Formal and Substantive Requirements for the Acquisition of Greek Citizenship through Naturalization

Every foreign national who has lived in Greece for a long period of time under a lawful residence status has the right to apply for Greek citizenship through naturalization. The procedure is governed by the Greek Citizenship Code and requires that the applicant meet the criteria set out in the law. These criteria are divided into formal and substantive requirements, all of which must be fulfilled without exception for the application to be considered admissible.

1. Formal Requirements for Naturalization

These requirements mainly concern the applicant’s legal status, such as the type of residence permit held in Greece and their criminal record.

Age of Majority and Criminal Pending Issues

A necessary condition is that the applicant has reached adulthood by the date of submission of the application. Furthermore, the applicant must not have been irrevocably convicted within the past ten years for an intentional offence punishable by at least one year of imprisonment. Equally disqualifying is a sentence of six months’ imprisonment for the crimes listed exhaustively in Article 5(b) of the Greek Citizenship Code, even if the sentence was suspended, as such convictions still constitute an impediment. The applicant must not be subject to deportation proceedings, nor have pending issues regarding the legality of their residence. Finally, there must be no reasons relating to public order or national security concerning the applicant.

Permitted Residence Permits and Required Duration of Legal Residence

The general requirement of the law is seven consecutive years of legal residence prior to submitting the application, and the applicant must hold one of the residence permits recognized for naturalization purposes, such as:

• long-term resident permit,

• residence permits for EU or EFTA citizens,

• residence documents for family members of a Greek or EU citizen, as well as parents of a minor Greek citizen,

• refugee status or subsidiary protection beneficiary card,

• special documents for stateless persons under the New York Convention,

• second-generation residence permits, permanent or ten-year permits,

• investor or property owner residence permits,

• residence permit issued to UK citizens under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Temporary residence documents cannot be used for submitting a naturalization application.

However, the required period is reduced to three years for:

• citizens of the European Union,

• spouses of Greek nationals with a common child,

• parents of minor Greek citizens born in Greece,

• stateless persons.

Special provisions apply to spouses of Greek diplomats; for them, time spent abroad due to the Greek spouse’s service is also counted, provided that at least one year of residence in Greece exists.

For applicants holding any other type of valid residence permit not included in the above categories, twelve consecutive years of legal residence are required.

2. Substantive Requirements for Naturalization

In addition to the formal requirements, the applicant must demonstrate the ability to fulfill the obligations of a Greek citizen and that they are substantively integrated into Greek society.

Knowledge of Language, History, Culture and Institutions

Naturalization requires substantial familiarity with the Greek language, as well as basic knowledge of the country’s history, geography, culture, and political system. Evaluation is carried out through written examinations for obtaining the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge, held twice per year. Those who have studied at a Greek school or university are exempt from this requirement.

Economic Integration

The applicant’s financial status and economic integration are demonstrated mainly through:

• stable annual income ensuring a decent standard of living without reliance on social welfare;

• compliance with tax and social security obligations.

The minimum required income depends on the prevailing minimum wage thresholds and is adjusted according to the number of dependents.

The period for which economic sufficiency must be demonstrated corresponds to the lawful residence period required:

• five years for cases requiring seven years of residence,

• three years for those subject to the three-year requirement,

• seven years for those requiring twelve years of residence.

In determining the income of a married foreign national, the spouse’s declared taxable income is also taken into account.

For foreign nationals with a disability exceeding 67%, welfare benefits are included and the income threshold for all years is set at 5,500 euros.

Social Integration

Social integration is assessed through various factual elements proving that the applicant has established permanent ties with the country. Indicatively, the following are considered:

• family relations with Greek citizens,

• attendance at Greek educational institutions,

• professional activity and training,

• participation in volunteer or community activities,

• continuous residence showing that Greece constitutes the stable center of the applicant’s life.

A fee of 550 euros is required for the naturalization procedure.

Our Law Firm at Your Service

With many years of experience in citizenship, immigration and administrative law matters, our office provides comprehensive support at every stage of the naturalization process. We undertake the preparation of the file, legal guidance, and responsible monitoring of the case, ensuring the best possible outcome with professionalism and dedication.