Greek Citizenship

A person acquires Greek nationality at the time of birth, if he/she is born to a parent of Greek nationality.

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

Registration in the Municipal Records of the Hellenic Republic is the legal proof 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 Australia apply through the local Greek Consular Authorities, which in turn transmit the application to the competent Greek (Municipal) Authorities, who issue the Certificate of Registration. Both the registration of the parents’ marriage, as well as, the registration of the applicant’s birth, are prerequisites for the issuance of the Certificate of Registration.

For more information on the right to Greek Citizenship and the exercise of this right, please contact your nearest Greek Consulate in Australia.  The Greek Consulates and the Embassy’s Consular Office in Australia will apply the relevant Greek legislative provisions to your specific case and provide 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 Decentralized Administrations in Greece and the Greek Ministry of Interior.

For optimum service, contacting your nearest Greek Consular office either electronically, via facsimile or by post is highly recommended.  So is contacting the competent consular officer by telephone in order to set an appointment.  Please always 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 entitlement to a Greek Passport.