Admission to Greek universities for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign lyceums in Greece and elsewhere

Admission to Greek universities for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign lyceums in Greece and elsewhere

The Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs announced the prerequisites for the admission to higher education of third country nationals. The electronic submission report was launched on Thursday the 18th of July and it will be open until Thursday the 25th of July. All required documents can be found here. The basic criterion for the admission to Greek universities, is the overall mark of the […]

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National Elections 2019 | The parties respond to questions on integration

National Elections 2019 | The parties respond to questions on integration

In light of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Generation 2.0 RED, in collaboration with Vouliwatch, put forth a series of questions to all the democratic candidate parties regarding specific immigration and refugees related integration policies in Greece. The choice of questions was based on (a) the issues we have been working on the past few years and which we deem outstanding (b) the programs of the […]

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Online appointments at the Immigration Service in Piraeus

Online appointments at the Immigration Service in Piraeus

From now onward, in the Immigration Service of Piraeus, citizens who want to renew or re-issue residence permits will need to make an appointment by email, one month before their residence permit expires. Those who do not have a residence permit or have a blue certificate or are not sure should go to the service to make an appointment, getting a priority number from 07.45 […]

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Significant reduction in the fees of certain residence permits

Significant reduction in the fees of certain residence permits

With a Joint Ministerial Decision, the costs of the fees for three year independent residence permit for the adult children of immigrants up to the age of 21, as well as for pensioners, have been adjusted. The fee for both categories has been reduced from €450 and €1000 respectively to €150. As we had mentioned in a previous announcement with article 38 of Law 4546/2018 […]

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Citizenship: Average waiting times for the processing of applications and pending issues

Citizenship: Average waiting times for the processing of applications and pending issues

Τhe Special Secretariat for Citizenship published statistics on the acquisition of Greek citizenship based on the procedure for the children of migrants as well as by naturalization. In particular, the pending requests per year and per corresponding service, as well as the specific batch of applications each Directorate or Department of Civil Status is currently processing are presented. Data on the number of decisions issued […]

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Update on the opening days of the Decentralized Services during the holiday season

Update on the opening days of the Decentralized Services during the holiday season

The Civil Status Directorate of Athens (Ipatias 6) will not be open to the public for submitting applications for citizenship (Law.4332/2015) as well as for naturalization from Monday 17/12/2018 until Wednesday 9/1/2019.   The Civil Status Directorate of Central and Western Attica (Favierou 58) will also not be open to the public for citizenship applications (Law.4332/2015) as well as naturalization applications from Monday 24/12/2018 until […]

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New statistics on citizenship for the first half of 2018

New statistics on citizenship for the first half of 2018

Based on data provided to us by the Ministry of Interior, Generation 2.0 RED presents the quantitative data on applications for Greek citizenship both by naturalization and under the law 4332/2015 (due to birth or school attendance) for the first half of 2018. The figures presented are on a nationwide level as well as the regional levels of Attica, Athens and Thessaloniki. Law 4332/2015 For […]

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(Ελληνικά) Τηλέφωνο εξυπηρέτησης στη Διεύθυνση Ιθαγένειας

(Ελληνικά) Τηλέφωνο εξυπηρέτησης στη Διεύθυνση Ιθαγένειας

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Η Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως | Κτήση Ιθαγένειας | Αύγουστος 2018

Η Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως | Κτήση Ιθαγένειας | Αύγουστος 2018

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Update on the Decentralized Services | August 2018

Update on the Decentralized Services | August 2018

The Civil Status Directorate of Athens (Ipatias 6) will not receive applications in person for citizenship (Law.4332/2015) as well as for naturalization from Monday 6th of August until Friday 24th of August. The Civil Status Directorate of Central and Western Attica (Favierou 58) as well as the Civil Status Directorate of Northern & Eastern Attica will not receive applications in person for citizenship in accordance with […]

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Announcement from the Immigration & Citizenship services for 01/08/2018

Announcement from the Immigration & Citizenship services for 01/08/2018

ΑΤΤΕΝΤΙΟΝ: Due to maintenance, the Immigration and Citizenship Information System will not work from Tuesday 31/07/2018 at 14:30 until Wednesday 01/08/2018. This means that the services WILL NOT BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC to receive applications or supporting documents on Tuesday 31/07/2018 at 14:30 until Wednesday 01/08/2018. As of now, the following services have made announcements: – The General Secretariat for Migration Policy of the […]

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(Ελληνικά) Η Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως | Κτήση Ιθαγένειας | Ιούλιος

