- How can you get Greek citizenship?
- Subtleties and nuances of obtaining Greek citizenship
- Other ways to become a Greek citizen
Which country in the world has everything - of course, in Greece: sea and mountains, nature and people, goods and services. It is much more difficult to answer how to obtain Greek citizenship, but if you turn to local legislation, you can get quite comprehensive information. And if you tune in decisively and irrevocably, then after a while you can show your friends and acquaintances a beautiful Greek passport.
This article will discuss what legal ways exist to obtain Greek citizenship, whether there is an opportunity to become a full member of society without having a single Greek branch on the family tree.
How can you get Greek citizenship?
Based on the articles of the Greek Citizenship Law, the main regulatory legal act regulating issues in this area, you can find out that in the country there are many opportunities for foreigners to integrate into the local society and receive all the rights that are due, and with them responsibilities. The most popular ways of acquiring the citizenship of this country are: "the right of blood"; origin; naturalization.
There are many positive aspects of acquiring Greek citizenship, firstly, the legislative framework of this country allows the possibility of preserving the citizenship of the applicant's historical homeland, that is, he will not have to face a choice - to remain faithful to the Fatherland or to swear allegiance to the state of the new place of residence. Secondly, since at the moment Greece is a full member of the European Union, the holder of Greek citizenship automatically becomes a citizen of this very European Union. Again, he receives as a gift all the rights of a citizen of this interstate formation and, in addition, some duties that will be quite easy for a well-bred comrade to fulfill.
Subtleties and nuances of obtaining Greek citizenship
The fact of birth gives an automatic acquisition of Greek citizenship only if one of the parents has such a right (from the moment of his birth or acquisition). Unfortunately, if the parents are citizens of another state, then a child, even one born in the territory of the Hellenic Republic, has no right to claim the high title of a citizen of this country.
But a child from Greek citizens, born in any country on the planet, without any problems becomes a Greek citizen (by right of blood). The issue of the citizenship of a child born in mixed families, where the spouses have not officially registered the relationship, and only one of the parents is the owner of a white and blue passport, is being solved in an interesting way. If the mother has a state document, then the child automatically becomes a Greek citizen. If the father has the document, then first you need to prove paternity, then apply for the child's citizenship, and you need to have time to do this before reaching the age of majority (in Greece it is eighteen years old).
The procedure for obtaining Greek citizenship for ethnic reasons is also quite simple. A person must prove that his parents (grandparents) were Greeks; this can be done on the basis of records of the birth of ancestors, baptism, and the provision of a marriage certificate. And, of course, the relationship must be proven. An ethnic Greek automatically receives citizenship if he goes to serve in the country's armed forces.
Other ways to become a Greek citizen
There are various options for settling in the blessed lands and becoming a full member of Greek society. They can also be used by those whose family tree cannot be boasted by any modern representative of the descendants of ancient Hellas. The most common way is naturalization, which takes place here in approximately the same way as in the neighbors, but has some differences.
First, a foreigner must express his desire to naturalize by filing a declaration, it is submitted to the authorities at the place of residence of the applicant for citizenship. A prerequisite is the presence of two witnesses, Greeks, who act as a kind of guarantee that a person does everything consciously, realizing what responsibilities are assigned to him as a result of this responsible step. It is necessary to comply with some conditions, concerning, for example, the period of life in the country, or five years after the filing of the declaration, or 10 years of permanent residence before filing.
Interestingly, legal marriage with a Greek citizen is not a reason for automatic citizenship. The spouse goes through the naturalization procedure in the usual way, maintains a certain term, takes a test of knowledge of the Greek language, pays the fees, and then expects a positive decision and the presentation of a real Greek passport.
