Greek Citizenship through ancestry
Regarding the matter of acquiring Greek citizenship through ancestry, it is stressed that Greek citizenship is based on the principle of jus sanguinis (right of blood), according to which the person’s nationality at birth is the same as that of his or her natural parents.
The right to Greek citizenship and further the conditions and procedures for its exercise are regulated by the “Greek Citizenship Code” (Greek Law 3284/2004, as this law has been amended and is in force). According to the provisions of article 1 the acquisition of Greek citizenship is in principle self-righteous, as it is acquired by any child of a Greek male or female. Based on that, when a person establishes Greek citizenship through birth from a Greek citizen, there is not a specific procedure for the acquisition, but it is enough the person to prove birth from Greek citizen/s. It is noted that a Greek citizen is registered in the census of a Municipality or Community of the Greek State.
Further to that, Greek citizenship is a right, which exists from birth for the children of Greek citizens. For this reason, the Greek Consular Authorities do not “grant citizenship” but help – with the procedures and conditions set by Greek legislation – to exercise the right to citizenship. Registration in the municipal or community registers of Greece constitutes recognition of the right to citizenship by the Greek State. The Greek Passport is only a consequence of this registration.
It is also underlined that there is no provision in Greek Law regarding the automatic loss of citizenship. On the contrary, the loss of the Greek citizenship always requires a previous administrative decision issued by the Minister of Internal Affairs. The reasons for this decision to be issued can be either voluntary (e.g. voluntary renunciation of Greek citizenship based on article 18 of the Greek Citizenship Code) or involuntary (e.g. acquisition of a foreign citizenship based on article 16 of the Greek Citizenship Code, undertaking service with a foreign country or committing acts contrary to the national interest of Greece based on the article 17 of the Greek Citizenship Code). Furthermore, Greece recognizes the right of the individuals to hold multiple citizenships (par. 2 art. 2 Greek Law 4251/2014).
* The information is accurate to the best of our knowledge as at the time of writing. We have no obligation to update it. We accept no responsibility against any third party who is not a client of the firm and has not signed the terms of our engagement.