(Ελληνικά) Η Εφημερίδα της Κυβερνήσεως | Κτήση Ιθαγένειας | Ιούλιος

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Entry to Greek Universities, for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign schools in Greece or elsewhere: 2018 guidelines

Entry to Greek Universities, for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign schools in Greece or elsewhere: 2018 guidelines

Like every year, the Ministry of Education will publish on its website in July, the guidelines for the entrance into Greek universities of those who: Have attended the last two grades of the Lyceum or the equivalent school in a foreign country Have attended at least the last two grades of a non-EU foreign school that is legally established and operating In Greece. Procedure Every […]

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Manual on regularizations for children, young people and families

Manual on regularizations for children, young people and families

On the 11th of April, PICUM (the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants) published the “Manual on regularizations for children, young people and families”. The Manual focuses on the importance of regularization, while also on the impact of good practices and successful campaigns. Children born in countries where they and their parents are not nationals or do not have a permanent residence status, face […]

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In the face of the new European citizens, Europe falls short on diversity

In the face of the new European citizens, Europe falls short on diversity

Every year the statistical office of the European Union “Eurostat” publishes statistical data on the acquisition of citizenship across its 28 Member States. In 2016, a total of 994.800 people obtained citizenship of a Member State of the European Union (from 841.000 in 2015 and 889.000 in 2014), most of which were citizens of non-EU countries. Compared to last year, this increase of 18% comes […]

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Manolada: One year after the ECHR sentence, has the situation improved?

Manolada: One year after the ECHR sentence, has the situation improved?

A multitude of greenhouses covers the surface of the land in Manolada. The place, known because of the exploitation of migrant workers in the strawberry fields, was marked in 2013 after a very serious episode. It was the year that field owners opened fire against the Bangladeshi workers, who were protesting because they did not receive their wages for many months. Despite the fact that […]

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Information on the deadlines for citizenship of the second generation

Information on the deadlines for citizenship of the second generation

Find out which categories of second generation have until the summer of 2018 to apply for citizenship As it is known, in 2015 the law 4332 (amending the Citizenship Code) was voted, giving the right to Greek citizenship to the children of migrants born and/or raised in Greece, in that way, restoring the social injustice caused by the decision 460 of the Council of State […]

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Course of Greek citizenship applications | Statistics until 2017

Course of Greek citizenship applications | Statistics until 2017

Based on the annual report of the newly created Special Secretariat of Citizenship, the number of positive decisions on the acquisition of Greek citizenship for the year 2017 was 33.718. More specifically, we see that 73.51% of the positive decisions concern applications based on birth/school attendance in Greece. The largest percentage of these (92.07%) concerns applications from citizens of Albanian origin. As far as naturalization […]

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Migration and citizenship services out of order on a national level

Migration and citizenship services out of order on a national level

UPDATE Generation 2.0 RED and MIC sent a letter to the Ministry of Migration Policy about the techical problems of the IT system. You can read the letter here. PRESS RELEASE We have recently expressed our concern about the delays regarding the renewal of residence permits in the last months. Despite the intensive efforts of the personnel, the expected increase in the number of applications […]

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Presentation of the new electronic residence permit

Presentation of the new electronic residence permit

The electronic residence permit Since February 2017, residence permits have changed form and now are autonomous from passports, with biometric data which make them more difficult to forge. This change was made because it was imposed by a Regulation of the European Union (EC 1030/2002 with amendment of EC 380/2002) in all countries. What are the biometric features? The biometric features are unique, measurable elements […]

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From Lesvos to Samos: Asylum Seekers speak out

From Lesvos to Samos: Asylum Seekers speak out

“Once I asked a camp worker, ‘How can I live in this situation?’. ‘Try to survive’, he answered.” By Silvia Giulini November, 2017 In the last weeks, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality and Diversity visited Lesvos and Samos, two of the Aegean Islands that are hosting the majority of the asylum seekers arriving in Greece. The result is a report based on the testimonies of […]

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The assault in Amir’s house and the visit to the Maximos Mansion

The assault in Amir’s house and the visit to the Maximos Mansion

Each and everyone who saw the news on the assault that took place in the house where a family of refugees was staying, got appalled and angry. Broken bottles and glasses on a kid’s bed is an image that illustrates in the most deafening way a big mistake; that there must be something we missed and now here we are. The visit to the Maximos […]

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Latest Statistics Regarding Citizenship: 3rd Trimester of 2017

