GREEK CITIZENSHIP

All matters concerning Greek Citizenship, including the right to Greek Citizenship, the exercise of this right and mandatory prerequisites, are governed by the Greek Nationality (or Citizenship) Code (Law No. 1438/1984), along with the related legislation (mainly Law No. 2910/2001).

MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE AFORE-MENTIONED LEGISLATION

1. A person acquires Greek citizenship at the time of birth, if said person is born to a parent of Greek Nationality – that is, is the offspring of a Greek Citizen, regardless of whether the parent has exercised his/her Right to Citizenship.

2. A Greek Citizen is a person who is duly registered in the Records of a Municipality of the Hellenic Republic.

3. Registration in the Municipal Records of the Hellenic Republic is the legal premise for Greek Citizenship. As such, the Certificate of Registration constitutes legal proof of Greek Citizenship. In order to obtain the Certificate of Registration, Greek citizens permanently residing in Canada apply through the local Greek Consular Authorities, which in turn transmit the application to the competent (Municipal) Greek Authorities, who issue the Certificate of Registration. Both the registrations of the parents’ marriage, as well as, the registration of the applicant’s birth, are prerequisites for the issuance of the Certificate of Registration. The Greek Consulates in Canada execute all necessary and relevant registration processes.

For more information on the Right to Greek Citizenship and the exercise of this Right, contact your nearest Greek Consulate in Canada. The Greek Consulates and the Embassy’s Consular Office in Canada are required to apply the relevant Greek legislative provisions to your specific case and give written explanation as to the existence of prerequisites for Greek Citizenship and requisite procedure for the exercise of this Right. In all instances, it is not the Consulates that ascertain citizenship, as this falls within the jurisdiction of the General Districts and the Greek Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation.

For optimum service, contacting your nearest Greek Consular office either electronically, via facsimile or in writing is highly recommended. So is contacting the appropriate consular employee by telephone in order to set a meeting. Please bring along all data and documents establishing your Greek origin.

Finally, it should be noted that, in accordance with Greek Law, the Greek citizenship is an inherent right of persons born to a parent who is a Greek citizen. As such, Greek Consular authorities do not “grant Greek citizenship”. Instead, through the provisions of Greek Law, and its stipulated procedures, they assist you to exercise the Right to Citizenship. An individual’s registration in the records of a Greek Municipality constitutes the recognition of his/her Right to Citizenship by the Greek State, and, therefore, the premise for the Greek Passport.