Obtain Greek citizenship by birth or by studies

You are reading the page Obtain Greek citizenship by birth – studies

Pursuant to Law 4332/2015, the Greek Citizenship Code was amended, giving the possibility of obtaining Greek citizenship to minor children of foreigners born and studying in Greece and to foreigners who have graduated from Greek schools in Greece or from universities or technical institutes in the country. In particular, based on the new provisions, the following main categories are distinguished:

– Acquisition of Greek citizenship due to birth in Greece and attending a Greek school. A child of a foreigner born in Greece has the right to acquire Greek citizenship under the conditions of enrollment in the first grade of a Greek school of primary education and the previous continuous legal residence of one of his parents for at least five years before his birth. In case of the birth of the child before the completion of five years, the condition is the ten years of continuous legal residence of the parent.

– Acquisition of Greek citizenship by a minor or adult who has successfully completed 9 classes of primary & secondary education or 6 classes of secondary education. A minor foreigner who resides permanently and legally in Greece has the right to acquire Greek citizenship due to attending a Greek school, if he / she has successfully completed the attendance of either nine primary and secondary education classes (primary and secondary) or six secondary and secondary education classes.

– Acquisition of Greek citizenship by a graduate of the Department or School of a Greek University or TEI. A foreigner who resides permanently and legally in Greece and is a graduate of a Department or School of Greek University or TEI establishes the right to acquire Greek citizenship if he has a high school diploma of a Greek school in Greece.

In case of acquisition by a foreigner of Greek citizenship in one of the above ways, his child immediately acquires Greek citizenship.

For the acquisition of Greek citizenship, a relevant statement-application is submitted by the foreigner himself.

The declaration-application for the acquisition of Greek citizenship, as well as the relevant supporting documents are submitted to the competent service of the Decentralized Administration in whose territorial jurisdiction the municipality of residence of the applicant belongs.