Latest Statistics Regarding Citizenship: 3rd Trimester of 2017

Generation 2.0 RED, based on data received from the Ministry of Interior, presents the figures for Greek citizenship as they were until the end of the second quarter of 2017, both at a Territory and Attica level. Applications From the beginning of the implementation of the law until the end of the 3rd trimester of 2017 (30/9), the applications for Greek citizenship based on Law […]

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Announcement on the Procedures of Residence Permits’ Applications

Announcement on the Procedures of Residence Permits’ Applications

ATTENTION: This procedures concern only the Residence Permits issued by the Ministry of Migration Policy, not those issued by the Decentralized Services We inform you that the submission of applications regarding the residence permits which are issued by the Ministry of Migration Policy will take place at Agiou Dionysiou 5, Piraeus, with the following procedure: For the renewal of residence permits of all categories granted […]

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Latest data on Citizenship | 2nd quarter of 2017

Latest data on Citizenship | 2nd quarter of 2017

Generation 2.0 RED, based on data collected by the Ministry of Interior, presents figures on Greek citizenship as they were up until the end of the second quarter of 2017 in Greece but also in Attica. Law 4332/2015 Applications From the begining of the implementation of the law until the end of the second quarter of 2017 (30/6), applications for Greek citizenship based on Law […]

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(Ελληνικά) Παραβίαση Δικαιωμάτων Προσφύγων από τη Διοίκηση – Κοινή Επιστολή

(Ελληνικά) Παραβίαση Δικαιωμάτων Προσφύγων από τη Διοίκηση – Κοινή Επιστολή

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Update on the Decentralized Services for the month of August

Update on the Decentralized Services for the month of August

The Civil Status Directorate of Athens and the Civil Status Directorate of Central and Western Attica will not receive applications in person for citizenship (law.4332 but also naturalization) until the 18th of August. The Civil Status Directorate of Northern & Eastern Attica, as well as the Civil Status Directorate of Southern Attica, Piraeus and Islands will not receive applications in person in accordance with the […]

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Joint Letter of 21 NGOs on Housing Issues for Recognized Refugees

Joint Letter of 21 NGOs on Housing Issues for Recognized Refugees

August 1st, 2017 To: Minister for Migration Policy, Mr. Ioannis Mouzalas Alternate Minister of Economy and Development, Mr. Alexis Haritsis Notification: UNHCR Representative in Greece, Mr. Philippe Leclerc TOPIC: Housing issues for recognized refugees The increase in refugee status and subsidiary protection granting rates in Greece in recent years, which is of course a very positive development, calls for the immediate design and implementation of […]

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After School | Summer Lessons for migrant and refugee children

After School | Summer Lessons for migrant and refugee children

The NGO CIVIS PLUS announces the launch of summer courses at the “Social School Support for migrant and refugee children” under the Open School Program of the Municipality of Athens. Summer lessons and “After School” activities will start on June 27 and will take place four times a week until July 28 at the 26th Elementary School of Athens (Fokionos Negri 63, Kypseli). The program […]

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15/06/17: Employees on strike at the Decentralized Services

15/06/17: Employees on strike at the Decentralized Services

Tomorrow, on June 15 2017, the Immigration Unit, where third-country nationals apply for residence permits will not operate from midday onwards due to workers’ strike. Why is this happening? As G2RED has already informed you, two major changes have occurred on the applications for residence permits. These changes concern the issuance of new residence permits with biometric data and the transfer of residence permits for […]

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The “Refugee crisis” in Greece (2016-2017)

The “Refugee crisis” in Greece (2016-2017)

Skype: The first step to be recognized as an asylum seeker | Statistics & Observations By Silvia Giulini This report focuses on the Greek Asylum Service and, in particular, on Skype, which is the first step for a Third Country National (TCN) in Greece to be recognised as an asylum seeker. This report is based on the data collected by our organization, Generation 2.0 for […]

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Latest Statistics Regarding Citizenship

Latest Statistics Regarding Citizenship

Based on data provided to us by the Ministry of Interior, it appears that from the beginning of the implementation of Law 4332/2015, 5.8380 applications for Greek citizenship have been filed by persons born and educated in Greece, 42.5% of whose applications have been filed in the Decentralized Services of Attica. Meanwhile, 27.858 decisions have been issued (about 48%). Apart from the procedure for migrant […]

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Entry to Greek Universities, for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign schools in Greece or elsewhere

Entry to Greek Universities, for third country nationals who have graduated from foreign schools in Greece or elsewhere

Prerequisites After the last amendment of the law 4415/2016, third country nationals or EU citizens who wish to enter Greek universities, shall meet the following requirements: At least one of their parents must not have Greek origin and the applicants must be citizens of the country of the high school they graduated in The applicants must have completed with full attendance the last two classes […]

