Marrying for Greek citizenship
Marrying for Greek citizenship is not automatic or easy, as citizenship is not transferable. All EU and non-EU citizens interested in Greek citizenship must prove fluency in Greek, fulfill long-term residency requirements by living in Greece and go through the naturalization process described below.
Marrying a Greek citizen also does not mean you qualify for a Greek passport or Greek national ID. It only shortens residency requirement to apply for Greek citizenship to three (3) years if a child or children are produced from the union. Nothing more. A less bureaucratic process for non-EU family members is to obtain a residence/work permit based on marriage to a Greek or other EU citizen, which grants rights on par with EU residents and involves no fee and no language requirements. See, “Residence/work permits for non-EU family members of Greek/EU citizens.”
Warning to men
All men with Greek citizenship and/or of Greek descent between the ages of 19-45 must perform national service, unless an exemption applies. Men who become naturalized Greek citizens typically serve six (6) months. See “Mandatory Greek military service” for more information.
Basic criteria for Greek citizenship
1. Be aged 18 or over.
2. No criminal record or outstanding deportation order
– No pending judgments of deportation
– In 10 years prior to date of application for citizenship, must not have been sentenced to six (6) months to up to one (1) year for dangerous crime, such as homicide, rape, physical violence, drug dealing, money laundering, child abduction, etc.
3(a). Be married and have a child or children with a Greek citizen, and be legally living in Greece for 3 years
– Must be married three (3) full years from the wedding date; and
– Must be legally living in Greece for three (3) full, consecutive years with a long-term residence permit/card; and
– Must have a child or children with his/her Greek spouse
*It does not matter if the marriage is civil or religious. All that matters is the marriage is legal, registered and still valid.
OR
3(b). Have custody of a child or children who are Greek citizens, and be legally living in Greece for three (3) years.
OR
3(c). You are single/divorced, married to a non-Greek, or married to a Greek with no children and have seven (7) years legal residence in Greece
– Must be legally living in Greece with a long-term residence permit/card for seven (7) consecutive years prior to the date of application.
– Must not have an absence of 10 continuous months in the last five (5) years before application.
Refugees are recognized under the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees and must have a total of five (5) years residency in Greece.
If you do not meet the three basic criteria, you may qualify for Greek citizenship another way. See “Ways to acquire Greek citizenship.”
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