One of the most common questions related to Greek citizenship applications is whether or not children and more distant descendants of Greek citizens are eligible for citizenship.
Provisions for Greek citizenship through ancestry are governed by the Greek Nationality Code, also known as the Greek Citizenship Code. This legislation outlines a couple of ways for children to qualify for Greek citizenship by descent.
In the following guide, we’ll outline what qualifies children for Greek ancestry citizenship, the stipulations involved for ancestors and descendants, and how you can get started determining eligibility today.
Ways of Acquiring Greek Lineage Citizenship
The easiest and most direct route to citizenship by descent in Greece is birthright citizenship. But children can also qualify as descendants of grandparents and great-grandparents if they can prove unbroken lineage and that their ancestor was a Greek expat. Proving your “Greek conscience” is also an important step in the process.
Greek Birthright Citizenship
If you or your child’s other parent is a Greek citizen when your child is born, then your child qualifies for birthright citizenship – legally known as jus sanguinis (law of blood). There is a provision for this method of citizenship acquisition in Article 1 of the Greek Nationality Code.
Does My Child Have to Be Born in Greece?
Individuals holding Greek citizenship often wonder if their children still qualify for citizenship when the child was born abroad. Children of Greek citizens can qualify for birthright citizenship regardless of where they are born.
Greek Ancestral Citizenship Through Unbroken Lineage
This route to Greek citizenship by descent requires that you have documented proof of an unbroken Greek ancestral connection or have no “skips” in your Greek lineage.
Greek Citizenship by Descent: Great-Grandparent
Beyond direct descent, you may have an ancestor such as a grandparent or great-grandparent who qualifies your child for ancestral citizenship. As long as you can show documented proof that you have unbroken lineage (each ancestor in the line held Greek citizenship when their child was born), then your child could qualify.
As in the case of birthright citizenship, the descendant does not have to have been born in Greece.
Citizenship for Descendants of Greek Exiles
The Greek Nationality Code also states that certain Greek expats and their descendants can gain citizenship through naturalization. These stipulations are a response to the history of Greek citizen displacement amidst the strife of the Greco-Turkish War and Greece’s Civil War. So if you or another ancestor in your line meets certain criteria related to displacement, your child may qualify for Greek lineage citizenship.
The criteria for the naturalization of Greek nationals who live abroad are outlined in Articles 10 and 15 of the Nationality Code:
- The applicant must be a Greek expat foreigner or their descendant residing abroad
- The applicant must have indisputable national origin (direct lineage)
- The applicant must establish their national conscience
According to Greece’s Ministry of Interior, the above criteria have to be verified by the competent consular authorities during two stages of the application process.
When applying from abroad, you’ll deal with the official diplomatic mission in your country. For residents of the United States, these are located in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tampa, Houston, and Atlanta.
Ways of Proving Unbroken Greek Lineage for Citizenship
When applying through direct descent, it will likely be easier to acquire documents proving unbroken Greek lineage. You’ll need to show official documents like birth and marriage certificates for individuals in the ancestral line. Keep in mind that, the more distant the ancestor is that you’re applying through, the more hurdles you may face in providing adequate proof.
A Note on Greek Conscience
When proving one’s “Greek conscience,” the authorities are basically looking to see if applicants are versed in Greek history, geography, and culture in an attempt to acquire Greek citizenship. It’s also important to show a willingness to learn the Greek language.
Next Steps: Determine Eligibility for Citizenship by Descent
If you think that your child may qualify for Greek ancestral citizenship – through you or a more distant ancestor – we can guide you through the process. The first step is to complete our eligibility assessment.
With our service packages, we analyze your lineage against citizenship rules of the country you want to gain citizenship in, and then we deliver a clear eligibility report to you.
Sign up today to see if you meet the criteria and kickstart your path to European citizenship.