Greek Citizenship by Descent / Registration of Homogeneis
Greece
Greek citizenship is transmitted by descent (jure sanguinis) through Greek citizen parents. Children born to Greek citizens are Greek by birth regardless of place of birth. Diaspora Greeks (omogeneis) who are already Greek citizens by virtue of descent may have their citizenship confirmed and registered in Greek municipal records (Dimotologio) through the consular network. Greece is a member of the EU, making Greek citizenship highly valuable for travel and residence rights throughout Europe. The process requires demonstrating an unbroken line of Greek citizenship through the lineage, which can be complicated by the complex history of Greek borders, the Ottoman legacy, and the treatment of various religious and ethnic communities in Greek nationality law. Greece permits dual citizenship.
Program Details
- Generation Limit
- Greek citizenship passes by descent through Greek citizen parents; the process for diaspora Greeks (omogeneis) involves registration in municipal rolls; claims can in principle extend beyond one generation provided continuous Greek citizenship is demonstrated
- Estimated Cost
- $1,000 – $6,000
- Processing Time
- 6–36 months
- Must Live in Country
- No
- Court Route Available
- No
Application fees are modest (approximately €100–200). The main costs are genealogical research, document translation and legalization, consular fees, and legal assistance for complex cases.
Common Barriers
- ⚠Greece's citizenship transmission rules are complex for those with ancestors who emigrated before Greek civil records were well-established
- ⚠Applicants must produce Greek-language documentation or certified translations of all vital records
- ⚠Demonstrating that the Greek ancestor held Greek citizenship (as opposed to Ottoman or other nationality) can be difficult for pre-20th century emigrants
- ⚠Greek diaspora registration (Special Electoral Roll of Overseas Greeks) is distinct from citizenship confirmation and has different requirements
- ⚠Some consulates have long backlogs for processing descent-based registrations
Documents Needed
- •Birth certificate of Greek citizen ancestor, registered in a Greek municipality
- •Marriage certificates for each generation
- •Evidence that ancestor held Greek citizenship (municipal registration, Greek passport, military records)
- •Applicant's own birth certificate
- •Applicant's passport
- •Criminal background check
- •Certified Greek translations of all foreign documents
- •Application to the relevant Greek municipal registry (Dimotologio)