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Announcement for the Exams on Greek Language Competence

Announcement for the Exams on Greek Language Competence

The Lifelong Learning Directorate of the General  Secretariat of Lifelong Learning & New Generation, is organizing on Saturday, May 20 2017, the exams of the first semester of 2017 for the certificate of Greek Language competence and Elements of Greek History & Culture for third country nationals and asylum seekers, in order to apply for the long term residence permit. Who can take the exam? […]

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Updates on the Citizenship Directorate – Delays for the Naturalization Interviews

Updates on the Citizenship Directorate – Delays for the Naturalization Interviews

Last week, the law 4456/2017 was published in the Official Government’s Gazette. Three and a half months after the reformation that divided the Directorate of Citizenship from the Ministry of Immigration Policy, this law makes provision for covering the administrative gaps that had been created, and the delay which followed in the cases of citizenship. In a few words, this law states that: The Citizenship Directorate […]

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New Statistics Regarding Citizenship

New Statistics Regarding Citizenship

Based on the information given to us by the Ministry of interior regarding the last quarter of 2016, combined with the previous data we provided to you, we present you the quantitative data for pending and approved applications for citizenship under the laws 3838/2010 and 4332/2015, both on the country and the regional level of Attica. By the end of 2016 things were as follows: […]

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We say farewell to Tzanetos Antipas…

We say farewell to Tzanetos Antipas…

It is with great sadness that we say farewell to Tzanetos Antipas, President of the Non-Profit Organization “Praksis”, who left us very soon. We wish a safe journey to one of the first people who stood by the struggle of Generation 2.0. Together we shared common ideas, common experiences and common hopes. Today we farewell not only an extremely active member of the civil society […]

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Announcement: Closed Services due to Technical Upgrades

Announcement: Closed Services due to Technical Upgrades

The filling of applications or other services (for residence permits and citizenship) will not be possible from 15 to 22 of February, due to technical upgrades. Specifically, from Wednesday 15/2/2017 to Wednesday 22/2/2017, the following administrations will not operate for the public: The Civil Status Directorate (citizenship / naturalization applications) The Immigration Directorates (residence permits) The Department of Secretarial Support for the Ministry of Migration Policy […]

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Citizenship due to Greek School Attendance: What Changes for Private Schools?

Citizenship due to Greek School Attendance: What Changes for Private Schools?

The Ministry of Education submitted a draft law regulating various issues, which are going to be discussed in the Parliament later this week. It is with great pleasure we find among others, the Article 7, in particular the paragraph 5 stating: In Paragraph 1, Article 1B of the Greek Citizenship Code (l. 3284/2004 -A217), as this article was inserted by the section 1A of the […]

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Developments on Residence Permits

Developments on Residence Permits

On January the 13th, Generation 2.0 for Rights Equality and Diversity visited the Directorate of Immigration in Athens, and was updated on the developments regarding the residence permits. New residence permits with biometric data From the 23rd of February, new residence permits are going to be issued. The new residence permits require biometric data, meaning fingerprints and a passport photo (a colored, digital photograph 4×6 […]

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Citizenship’s Office & Reformation: Update from the Ministry of Interior

Citizenship’s Office & Reformation: Update from the Ministry of Interior

Generation 2.0, knowing the concerns raised regarding the delay of the approvals for Greek citizenship, combined with the recent reformation and separation of the Citizenship Office from the Ministry of Immigration Policy, sought information from the Ministry of Interior about the future of the Citizenship Office. As a reminder, on the beginning of December we met with the General Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, who […]

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Atonement for Walid Taleb, four years after the tortures he suffered

Atonement for Walid Taleb, four years after the tortures he suffered

An end was put to the horrendous case that began in the summer of 2012, when Walid Taleb was found unconscious tied to a tree in Salamina, with an iron chain around his neck. Walid was working in a bakery on the island when he became a victim of racist violence and sexual abuse by four people. After five postponements of the court, and with […]

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“How many refugees have to die before safety is guaranteed in Greece’s camps?”

“How many refugees have to die before safety is guaranteed in Greece’s camps?”

