Greek Citizenship By Marriage or Civil Union
APPLYING FOR GREEK CITIZENSHIP THROUGH MARRIAGE
When you marry someone, you want to share everything with them. Even citizenship to your home country. That’s why Greece makes it relatively easy for you to naturalize if your spouse is a citizen—as long as you meet all of the requirements.
All though the path to applying for Greek citizenship by marriage is very common. Greece has a series of requirements that must be met in order for your marriage application to be approved. For that reason, many newly married couples have sought out GDC’s services to help them through the process of applying for Greek citizenship through marriage.
This guide will walk you through the requirements and marriage application process and provide guidance on the steps to take to apply for citizenship through marriage with Greece for your spouse.
What is Greek Citizenship by Marriage?
Greece, like many other EU countries, offers people who’ve married its citizens an easy path to become citizens themselves. This keeps families united. However, you will need to meet all of the Greece’s requirements to apply through marriage.
One of the first requirements is that you have been married and living in Greece on a residency permit for 3 years.
Marrying a Greek person to apply for citizenship is not a fast process. You must be married for 3 years before you can start your marriage application.
If you are currently married to a Greek citizen you can start your application. If not, there are still other ways to become a Greek citizen.
Greek Citizenship by Marriage Eligibility
Below are the five requirements to become a Greek citizen through marriage:
- Legally Married to a Greek Citizen: Obvious but essential. Prove this through a marriage certificate along with other evidence that you two truly live together and share your lives.
- Residency: You and your spouse must live in Greece for 3 years continuously, and you must be there under a residency permit—not a visa.
- Integration: You’ll need to provide evidence that you’ve integrated into Greek society since you’ve lived here. It is also helpful if you can document that you’ve joined local groups or taken on certain Greek cultural activities.
- Language Proficiency: This can be demonstrated by taking an official language test, administered by the government itself.
- No Criminal Record: If background checks find that you have a criminal record, you will not be able to become a Greek citizen.
Get a Greek Residence Permit by Marriage
As noted above, the most difficult requirement for most people when applying for Green citizenship by marriage is that they need to have lived continuously in Greece for 3 years under a residence permit before they can become citizens by marriage.
Once you get married, it’s fairly easy to get a residence permit.
You’ll want to fill out an application for a cohabitation agreement and include the following documents:
- Rental contract or certificates showing you own/rent Greek property (this is where you’ll need to live)
- Birth certificates for your children (if applicable)
- Copies of your health insurance policy (you’ll need to be fully covered)
- Notarized cohabitation agreement (between you and your spouse)
With your residence permit in hand, you’ll begin meeting the 3-year requirement.
How to Apply for Greek Citizenship by Marriage
Below are the steps you’ll need to take:
- Gather the documents you need. This will include passports, marriage certificates (registered in Greece), evidence of residency, evidence of integration, and language exam results.
- Complete the application. This is maybe the most important part of the entire process. The application must be complete in full.
- Pay application fees. You will need to pay the marriage fees to the Greece government.
- Review and interview. Wait for Greek authorities to review your application. This process can take months (and in some cases years). In the meantime, you will likely be called in to answer questions about your new life in Greece, your integration, and your marriage.
- Oath sweating ceremony. The final step after approval is a formal oath of allegiance to Greece.
Do you need help getting through this process? We offer free consultation calls to people who want to apply for Greek citizenship through marriage as we found most people need guidance from an expert. We can review your situation and tell you the exact next steps to take.
Become a Greek Citizen Through Marriage
If you meet the requirements to apply for Greek citizenship by marriage and take the necessary steps, you will be able to enjoy the reward of citizenship in this beautiful, bountiful country.
Our experience tells us that many people have their applications rejected even though they actually qualify for citizenship through marriage. This often happens when you do not understand the legal requirements of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I live in Greece if I am married to a Greek person?
Yes. In fact, being married to a Greek person will make it fairly easy to get a residency permit. That means you won’t need to rely on a visa to stay in the country, and it also starts counting toward the 3-year minimum requirement to eventually become a Greek citizen.
How do you get Greek residency through marriage?
You will need to fill out a cohabitation agreement with your spouse, which in turn gets you a residency permit. Once you have that in hand, it’s just a matter of time until you can apply for full citizenship—granting you the many benefits of becoming a Greek citizen.
