New extension of residence permits until the end of the year (31/12/2020)

In accordance with a new decision by the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, residence permits and residence permit application certificates (blue certificate) will be extended until 31 December 2020 due to the closure to the public of the Immigration Services of the Decentralized Administrations, as well as the Department of Migration Policy of the Ministry from 12/3/2020 until 15/5/2020.

This means that:

Any residence permits, residence cards and permanent residence cards which have expired or will expire in the period between 1 December 2020 up until 30 June 2020 and under normal circumstances could have been renewed, will now be valid until 31 December 2020.

Any residence permit application certificates (blue certificates) and special legal residence certificates which expired until 11 March 2020 as well as those which will expire between 12 March 2020 up until 30 June 2020 and under normal circumstances could have been renewed, will now be valid until 31 December 2020.

Additionally, those who entered the country with an entry visa or any other visa, with which they had the right to apply for a residence permit, but were not able to between 12 March 2020 up until 15 May 2020, due to the closure of the services, will now be able to submit their application up until 30 September 2020.

ATTENTION:

• Additional supporting documents may be sent to the Immigration Services by post (registered mail) or courier only for pending applications, meaning applications which have already been submitted and only if this has been requested by the service in the form of an official document. For the time being, the Immigration Services are not receiving any supporting documents for renewal or issuance of a residence permit. 
• The Ministry of Immigration and Asylum announced the intention to begin sending the residence permits which are ready for collection to recipients by courier. This process however has not begun and there is no further information on when it will begin. 

All official announcements regarding the Immigration Services are posted on their official website (in Greek) as well as on the website of the Ministry of Immgiraiton and Asylum (in Greek and English). 

Support was provided by HumanRights360 / Foundation Open Society Institute / Open Society Foundations