U.S. Embassy Athens

91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue
10160 Athens, Greece
Telephone: +(30)(210) 721-2951
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +30 210 729-4444 or +30 210 729-4301
Fax: +(30)(210) 724-5313
Email: athensamericancitizenservices@state.gov Facebook

Consulates

U.S. Consulate General Thessaloniki
Plateia Commercial Center
43 Tsimiski Street, 7th floor
546 23 Thessaloniki
Greece
Telephone: +30-231-024-2905
Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +30 210 729-4444 or +30 210 729-4301
Fax: +30 231-024-2927
Email: usconsulate@state.gov

U.S. Embassy Athens provides all regular consular services including U.S. passports, notarials, and reports of birth and death abroad.

U.S. Consulate General Thessaloniki provides notarial service. Embassy Athens consular staff periodically provide regular consular services in Thessaloniki. Please check the U.S. Embassy Athens website for information on the next scheduled visit. Visa services are provided at Embassy Athens only.

Lists of Attorneys - U.S. Embassy Athens; U.S. Consulate General Thessaloniki

European Judicial Network in Civil and Commercial Matters - Greece

Is Greece a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters?

Yes.

Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website. 

How should requests be completed?

Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to Greece’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  

Does Greece permit service via postal channels?

Greece formally objected to service under Article 10 of the Convention, and does not permit service via postal channels.  For additional information and guidance see the Hague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.

Service on a Foreign State:  

See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Service of Documents from Greece in the United States: 

See information about service in the United States on the U.S. Central Authority for the Service Convention page of the Hague Conference on Private International Law Service Convention site. 

Prosecution Requests:   

U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters:  

Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Local attorneys may petition courts directly to compel the testimony of unwilling witnesses.

Is Greece a party to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters?

Yes.

The Greek Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention designated to receive letters of request for the taking of evidence is the Hellenic Ministry of Justice.

How should letters of request be completed? Do they require transmittal via diplomatic channels?

See the Hague Evidence Convention Model Letters of Request for guidance on preparation of the letter of request. Requests for the compulsion of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention are transmitted directly from the requesting court or person in the United States to the Greek Central Authority and do not require transmittal via diplomatic channels.

Letters of Request and accompanying documents should be prepared in duplicate and translated into Greek.

Further information:

See Greece’s Declarations and Reservations regarding the Hague Evidence Convention.  See also Greece’s response to the 2008 Hague Conference questionnaire on the practical operation of the Hague Evidence Convention.

Requests from Greece to obtain evidence in the United States: 

The U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention is the Office of International Judicial Assistance, Civil Division, Department of Justice, 1100 L Street N.W., Room 8102, Washington, D.C. 20530

Are depositions of willing witnesses without the involvement of the host government or courts permissible?

Voluntary depositions of U.S. citizen witnesses may be conducted in Greece, provided no compulsion is used.  Voluntary depositions of Greek and third country nationals require prior permission from the Greek Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention.

May consular officers conduct depositions of willing witnesses?

Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys from the United States or Greece at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly.

Is Greece a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement for Legalization of Foreign Public Documents?

Yes

The Greek competent authority for the Hague Apostille Convention will authenticate Greek public documents with Apostilles.

How can I U.S. public documents for use in Greece?

For information about authenticating U.S. public documents for use in Greece, see the list of U.S. Competent Authorities.

To obtain an Apostille for a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America, contact the U.S. Department of State, Passport Services, Vital Records Office.