The date and place of birth on your passport must read exactly as registered on your birth certificate.

Each person immigrating, regardless of age, requires a separate visa. Therefore, you must be prepared to pay in cash the variable fee mentioned on our forms in United States currency or the equivalent in local currency.

Document translations: Documents that will be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Athens may be in either English or Greek and do not need to be translated, with the exception of court or legal documents.  Court or legal documents must be accompanied by an English official translation performed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs at this location: Arionos 10, Psiri, 105 54 Athens.

For cases processed in Athens, all other documents not in Greek or English must be accompanied by official English translations.  Official translations must be done at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Greece, Arionos 10, Psiri, 105 54 Athens

Birth

Available

Fees: Fees may apply

Document Name: “Lixiarchiki Praxi Geniseos” (Ληξιαρχική Πράξη Γέννησης)

Issuing Authority: Registrar’s office (“Lixiarhio” Ληξιαρχείο)

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a round wet seal of the Greek State and a signature, white color, printed format or handwritten.

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: There is no issuing authority personnel title.

Registration Criteria: Birth document issued by the hospital is presented at the Registrar’s office (Lixiarchio or Ληξιαρχείο) of the region where the relevant Registry act is drawn up.

Procedure for Obtaining: The requestor must appear in person at Registrar’s office (Lixiarchio or Ληξιαρχείο) where the birth took place.

Certified Copies: Certified copies are available.

• Alternate Documents: In rare cases, it may be impossible to obtain a birth certificate because records have been destroyed or the government will not issue one. In such cases, you should obtain a statement to that effect from the civil registrar's office and proceed to obtain secondary evidence of birth. A baptismal certificate may be submitted for consideration provided it contains the date and place of the applicant's birth and information concerning parentage, provided the baptism took place shortly after birth. Should a baptismal certificate be unobtainable, a close relative, preferably the applicant's mother, should prepare a notarized statement giving the place and date of the applicant's birth, the names of both parents, and the maiden name of the mother. The statement must be executed before an official authorized to administer oaths or affirmations. In such cases, please bring any secondary evidence you might have concerning your birth.

Exceptions: None

Comments:  None

Death / Burial

Available

Fees: Fees may apply

Document Name: “Lixiarchiki Praxi Thanátou” (Ληξιαρχική Πράξη Θανάτου)

Issuing Authority: Registrar’s office (“Lixiarhio” Ληξιαρχίω) or local city hall (“Dimarxhio” Δημαρχειο)

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a round wet seal of the Greek State and a signature, white color, printed format or handwritten.

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: There is no issuing authority personnel.

Registration Criteria: Medical certificate of death is presented at the Registry of the place of death.

Procedure for Obtaining: The requestor may appear in person at Registrar’s office (Lixiarchio or Ληξιαρχείο).

Certified Copies: Certified copies are available.

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents.

Exceptions: None

Comments: None

Police Records

Available

Fees: There are no fees

Document Name:  Penal Record for Judicial Use (Ποινικό Μητρώο για Δικαστική Χρήση, or Piniko Mitro yia Dikastiki Xhrisi)

Issuing Authority: Ministry of Justice, Department of Criminal Records

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a round seal of the Greek State and a signature

• Note: as of Jan 2019 penal records submitted electronically to the U.S. Embassy from the Greek Ministry of Justice Office in Athens do not bear a signature.

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: There is no issuing authority personnel title

Registration Criteria: Apply for a Penal Record for Judicial Use at the Bureau of Penal

Procedure for Obtaining: The Greek authorities will not provide a Penal Record for Judicial Use to applicants directly. Rather, they will forward any such police certificate to the U.S. Embassy in Athens.  The following information must be included in the application for a Penal Record for Judicial Use for immigration purposes:

• Type of Copy: Check the box for Judicial Use.
• Reason for Issue: Write “Request for a Visa”
• Description: Write “Request for a Visa from the U.S. Embassy, Athens”

Greeks born and/or residing in Athens can apply for a Penal Record for Judicial Use at the Bureau of Penal Records (Υπηρεσία Ποινικού Μητρώου - Ipiresia Pinikou Mitroou) of the Ministry of Justice, Leoforos Alexandras & Degleri 2, Athens or through KEP (Center of Citizen Information Service). Greeks born and residing in Greece, but outside of Athens, should apply for a Penal Record for Judicial at the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Εισαγγελία - Isangelia) of the appropriate district administration.

Greek citizens residing outside of Greece may contact the Greek Embassy in their country of residence. In some circumstances, the Greek Embassy abroad is not compelled to accept the request for the penal record. In this case, the Greek-born citizen will need to apply directly in the appropriate hometown jurisdiction or authorize a representative to apply on their behalf. 

