Greek Dual Citizenship

Greek Dual Citizenship: The Complete Guide

Acquiring Greek dual citizenship has many advantages if you plan to reside permanently in Greece, or for individuals who aspire to European citizenship, such as

• Unlimited travel throughout Europe for both leisure and business purposes;
• The right to vote in Greek elections.

To be eligible for Greek citizenship, you must meet certain criteria, which we will discuss in the following chapters.

Being a Greek citizen also has many legal implications, including some fiscal responsibility (depending on what the bilateral agreements provide).

Advantages and Challenges of Greek Dual Citizenship

Having Greek (but generally European) dual citizenship gives you the freedom to travel without restriction within the European Union, along with the ability to live and work in any of the member states.

Dual citizenship also facilitates family law in Greece, such as marriage or adoption of children.

In terms of inheritance in Greece, Greek dual citizenship greatly simplifies the transfer of assets and property to heirs.

Finally, on the investment side, Greek citizens have more opportunities than non-Europeans because they can access markets and resources in both Greece and their other country of citizenship, opening the door to a variety of investment options and potential economic benefits.

Greek Dual Citizenship: Eligibility Criteria

Here are the requirements you need to meet to become a Greek dual citizen:

• at least 18 years old
• not having been convicted of a criminal offence in Greece
• not be subject to deportation orders
• you must having lived and worked in Greece for at least seven years
• have a legal residence permit
• be able to speak Greek

The period of residence required to obtain Greek citizenship can be reduced to three years in each of these cases:

• Citizens of other European Union countries
• Spouses of Greek citizens
• Parents with custody of Greek citizens
• Political refugees
• Stateless persons recognized by Greek authorities.

How to Obtain Greek Dual Citizenship

According to Article 1 of the Greek Citizenship Code, the acquisition of Greek citizenship is based on ‘ius sanguinis’, meaning that the child of a Greek citizen acquires Greek citizenship at birth. Therefore, if one of your ancestors was Greek (so you are of Greek descent), you can become a Greek citizen (but you must first prove your ancestry to the country’s authorities).

Here are the steps to follow:

• You need to find all the relevant documents about your ancestor at the relevant Greek municipality and obtain his or her birth certificate;
• You must have all the documents related to your marital status;

The next step is to submit the application to the relevant authority, enclosing all the required original documents. The authority will examine the application and make a final decision.

You can then proceed with your Greek passport application, either at the Passport Office in Greece or at the Greek Consulate where you reside. After all evaluations have been made, you will have the passport and you are officially a full Greek citizen.

Legal Implications of Being a Greek Dual Citizenship

Holding Greek dual citizenship has several legal implications, including different tax obligations in the country, as citizens may be subject to double taxation (in the country of residence and in Greece), subject of course to bilateral agreements.

You must be aware of the various obligations associated with holding dual citizenship in Greece. These include compulsory military service for male citizens between the ages of 19 and 45, unless you are exempt or have fulfilled similar obligations in another country.

In addition, you must abide by the laws of both countries, which may include restrictions on the length of time you can spend abroad and the need to maintain legal residence in at least one of the countries.

Greek Dual Citizenship: FAQ

If you have any doubts about Greek dual citizenship, please start by reading the answers to our most frequently asked questions on the subject. If you do not find the answer you are looking for, do not hesitate to contact our law firm.

How do you qualify for Greek citizenship?

There are several ways to obtain Greek citizenship.

The most common are:

• By descent: If you have one Greek parent, you may qualify for Greek citizenship by descent.
• By naturalization: Non-Greeks can apply for Greek citizenship through naturalization after legally residing in Greece for a certain period of time, usually 7 years for non-EU citizens and 3 years for EU citizens. Other requirements apply, such as sufficient knowledge of the Greek language, integration into the economic and social life of the country, and a clean criminal record.
• By marriage: If you are married to a Greek citizen, you can apply for citizenship by marriage. This usually requires you to have lived in Greece for a certain period of time, and prove that you have integrated into Greek society.
• Special cases: There are special provisions for people of Greek ethnic origin and for those who have rendered significant services to Greece, which reduce the residency requirement.

Can you be a dual citizen of the U.S. and Greece?

Yes, you can.

Both Greece and the United States allow dual citizenship, so you can hold citizenship in both countries without having to give up one.

Does the UK allow dual citizenship with Greece?

Yes, it does.

Both Greece and the United Kingdom recognize and allow dual citizenship. Therefore, you can hold citizenship in both countries at the same time without any legal problems from either side.

Is dual citizenship allowed in Greece?

Yes, dual citizenship is allowed in Greece. Note that whether you are allowed to hold a second citizenship also depends on the laws of the country of which you are currently a citizen.

Does Greece allow triple citizenship?

Greek law does not explicitly limit the number of citizenships a person can hold. Therefore, if the other countries involved also allow multiple citizenship, it is legally permissible to hold triple citizenship, including Greek citizenship.