Moving Residence to Greece

Citizens residing in the UK regions of North East England, North West England, Yorkshire, East Midlands, West Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland should contact  exclusively Consulate General in Manchester for all consular services at grgencon.mch@mfa.gr

This consular service can be served also by the Honorary Consulates of Greece in the UK. Detailed information and contact details can be found here.

Certificate for domicile transfer exemptions

Individuals (citizens of any European Union member State, Greek citizens or persons married to a Greek citizen) that are residents abroad and wish to settle permanently in Greece, are exempt from import duties on their personal belongings (furniture, car e.t.c.).
Permanent residence is the place where an individual is resident for at least 185 days in a 12 month period and where he holds personal and professional bonds. The right for domicile transfer exemptions is founded on proof of residence and work of the applicant himself or his family, for a two year period before settling in Greece:

Documentation:

• Personal Statement (signed at the Consulate)

• Passport or Identity Card and family's members and Marital status certificate or birth certificate of family members (for foreigners)

• Residence Card in Greece is required for third country (non EU) nationals

• Tax clearance (employment history HMRC) or tax clearance notes (P60) for at least the last two years before settling in Greece and certificate of termination of work (P45).

• Payroll statements (payslips) at least quarterly per year, monthly detailed bank accounts statements (at least quarterly per year) for the last two years before settling in Greece.

• In the case that the applicant is a company owner or a self-employed person, the necessary supporting documents are defined as follows: company registration, tax clearance (self assessment tax return), invoices, payslips, combined, for the last two years before settling in Greece.

• Council Tax Receipts, Public Utility Bills (electricity, gas, water) at least quarterly per year for the last two years before settling in Greece.

In case of a private use car, motorbike or motorcycle, pleasure boat or private aircraft are transported, documents proving the full and exclusive ownership of the vehicle for a period of at least six months before the application date are required, as well as:

• Vehicle Registration in the name of the applicant issued by the relevant British authority (DVLA e.t.c.) covering a period of at least six months before the application date.

• Driver’s license valid for the above mentioned period.

• Purchase invoice.

• Insurance policy.

It is pointed out that, if the cars do not meet the last effective Community Directive, with regard to the emissions of pollutants and exhaust fumes, or they are of conventional technology, the persons concerned must contact the Ministry of Transports and Communications (tel. 210-6508438) in order to ascertain the possibility of their registration.

All personal belongings (household effects, means of transport, other items), according to the conditions mentioned above, must be cleared once all together or even partially, before the expiry of the 12-month period from the date of issuance of the repatriation certificate. That is to say, they must be presented to the Customs House for clearance, at the latest within (12) months from the date of issuance of the repatriation certificate.

More specifically, the means of transport, within one month from their entry in Greece, must be presented to the Customs House for clearance, on the condition that this period does not exceed the effective duration of the repatriation certificate (12 months from its issuance).

Νote: Two copies of all the above supporting documents are required from the person concerned.

For more information, the persons concerned may contact the Customs Regions and the 18th Directorate of Customs Economic Systems, at the following telephone numbers:

Customs Region, Attica                (+30) 210-4511389
Customs Region, Thessalonica      (+30) 2310-531220
Customs Region, Patra                (+30) 2610-339870
Customs Region, Kavala              (+30) 2510-836919
Customs Region, Volos                (+30) 24210-39186
Customs Region, Dodekanissos    (+30) 22410-29291
Customs Region, Corfu                (+30) 26610-39392
Customs Region, Heraklion          (+30) 2810-302616
Customs Region, Lesvos              (+30) 22510-28311
Customs Region, Syros                (+30) 22810-85132

18th Directorate of Customs Economic Systems:
a) Department of Tariff Exemptions
(+30) 210 6987502  -503-504-505

b) Department of Provisional Import and Repatriates
(+30) 210 6987498  -499-500-501

c) Department C
(+30) 210 6987508  -509-514

The application for the certificate for domicile transfer exemptions may also be submitted to the relevant H2 directorate of the MFA in Greece, Akadimias 3, Athens, tel. +30 210 3682631, email: dh2@mfa.gr. or YDIS of the MFA in Greece, Αg. Dimitriou, Dioikitirio, 54123 Thessaloniki, tel. 0030 2310270092, e-mail: ydis@mfa.gr

Υou are kindly requested to print and fill the application of relocation and the Certificate for domicile transfer exemptions (they will be signed at the Consular Office during your appointment).