ESTABLISHMENT (RECOGNITION) OF PATERNITY IN GREECE

Establishment of paternity is the acknowledgment that a man is the father of a child. Paternity can be established automatically, voluntarily, or through the court.

If a child is born within a marriage, the mother's husband is automatically considered the legal father of the child. Similarly, if a child is born within 300 days after a divorce or the death of the husband, the former spouse of the mother is considered the father of the child. In these cases, no additional actions are required.

If paternity of the child has not been established automatically, the father can acknowledge paternity voluntarily or through the court, after which he will be granted parental rights and responsibilities.

Voluntary acknowledgment:

If the parents are not married, the father can voluntarily acknowledge paternity by signing a relevant notarial act, provided that no other man has been automatically recognized as the father. The child's mother and the child themselves (if over 18 years old) must give their consent to the acknowledgment of paternity.

Recognition through the court:

If the mother of the child or the child himself (if over 18 years old) do not give their consent to the acknowledgment of paternity, the procedure can be carried out through the court.