Non-Greek applicants residing in Greece and foreign-born Greek applicants should apply in person for a Penal Record for Judicial Use to the Bureau of Penal Records for Foreigners (Υπηρεσία Ποινικού Μητρώου Αλλοδαπών - Ipiresia Pinikou Mitroou Allodapon), at Mesogion 96, 101 79 Athens, Greece.

Non-Greek citizens residing abroad cannot apply for a Penal Record at a Greek embassy or consulate overseas. Such applicants will need to authorize a representative to apply on their behalf.  Authorizations must be notarized at a Greek embassy or consulate overseas.  Representatives for non-Greek citizens residing overseas can apply for in person at the Bureau of Penal Records for Foreigners (Υπηρεσία Ποινικού Μητρώου Αλλοδαπών - Ipiresia Pinikou Mitroou allodapon), Mesogion 96, 101 79

Certified Copies: Certified copies are not available.

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: Police certificates have a validity of 12 months from the date of issuance

Court Records

Available

Fees: There are no fees

Document Name: Δικαστική απόφαση

Issuing Authority: Court records are available from the Convicting Court and can be sent directly to the applicants.

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a round wet seal of the Greek State, affixed square stamp and signatures

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: The Presiding Judge

Registration Criteria: There is no registration criteria

Procedure for Obtaining: Applicants should provide the court with the case number shown in the penal record.

Certified Copies: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: All Greek court/prison documents must be accompanied by an official ENGLISH translation performed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs at this location: Arionos 10, Psiri, 105 54 Athens.  Applicant must request a full court transcript with detailed information ( praktika dikis)

Available

Fees: There are no fees

Document Name: A military record type "A" (Pistopiitiko Stratologikis Katastaseos Typou "A" or Πιστοποιητικό Στρατολογικής Καταστάσεως Τύπου "A") is available to Greek males who are eighteen years of age or older and who have completed their military service.  Those who have been exempted from service or who have had their military duty deferred may obtain the Type "B" (Typou B') (Pistopiitiko Stratologikis Katastaseos or Πιστοποιητικό Στρατολογικής Καταστάσεως Τύπου "B") giving the reason for exemption or deferral.

Issuing Authority: The recruiting office (Stratologiko Grafio or Στρατολογικό Γραφείο) where they are registered.

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a round wet seal of the Greek State, the issuing authority and issuing personnel signatures

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: The head of Personnel Recruitment Center

Registration Criteria: All males at age 18 were registered at the Recruitment Center  

Procedure for Obtaining: Applicants should apply to the recruiting office (Stratologiko Grafio or Στρατολογικό Γραφείο ) where they are registered. They can trace their recruiting office through the local Town Council Registry Office (Mitroa Arrenon tou Dimou or Μητρώα Αρρένων του Δήμου). For further information please contact the "Citizen Information Services" (Tilefono exipiretiseos tou Politi or Τηλέφωνο εξυπηρετήσεως του Πολίτη ) on the four-digit telephone number 1502. For general information please call 1564 (Citizen Information Services of the Ministry of Interior). 

Certified Copies: Certified copies are available

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: None

Types Available: Regular, Diplomatic, Official passport

Fees: Fees apply 

Document Name: Διαβατήριο Diavatirio

Issuing Government Authority: National Passport Center

Special Seal(s) / Color / Format: Bears a gold color seal of the Greek State on the front cover.  Color is dependent on the passport type. 

Issuing Authority Personnel Title: There is no issuing authority personnel title

Registration Criteria: Requestor must appear in person at the Police Directorate.  The applicant is required to fill out an application form and their details are electronically registered by Passport Office personnel.

Procedure for Obtaining: Applicants wishing to be issued a passport must apply, in person, at the Passport Office in their area of permanent residence.

Alternate Documents: There are no alternate documents

Exceptions: None

Comments: A Greek passport issued to a minor with “Avaptisto” (meaning not baptized) as the given name may be accepted for an applicant provided the applicant is 12 months old or younger and does not have another given name.  Applicants who are older than 12 months or who have been baptized must have a new passport issued in a given name other than “Avaptisto”.  

Other Documents Available: There are no other documents available.

Not applicable.

Post Title: Athens (Embassy)

Mailing Address:

Department of State
Immigrant Visa Unit
7100 Athens, Place
Washington, DC 20521-7100

Address:

Vasilissis Sophias 91
101 60 Athens, Greece

Phone Number: (30) (210) 7212-951-8

E-mail: athensconsul@state.gov

Comments / Additional Information: None

Fax: 2310-242927

All categories for all of Greece.