VISAS & PERMITS
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Before leaving to come to Greece, make sure you understand your legal situation. Depending on your nationality, you might need a visa, residence permit and/or work permit. Read our guide to legal requirements for coming to Greece or use the Just Landed forums to ask other members for help.

Application for permits must be made to the local police (Astynomia) or at the Aliens’ Bureau (Grafio Tmimatos Allodapon) in larger cities such as Athens, Patra, Rhodes and Thessaloniki. Note that offices aren’t common in small towns and in many areas you will need to travel to a regional capital or large city to apply.

Allow plenty of time when making applications, as Greek bureaucracy grinds slowly. EEA residence permits are valid for five years, while residence and work permits for non-EEA nationals are valid for one year and may be renewed for up to five years, after which an application to extend a permit is necessary.

Citizens of certain European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain can visit Greece with a national identity card, while others require a full passport. A non-EEA national usually requires a visa to work, study or live in Greece.

When in Greece you must always carry your passport or residence permit (if you have one), which serves as an identity card, which all local nationals must carry by law. You can be asked to produce your identification papers at any time by the police and other officials, and if you don’t have them you can be taken to a police station and interrogated.

Permit infringements are taken very seriously by the authorities and there are penalties for breaches of regulations, including fines and even deportation for flagrant abuses.

Visitors
Visitors to Greece from EEA countries plus Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela don’t require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. All other nationalities require a visa to visit Greece, although the list of countries requiring visas is liable to change at short notice and therefore you should check with the Greek embassy in your home country.

Residence Permits
You need to present your passport, four photographs, proof of accommodation (e.g. a rental contract or title deeds), proof you have sufficient income (e.g. bank statements) and proof of health insurance cover (EU Health Card – which has replaced Form E-111 and E-121 – or a private health insurance policy).

Working
EEA nationals with employment in Greece must apply for a residence permit after 90 days at the nearest police station or Aliens’ Bureau. You need to present your passport plus two photocopies, four photographs, and, if you’re employed, a completed employment application and employer’s declaration (offer of employment), both of which are obtainable from the nearest Department of Employment.

If you’re self-employed, you need to present confirmation from the tax authorities that you plan to set up in business and provide a certificate from the local court stating that your business has been legally recognised and declared. If your employment involves food preparation or working with children, you must also present a health certificate.

Residence Permits are valid for a period of five years.

Non-EEA Nationals
Residence permits for non-EEA nationals are difficult to obtain unless you’re married to a Greek or someone of Greek origin. You should obtain a residence visa from the Greek embassy or consulate in your country of origin and when you arrive in Greece apply for a residence permit at the nearest Aliens’ Bureau within two months.

Immigration lawyers recommend that you apply as soon as you arrive so that if the permit is delayed you don’t have to leave the country because your visa has expired. You need to present your visa, passport plus a copy, two photographs, a certificate of medical insurance, a health certificate from a state hospital (see below), proof of a local address (title deeds or rental contract) and proof that you can support yourself financially. The initial residence permit is valid for one year, after which it may be renewed for five to ten years.

Health Certificate
EEA nationals in certain jobs (e.g. food preparation or childcare) and all non-EEA nationals applying for a residence permit must obtain a health certificate from a state hospital. The certificate is issued after you have passed several medical examinations including a chest x-ray (TB), blood tests (hepatitis B and C, and HIV), a psychiatric evaluation and drug tracing. Note that you must pay for all examinations.

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