Interior Minister Alekos Papadopoulos stated that, since the article's introduction in 1955, 60,000 Greeks had lost their citizenship because of it, many of these people moved and adopted the nationality of another country. Minor children living abroad may be declared as having lost Greek citizenship if both their parents, or the surviving parent, have lost it as well." (The Minister of the Interior decides such cases, with the concurring opinion of the Citizenship Council.).Īrticle 19 was abolished in 1998, but no provision was established for restoring citizenship to people who had lost it. This also applies to a person of non-Greek ethnic origin born and domiciled abroad. For male Greek nationals, renunciation of citizenship is subject to the completion of their military duties.Īrticle 19 of the Greek Citizenship Code (Law 3370 of 1955) stated: "A person of non-Greek ethnic origin leaving Greece without the intention of returning may be declared as having lost Greek citizenship. A Greek citizen may voluntarily renounce citizenship by submitting an application to the Ministry of Interior in Athens. Moreover, according to the Greek constitution, aliens admitted as monks in one of the monasteries of Mount Athos, become Greek automatically.Ī Greek national does not usually lose their Greek citizenship when they obtain another nationality unless they specifically request it or in the rare case where a permit for citizenship was granted for by the Greek government to that citizen and they subsequently obtain the citizenship of another country. Naturalization by military service or monasticism in Mount Athos Įthnic Greeks accepted to the military academies for officers or non-commissioned officers of the Greek armed forces (according to the special law governing each school) or who enlist in the armed forces as volunteers (according to the law governing each branch) acquire Greek nationality automatically from the time they enter the academies or are enlisted. Before 1984, a woman marrying a Greek national became Greek automatically. Ī panel of Council of State (Supreme Court) judges has ruled that the citizenship law as described above, which allows foreigners who legally reside in Greece to vote and stand in local elections, is unconstitutional as only Greeks should be allowed this right.Īt present, marriage does not entail the acquisition or loss of Greek nationality. They must also submit an application for naturalization to the Ministry of the Interior.Ĭhildren of a naturalized alien become Greeks if, at the time of completion of the naturalization proceedings, they are not married and are less than 18 years old. An alien who is not an ethnic Greek must live in Greece for seven years before the declaration.The alien may submit this declaration to the Greek consul of their domicile, who transmits it to the Ministry of the Interior with a relevant report.The alien ethnic Greek must make a declaration-in the presence of two witnesses, who must be Greek citizens-before the mayor or chairman of the village council where they live, which states they wish to be naturalized.Naturalization requirements are different for ethnic Greek and non-ethnic Greek aliens: (This provision excludes Greek Cypriots, who may seek Cypriot citizenship instead.) The applicant must prove that at least one parent or grandparent was born a Greek national. An alien who is over 18 may become Greek by naturalization.Ī child over 18 of a Greek father does not require naturalization if they can establish a chain of Greek citizenship through properly recorded birth and marriage certificates.Īn ethnic Greek born outside of Greece may acquire Greek citizenship by naturalization if they fail to qualify for simple registration as the child of a Greek citizen. If the father is Greek and paternity can be proven (for example, through a paternity test), the child will become Greek when an application is submitted for the child to become a Greek citizen, providing the child has not yet reached the age of 18. Greeks born abroad may transmit citizenship to their children from generation to generation indefinitely.Ī child born out of wedlock is automatically Greek if the mother is Greek (see matrilineality). Children born abroad and whose parents have lived legally and permanently in Greece for five years become Greek citizens upon successful completion of elementary education (six years). The same applies to children born in Greece whose parents have lived legally and permanently in Greece for five years. Descent Ī child of a Greek citizen acquires Greek nationality automatically at birth. A Greek national is a citizen of the European Union, and therefore entitled to the same rights as other EU citizens. Greek citizenship may be acquired by descent or through naturalization. Nationality law of Greece is based on the principle of jus sanguinis.
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