GREEK CITIZENSHIP FOR UKRAINIANS OF GREEK ORIGIN

In accordance with the current Ministerial Decision No. 2020/26863/30-4-2020 regarding the basic requirements for the naturalization of expatriates (i.e., individuals of Greek descent) from former Soviet Union countries, an application for Greek citizenship may be submitted within the territory of Greece only if legal entry into the country prior to 31/05/2019 is duly confirmed. Otherwise, the application must be submitted to the Greek consular authority at the expatriate’s place of permanent residence in one of the former Soviet Union countries.

As an exception, the Greek Parliament enacted a law (Article 55 of Law No. 5143/2024), under which citizens of Ukraine who left their country due to the war and arrived in Greece after 24/02/2022 are granted the opportunity, notwithstanding the deadlines established by the aforementioned Ministerial Decision, to submit an application for Greek citizenship in accordance with the procedure provided by the Greek Citizenship Code, while residing in the territory of Greece, provided they hold a temporary protection residence permit.

It is important that the applicant provides evidence not only of their Greek origin, but also of a formed Greek national consciousness. This must be substantiated by the existence of cultural ties with the Greek national community, a basic knowledge of the Greek language, as well as awareness of contemporary social, political, and cultural life in Greece.

Due to the numerous nuances associated with the procedure for obtaining Greek citizenship, we strongly recommend that you seek qualified legal assistance.

Our Law Office offers a comprehensive range of services in the preparation and submission of the necessary documents for obtaining Greek citizenship:

• individual consultations and analysis of your situation,

• official translations of documents into Greek,

• representation of your interests before government authorities,

• monitoring the client’s file throughout the entire process,

• resolution of issues arising during the review process,

• submission of appeals and protests in case of rejection.