proof of your ancestor’s Greek citizenship, and legal transmission of that citizenship to each subsequent generation. So the further back in time you go, the harder it may be. Even so, obtaining the rights of a Greek citizen and reconnecting with your heritage could be well worth the effort.
Eligibility for Greek citizenship: do you qualify?
The answer can be complicated. Here are some common scenarios for people with Greek ancestry who can qualify for citizenship:
Children of Greek parents
If at least one of your parents was a Greek citizen at the time of your birth, you’re probably eligible for Greek citizenship. That’s true even if you were born outside of Greece. If you fall into this category, all you need to do is register your birth correctly with the Greek authorities. Then, you can proceed with getting your citizenship recognized.
Grandchildren of Greek citizens
Even if your parents were never formally registered as Greek citizens, they may still be entitled to recognition as Greek citizens if one of their parents held Greek citizenship.
However, remember that unbroken line of Greek descent we mentioned? That means you may need to register your parents, grandparents, or other direct ancestors first, before you can make your own citizenship application.
Unlike many other countries, though, Greece doesn’t have a firm generational cutoff for how far back you can go to claim Greek ancestry. As long as you can demonstrate an unbroken chain of Greek nationality from an ancestor to yourself, you may be able to be recognized as a Greek citizen.
The role of the Greek municipality (Demotologion)
One of the most important requirements is that your Greek ancestor must have been registered at a Greek municipality, known as the Demotologion. This municipal record records family status, so can provide the official proof that your ancestor was recognized as a Greek citizen. Births in Greece are automatically registered at the municipality, while foreign births must be registered by the parents.
If your family history is unclear, don’t worry. You can look into your citizenship without starting on an official citizenship recognition process. Check with your family and see what official records are available to determine whether pursuing Greek citizenship by descent will work for you.
Greek dual citizenship benefits
If you have Greek ancestry, the benefits of dual citizenship are substantial. Let’s take a look at why you might want to go down this road.
Practical benefits of Greek citizenship
The Greek passport is typically ranked among the world’s strongest. It offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 180 countries.
Plus, Greece is a full member of the European Union. That means that, as a Greek citizen, you also have the right to live and work in any of the other EU member states, including France, Germany, Spain, or Italy, without a visa or work permit.
Even if you never intend to live in the EU, traveling becomes a lot easier if you have an EU passport. You can move freely around the European Union, and will often benefit from shorter lines at the airport when entering any EU country from outside the region.
Being a Greek citizen also gives you the right to Greek public healthcare and education systems if you gain residency there.
Cultural benefits
The legal advantages of being a Greek citizen are huge, but if you have Greek ancestry, claiming your citizenship could also carry strong emotional significance. You might see the citizenship recognition process as a way of formally reclaiming your family history and strengthening your connection to Greece.
It’s also worth remembering that Greek citizenship can be inherited. Once your own citizenship has been recognized and registered, your children may also be eligible to be registered as Greek citizens. This helps preserve your family’s connection to your ancestral homeland and allows them to take advantage of the practical benefits of Greek citizenship, if they choose to do so.
Required documents: gathering your paperwork
Documentation is key to proving your unbroken Greek ancestry. The main thing you need to demonstrate is your connection to your last ancestor who was a Greek citizen and registered as such at the Demotologion. That means the documents you need will vary a little depending on your situation, but the core documents you should seek out are:
Birth certificates
You’ll need your own, full birth certificate from whatever country you were born in. You’ll also need the full birth certificate for your Greek ancestor. If that ancestor is a grandparent, great-grandparent, or further back than that, you also need the full birth certificates of every generation between you and them to prove your relationship to them.
Marriage certificates
Marriage records are often required to explain changes of surname and to link generations to one another.
Baptism records
Baptismal certificates may not be essential but they can strengthen your case, providing supporting evidence of family relations. This is especially true for all the generations, since several birth records may be incomplete or missing.
