FAQ

1. Can I travel to the United Kingdom with a Greek ID card?

As of October 1, 2021,  national identities of  citizens of  EU / EEA countries and Switzerland will not be accepted as valid travel documents. This will not apply at least until 31.12.2025 for citizens who have been granted Settled or Pre-settled status.

2. I would like to visit the UK. What do I need to know.

For information regarding entering the UK please consult the UK Government Website www.gov.uk and the UK Embassy on Athens (British Embassy Athens, 1, Ploutarchou st, 106 75 Athens, Greece, Telephone +30 210 7272 600)

3. Can I fill an application to issue a copy of my criminal record at the Consular Office?

The Embassy is not issuing criminal record excerpts.

The Greek consular authorities seek ex officio copy of the Greek criminal record only in cases where they are going to issue an administrative act for the person mentioned in the criminal record.

In all other cases (eg using a copy of a criminal record in Greece or submitting it to a consular authority of another state for the purpose of immigration), the issuance for a copy of the criminal record is done without the mediation of the Greek consular authorities. You can authorize someone to seek it on your behalf from the competent authorities in Greece.

For more information please visit the website of the National Criminal Record.

4. My accountant needs a certificate of permanent residence for use at the Tax Office. How will I get it?

The Embassy does not issue residence certificates for tax purposes. In order to be registered to the Tax Registry of Residents Abroad, you are required to submit to the Tax Office your P60 or Certificate of Tax Residence from HMRC, validated and translated. For validation (APOSTILLE) select www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised. For translation you will need to contact either the Translation Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Athens, or a certified translator in the United Kingdom.

5. Can I issue a Certificate of permanent residence abroad requested by bank authorities?

(Exemption from interest deposit tax on foreign currency or foreign currency export).
The Consular Office no longer issues permanent resident certificates for such purposes.

6. How does the Electronic Appointment Scheduling System work?

To use the online appointment scheduling service you must first register by entering your personal information in the corresponding fields of the form.

After the initial registration, you can access the service by submitting the following information: e-mail account and password. By logging in you can view your scheduled appointments, reschedule them or cancel them.

Your account is strictly personal and you should not disclose your access details to a third party. It should be used exclusively for scheduling appointments by the holder and / or protected family members (eg minor children).

The Consular Office reserves the right to delete accounts and / or scheduled appointments in case of inability to identify the holder or incomplete registration of data.

NOTE:
The registration is accompanied by the acceptance of the following statement: "On my own responsibility, in accordance with the relevant provisions of Law 1599/1986, I declare that the above submitted information is accurate and true."

The collection and processing of your personal data is carried out in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016).

8. What should I do if I need an emergency appointment or if I can’t find an appointment through the system?

In this case, the most appropriate way is to contact us via email at grgencon.lon@mfa.gr or the email of the competent department of the Consular Office, describing in detail and followed by relevant documents the urgency of your request.

9. Which is the cost to issue a passport?

For adult passports the cost amounts to the equivalent in GBP of 84.40 Euros, depending on the exchange rate of the current month. You can see the Consular Appraisal in detail.

For minors' passports:

(a) up to 14 years: the cost amounts to the equivalent in pounds of 73.60 Euros, depending on the exchange rate of the current month. You can see the Consular Appraisal in detail.
(b) over 14 years: the cost amounts to the equivalent in pounds of 84.40 Euros, depending on the exchange rate of the current month. You can see the Consular Appraisal in detail.

Please note that payment is made in cash or debit card.

10. How long will it take to get my passport?

The time of receipt of the new passports from the Consular Office is estimated at a period of about 4-6 weeks from the date of application.

11. How do I collect my passport?

In order to collect your passport, you or a person authorized (with valid passport/ID) must present the  receipt given as well as the old passport to be canceled. You can come to the Embassy to receive your passport on working days, without an appointment, as follows:

Family name starting  Α to Κ    9:30-12:00 
Family name starting  Λ to Ω   12:00-15:00

One of the two parents or an authorized person can collect a minor's passport (who comes with his / her passport or ID). The issued passports remain at the Consular Office for 6 months and If within this period they are not collected, they are returned to the Passport Directorate of the Greek Police for cancellation.

12. What should I do in case of theft / loss of identity or passport?

In case of loss or theft of passport or identity card in the UK, the holder must contact the nearest Greek consular authority  without an appointment and submit a relevant statement, in order to inform the Hellenic Police and to cancel the document for security reasons.

In the event of a passport theft, you must first report it immediately to the nearest British police authority, receiving a certificate which you will then present to the Consular Office.

In case you do not have another public identification document, you must be accompanied by a witness - an adult Greek citizen (who will come with his / her valid passport or identity card), in order to confirm your details.

The loss of ID  or passport can be registered electronically through the portal of the Greek Government, in the following links ( https://www.gov.gr/en/ipiresies/polites-kai-kathemerinoteta/stoikheia-polite-kai-tautopoietika-eggrapha/loss-id , https://www.gov.gr/en/ipiresies/polites-kai-kathemerinoteta/stoikheia-polite-kai-tautopoietika-eggrapha/delose-apoleias-ellenikou-diabateriou )provided that the citizen holds a TaxisNet or web banking account.

13. How do I get a Temporary Travel Document?

The issuance of temporary travel documents concerns only cases of theft - loss of passports of Greek citizens, non-permanent residents of the United Kingdom and not  cases of unregistered persons where the usual registration procedure must be followed before issuing a passport.

In the event that, after prior consultation with the Consular Office, it is deemed appropriate to issue a temporary travel document, this may not be issued more than 48 hours before the date of travel. The beneficiary must bring a printed ticket, two photographs and, he needs to be accompanied by a Greek witness who will submit a relevant  identity statement.

If the beneficiary is an infant, then, in addition to the printed ticket and both photographs, the English and Greek birth certificate is required as well as the physical presence of both parents.

14. What is the difference between a "Power of Attorney" and an "Authorisation" ("Exousiodotisi") document ?

The POA is a notarial deed, a public document, drafted in a designated format and is required for a number of legal actions, such as purchase and sell of property, receipt or renunciation of inheritance, parental gifts, mortgages etc. It is co-signed by the principal, the Consular Officer, and -if necessary- the accredited translator.

The authorisation is a private statement/declaration written by the interested party in order to be able to carry out certain affairs in Greece (often more simple ones, such as receipt of documents from Offices, representation by a lawyer in Court). The Consular Office validates only the signature of the signer.

Your solicitor in Greece or the Office that requires the document, are most appropriate to clarify and confirm which type of document is required for your specific affairs.