How to Qualify for Greek Citizenship by Descent
Citizenship by descent is one of Greece’s strongest legal pathways and remains the simplest option for anyone with Greek heritage. The country places deep value on ancestral ties, giving millions across the world the potential to reclaim EU citizenship.
Who Qualifies by Descent?
1. Children of Greek Citizens
If one or both parents are Greek citizens, you are automatically entitled to Greek citizenship. The process is administrative: submitting your birth certificate and linking your parents’ registration to a Greek municipality.
2. Grandchildren of Greek Citizens
Grandchildren can qualify as long as their Greek ancestor appears in Greek civil records. This usually requires:
Your grandparent’s Greek birth or baptism record,
Your parent’s birth certificate linking them to that grandparent,
Your own birth certificate linking you to the parent.
3. Great-Grandchildren and Beyond
While possible, these cases require stronger documentation. If the ancestor is found in Greek archives (municipal rolls, male registers), citizenship can still be granted.
Common Issues
Name variations across generations,
Missing or damaged records,
Inconsistent dates on foreign documents.
These challenges are common but solvable with translations, apostilles, and supplementary documentation.
Why This Path Is Popular
No residency required,
No language exam,
Dual citizenship fully allowed,
Direct access to EU rights.
Citizenship by descent is one of the most efficient EU citizenship routes available today.
Use CitizenGR to streamline your application.
Download the CitizenGR app for application checklists, document guidance, and lineage verification tools.
