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Congratulations on your new baby! You will need to register your new family member with Greek Birth Registry Office and with the Asylum Service.

Step 1: Registering the birth in Greece

To register a birth in Greece, you can do it online through the digital birth registration platform. You can declare the birth of your child at the maternity hospital where the delivery occurred. The declaration of birth must be made by:

  • the parents of the newborn jointly
  • the father of the newborn, in case of death of the mother or due to the culpable abandonment of the child by its mother
  • the mother in the case of a single-parent family

Following this, the digital birth registration is prepared by the responsible staff at the maternity hospital and then transmitted to the relevant Registry Office. After 10 days, you can obtain a copy of the birth certificate by submitting an application to any KEP.

Birth Certificate

What to bring

To register the birth at the maternity hospital, you need to bring the following documents:

  • A copy of the marriage certificate or family record certificate. If these documents are unavailable, family members' ID documents can be used to prove family ties.
  • Asylum Card or Residence Permit, passport, or other ID documents. Note that legal documents of at least one parent are required. Also, bring your social insurance booklet.
  • Spouse's social insurance booklet (if registering the baby in the father's insurance fund).
  • Insurance policy or any proof of private health insurance.
  • Your PAAYPA or AMKA number and your AFM number. If you don't have an AMKA or PAAYPA or AFM, you can sign a declaration that you don't have an AMKA or PAAYPA or AFM using this form (in Greek).

 

If you do not speak Greek, you must have a translator or someone fluent in Greek to assist with the registration.

 

It's crucial to ensure that your name and surname on the birth certificate match exactly as on all your official documents. Errors, including spelling mistakes, in the Birth Certificate can be challenging to correct, often requiring a court decision, which is time-consuming and costly, usually necessitating legal assistance. Refugees who cannot contact authorities in their country of origin for civil status certificates can obtain family status certificates from the Asylum Service, which can be requested in person or by email. Municipalities may accept affidavits instead of marriage certificates, although this can be challenging in practice. If you encounter such difficulties, seek support from a legal aid organization.

What if I miss the deadline?

There are fines involved if you delay registering your newborn. If you are between 11 and 90 days late, the fine is €30. For delays longer than 90 days, the fine is €60.

What if the birth didn’t take place in a hospital or a clinic?

You will still need a birth certificate, signed by the doctor and the midwife who delivered the baby. In that case, if an ambulance was called after the delivery to take the mother and the newborn to the hospital, you will need a certificate from EKAV about this fact.

Will my child born in Greece obtain Greek citizenship?

No. Currently Greek law doesn’t allow a child who was born in Greece to take Greek citizenship only based on the reason it was born in Greece.

Child naming

Child naming is typically conducted jointly by both parents or by one parent with written authorization from the other. If the child is from a single-parent family, the parent exercising parental authority makes the declaration of naming.

 

Naming can be declared at the Registry Office where the birth was registered, at the Registry Office of the parent's place of residence, where a naming report is drawn up, or via the government online platform.

 

For the electronic procedure, you will need a certified mobile number, your personal Taxisnet credentials, your AFM, and the second parent's name if you jointly hold parental responsibility. 

Step 2: Registering at the Asylum Service

If your child is born in Greece, once the birth registration is completed and you receive the birth certificate, it's essential to register your child with the Greek Asylum Service as soon as possible.

If you are an asylum seeker: Both parents must visit the Asylum Service office nearest to their residence to submit an asylum application for the newborn, ensuring that the baby's asylum case number is linked with the parents'. If only one parent is in Greece, that parent can apply alone. Otherwise, both parents need to be present. - Along with the application, you need to submit your child's Birth Registration Certificate and have your asylum card with you.

If you are a beneficiary of international protection: Your child will be granted a residence permit of the same duration as yours. You must visit the Asylum Service office closest to your residence and apply for the issuance of a residence permit for the newborn.

  • If your family existed before your entry into the country, you need to submit your child's birth registration certificate along with the above application.
  • If your family was created after your entry into Greece, you need to submit, along with the application and your child's Birth Registration Certificate, the Marriage Certificate or civil partnership registration certificate, or the official act of recognition of the child before a Notary Public.

Once the ADET decision for your newborn is ready, you will need to schedule an appointment with the competent police department to apply for the issuance of a residence permit and travel document. Please refer to our relevant article here.

*In addition to the aforementioned documents, you must always carry your Asylum Card or Residence Permit with you when visiting the asylum service.