23 organizations, on the 28th of November 2016 signed a joint statement about the living conditions in the camps, for which the government bears responsibility and ought to adhere to specific safety standards. The tragedy in Moria was the result of the inhuman living conditions in the camps. About the situation, not only the government should be held accountable, but also all those who do […]

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“A child who receives Greek education and excels, obviously becomes Greek and has the right to raise the Greek flag” we say goodbye to Kostis Stefanopoulos

“A child who receives Greek education and excels, obviously becomes Greek and has the right to raise the Greek flag” we say goodbye to Kostis Stefanopoulos

A great man and politician passed away at the age of 90, on Sunday, November 20th. Everyone talks about an exceptional and selfless personality who, even though coming from the conservative right party, he always stayed objective and never avoided to take responsibility of his own words. He fought in every chance he got the objective truth and reality, and that is why politicians praise […]

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Molotov attacks from neo-Nazis at the refugee camp in Suda, Chios

Molotov attacks from neo-Nazis at the refugee camp in Suda, Chios

Once more, refugees were targeted through propaganda and disinformation, with the media full of articles about attacks with fireworks by “illegal immigrants” (?!) from the camp of Souda in Chios against the local residents. Fearful comments and broadcasts regarding the episodes yesterday and the day before – November 17th and 16th 2016 – in the refugees camp in Chios have overwhelmed the internet, talking about […]

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The hypocrisy of the Greek political scene once again on the podium of publicity

The hypocrisy of the Greek political scene once again on the podium of publicity

Yesterday, November 16th 2016, on his last transatlantic voyage as the President of the United States, Barak Obama was at the Cultural Center Stavros Niarchos Foundation giving a speech, which was applauded by all those who were present. In his speech he talked about all those things this small but great people gave over the centuries throughout mankind. He talked about the birth of Democracy, […]

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There is a New Ministry of Migration Policy

There is a New Ministry of Migration Policy

The stormy history of migration policy in the Greek system seems to be a standard practice of errors and a sloppy approach, without an established common tactic and organization. When the asylum and reception services were established, went under the supervision of the Ministry of Citizen’s Protection instead of the Ministry of Interior, and they began their function after two years after, without adequate mechanisms […]

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Donald Trump | The New President of the United States

Donald Trump | The New President of the United States

The United States of America have just selected Donald Trump as their new president. Since his submission of nomination, we had expressed our sincere concern about human rights. Throughout the presidential race, our fears continued to grow day by day. Hate speech was used and will continue to be used more and more. We are more than sure that this hate will be expressed as […]

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Details on Greek citizenship’s applications until 30.9.2016

Details on Greek citizenship’s applications until 30.9.2016

According to data given by the Office of the Secretary General of Migration Policy, quantitative data are presented about the approvals of the acquisition of Greek citizenship: a) under the law 3838/2010 (Ragousi Law) and b) under the law 4332/2015 (due to birth or school attendance) for Greece and Attica respectively. Under the law 3838/2010 (Ragousi Law) Concerning the requests during the former legal status, […]

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Update on the Decentralized Services | June 2016

Update on the Decentralized Services | June 2016

The services shall function as usual throughout August except for the services of Attica Particularly: A’ Athens: The service is going to be closed for the public until the 17th of August Central and Western Attica: The service is going to be closed for the public until the 26th of August Northeastern Attica: Τhe service will remain closed for the public until the 29th of August […]

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Idomeni | March 2016  

Idomeni | March 2016  

“My kids are asking me ‘Where are we going daddy?’ and I respond ‘We are going to the garden’. They think we are going to a garden so they can play. ‘Where is this garden?’ and I ask them to wait until we get there. They are just kids, in the end. They don’t know where we are going. We tell them fairytales to give them hope. But […]

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What does it practically mean to not have Greek citizenship? Or to be stateless?

What does it practically mean to not have Greek citizenship? Or to be stateless?

What does it mean for a person born and raised in Greece to not have Greek citizenship? No birth certificate. Only children of Greek citizens have the “right” of a birth certificate. No Greek Identity card. The official document proving his identity is the passport. No political rights. Meaning no right to vote and stand in local, national or European elections. One cannot study easily […]

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Council of State’s decision regarding the unconstitutionality of law 3838

Council of State’s decision regarding the unconstitutionality of law 3838

On Tuesday the 5th of February 2013 the Council of State’s decision was published, which was first leaked to the press on the November 13th, 2012. The Council of State judged as unconstitutional the provisions of the law 3838. According to the Council of State’s provision, the majority of the Council’s members decided as a perquisite for the Greek citizenship acquisition the awareness of the […]

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Petition for the Right to Citizenship

Petition for the Right to Citizenship

About 200.000 young people were born and raised in Greece to migrant parents. This kids have no homeland since they remain unrecognized by the Greek state, which refuses to grant them citizenship. Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity is the answer to all those who believe that young people with migrant origins are not Greek or/and are very different from Greek kids. The organization […]

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