Greek municipal records
Remember, your Greek ancestor must have been registered at a Greek municipality, and you’ll need the family registration certificate or extract from the Demotologion to prove it.
Document requirements
For documents issued outside Greece, you must obtain an apostille stamp, if applicable—they’re not available from every country. The stamp certifies the document’s authenticity for use abroad.
Non-Greek documents must be translated into Greek. The translation has to be certified by a recognized body. These include:
- Officially recognized translators
- Certified Greek lawyers
- The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Depending on how far back your link to Greece goes, getting the paperwork together can be a challenge. But these documents are what you need to prove your eligibility for Greek citizenship. Take your time to make sure you have the paperwork to prove a strong family link to a Greek citizen, and it’ll make the application process smoother.
The citizenship recognition process: step-by-step
Step 1: Get your ancestor’s record.
The first thing you need to do is get the record of your ancestor’s Greek citizenship. Depending on the exact paperwork you’re after, these can be available online. If the municipality of your Greek ancestor hasn’t signed up for online access, you’ll need to contact them directly.
Step 2: Gather the documents to prove your connection to your Greek ancestor.
You’ll need birth and marriage certificates demonstrating the line of descent through parents, grandparents, or however far back you need to go.
Step 3: Contact your nearest Greek Embassy or consulate.
They can provide you with guidance on getting your documents translated and apostilled so that they’ll be recognized. Remember that some consulates require documents to be apostilled before translation, others after.
Step 4: Book an appointment with the Greek Embassy to apply for recognition of your citizenship.
You’ll need to bring all your documents to prove your connection to Greece.
Step 5: Wait.
Obtaining Greek citizenship through descent isn’t a quick process. How long you may have to wait depends on your specific circumstances and the specific consulate and municipality you’re dealing with. If your parents were Greek, you might get a quicker turnaround, around three months if everything is in order.
However, if you’re applying for grandparents or other ancestors, it could take two to three years to have your citizenship recognized.
Costs and considerations
It costs between €140 and €240 ($165 and $280 USD at time of writing) to apply at the consulate for recognition of Greek citizenship.
However, these fees can vary and there may be other costs involved with the process. For example, legalizing a translation costs €30 ($35 USD). Certified copies of original Greek documents start at €10 ($12 USD). There may also be additional fees from the municipality to obtain the proof you need.
Military service
You should be aware that all male Greek citizens between the ages of 19 and 45 are required to serve in the Armed Forces. However, if you live permanently outside Greece, you can postpone your conscription.
Once you reach the age of 45, you’re generally exempt from this obligation. There are exemptions based on your age, family status, or time spent abroad, but if you decide to move to Greece and you’re of eligible age, you may be required to serve.
Claim your Greek ancestry and start your journey home
A Greek passport is valuable, but if you have Greek ancestry, establishing your citizenship is about much more than easy travel. Registering as a citizen allows you to connect with your Greek heritage and even pass that connection on to your own children.
It’s easy to look into whether you have a case for Greek citizenship. Talk to your family and find out your most recent ancestor who’s a Greek citizen, and go from there. Establishing your status may require searching through documents, and could take months or even years. But it could be very well worth the trouble.
FAQs
Does Greece allow dual citizenship?
Yes. You don’t need to renounce your current citizenship to become a citizen of Greece.
Do I need to speak Greek to qualify by descent?
You don’t need to speak Greek to have your citizenship recognized. However, speaking Greek or knowing someone who does can make the process easier if you need to apply to Greek municipalities for documentation. If you plan to live in Greece, it’s a good idea to learn the language.
Can my spouse get citizenship too?
Marriage doesn’t grant automatic Greek citizenship. Your spouse would need to apply for a residence permit or naturalization separately, once you have your own citizenship recognized.
What if I can’t find my grandfather’s birth certificate?
Baptismal and other church records can help to establish your connection to your Greek ancestry when other documents are lacking. Consider hiring a local lawyer or genealogical researcher in Greece who can search the municipal archives and find the documentation you need.