Concluding a Cohabitation Agreement in Greece

Greeks are very hospitable people. Their country with its reach natural beauty, unique history and culture as well as climate which is ideal for summer and winter holidays, every day attracts more visitors who wish touring around Greece to enjoy its magic. Athens – the city in which the centuries-old historical and cultural heritage is combined with image and amenities of a modern megacity, charms people who come to visit it.

Besides, it is quite common for those who visited Greece once almost always to keep coming back again and again. More often, such a return is due to establishing a connection between guests and locals. So, many foreign nationals having a close personal relationship with Greeks feel like moving to this country putting an end to the distance that separates them. And it is a fact that the number of «mixed» couples in Greece grows rapidly every year.

If receiving a tourist visa to Greece is a comparably easy task, then obtaining a residence permit in this country will require much more effort, as it is subject to certain, quite rigid prerequisites. Taking into account that a tourist visa is valid for a limited period that is to say presumes staying in the country for no longer than 90 days in six months, this condition makes it impossible for a couple to set up a life together in Greece. However, the Greek Immigration Legislation has been successfully improved offering solutions for cohabitation between Greeks or Europeans and the third-country nationals.

More specifically, if being a citizen of a third country you have established a real relationship with a Greek or a European national who resides in Greece, and your common wish is to live together in this country, whether you are a heterosexual couple or a same-sex one, there is an opportunity for you to conclude a cohabitation agreement appearing before a Greek Notary. To draw up such a deed a valid residence document, the three-month stamp or a Schengen visa in the passport is required. Furthermore, each of the civil partners must not be legally married to a third person or be a party to another cohabitation agreement. When the cohabitation agreement is ready, it should be registered with the local Register Office, in witness whereof the cohabitation agreement certificate will be issued for the partners. Whilst the visa (or a residence document) is still valid the two aforementioned deeds, along with a number of other documents, should be submitted to the Competent Authority in order to apply for a civil partner residence permit. As the application is satisfied the initial document will be issued for one year. The residence permit can be extended, provided that the cohabitation agreement between a third-country national and their Greek or European partner is still valid.

Those of our readers who have established a relationship with a Greek or other European national residing in Greece, and who wishes to obtain a residence permit in this country, even if their visa is close to expiration, may contact the International Law Office of Mrs Svetlana Kasatkina-Kouskou. We will be able to manage your case making sure that all the required documents are immediately concentrated and the application is timely submitted to the relevant service of the Ministry of Migration Policy. Our long-standing practice in the field of migration law will guarantee your case to be completed successfully!