The term "citizenship" (ιθαγένεια), synonymous in the Greek legal order with the term "nationality" (υπηκοότητα), denotes the legal bond between a person and the state.
People who hold a different citizenship are called foreign nationals (αλλοδαποί), while those who hold the citizenship of the state are called nationals (ημεδαποί). To avoid confusion, the term "citizenship" (ιθαγένεια) is now the prevailing usage. "Ethnicity" (εθνικότητα), which must also not be confused with the above terms, unlike citizenship or nationality, constitutes the non-legal bond of a person with a nation (see Doc. No. Φ.82215/18303-9/7/2013 of the Directorate of Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior, on "Clarifications regarding the conceptual definition of the terms citizenship, nationality and ethnicity").
In this way, the following combinations exist, characterising the legal and non-legal bond of a person with the Greek nation: (a) foreign nationals of different ethnic origin, i.e., persons who neither hold the citizenship of the state nor belong to the same nation; (b) foreign nationals of Greek ethnic origin (ομογενείς), i.e., persons of Greek national descent who do not hold Greek citizenship; and (c) nationals (ημεδαποί), i.e., persons holding Greek citizenship, for whom, whether of Greek ethnic descent or not, no legal distinction exists, so that the term "nationals" alone is properly used. The case of nationals of different ethnic origin concerns persons who have acquired Greek citizenship under the provisions of the Greek Citizenship Code, whether through naturalisation, or through the grant of citizenship by declaration and application, by reason of birth and schooling at a school in Greece or schooling at a school in Greece, by reason of the adoption of a minor by a Greek citizen, and other specific cases. Correspondingly, the Greek Citizenship Code (Law 3284/2004, as amended and in force) also provides for the possibility of grant, recognition, determination of citizenship and naturalisation for foreign nationals of Greek ethnic origin, for each particular case.
The most common case of a foreign national acquiring citizenship concerns either the acquisition of citizenship through naturalisation, or the grant of citizenship by declaration and application, by reason of birth and schooling at a school in Greece or schooling at a school in Greece. Very often, in everyday speech, especially among foreign nationals, citizenship is incorrectly referred to as a "Greek ID" or "Greek passport", but it should be understood that Greek citizenship encompasses a very broad range of rights and obligations, as determined by the Constitution of Greece, the laws and other legal provisions.
Naturally, the grant of citizenship to a foreign national by declaration and application, by reason of birth and schooling in Greece or schooling at a school in Greece, requires, among other things, either birth in Greece and schooling, up until the submission of the declaration–application, at a school in Greece, or schooling at a school in Greece for a specific number of years, depending on the level of education.
The naturalisation of a foreign national, under the applicable provisions, requires, among other things, successful participation in examinations and acquisition of the corresponding certificate of adequate knowledge for naturalisation, continuous permanent and lawful residence in the country for a specific period, as the case may be, and proof of meeting the criteria of economic and social integration in Greece.
Applications for the grant of citizenship, as well as naturalisation applications, are filed before the competent Directorate of Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior. The relevant reasoned decision is issued by the Minister and published in the Government Gazette.
Given that the naturalisation process is particularly complex, especially as regards proof of meeting the criteria of economic and social integration, and given that the burden of proof of the above lies with the applicant, it is of the utmost importance to prepare and compile the relevant administrative file in detail and with care. The successful outcome of the application largely depends on applying the facts of the case to the complex legal provisions governing the process, and specialised knowledge, both of citizenship and civil status law and of immigration and foreign nationals law, is extremely important for a positive result.