Kat Reply:
July 25th, 2007 at 19:03

You can see the article I posted last week about TEBE/TEVE, now called OAEE; it’s not a percentage, it’s a set schedule of graduated payments based on how many years you pay.

IKA is approximately 30 percent of your overall salary. So, as I understand it — if a boss offers you 840 gross (not net in your hand), he’s also paying 360 to IKA, so your overall salary is 1200. That’s how it shows on my IKA papers (ensima).

If you start a business as a non-EU citizen without a Greek citizen partner, you’ll need 60,000 euros deposit in a bank to prove solvency and a business plan drawn up in Greek showing how your enterprise will contribute positively to the Greek economy, which must then be approved by the authorities before you’re allowed to open.

Kat Reply:
July 25th, 2007 at 23:06

Being as I didn’t have the specifics of your situation, it was impossible to understand if the business you were thinking of starting was in the U.S. or Greece AND you didn’t say you were going to be an employee and/or have employees. Also, it’s unnecessary to deal with Greece at all since it sounds like you’ll be an American employee, can have insurance coverage through the U.S. and file your taxes in the U.S. I assume you already have a spouse residence/work permit.

Getting a business license is a different procedure than getting TEVE/OAEE or IKA, starting a business or declaring independent worker status. There is also different legislation in place depending on if you are thinking of setting up a branch or an offshore company.

From the little information I know, it sounds to me like you’d be an American employee. Being self-employed and providing services is not the same as starting a business (which is what you originally said). In Greece, you would be categorized as an independent worker, which you can start up at the eforia. It’s not a weird situation; many people do it (I did for 3 years, just not with an American company, therefore I cannot advise you on logistics). It would be best to consult with the eforia directly or a trusted knowledgeable accountant, which is what I do.

Kat Reply:
February 16th, 2009 at 00:01

Hi Jim,

The Greek Ombudsman handles complaints about IKA in Greek and in English. You can read the article I posted on this website called “Greek Ombudsman: Filing a complaint about Greece in Greece.” There is an address, toll-free phone number and website address provided for your convenience.

Best of everything to you and your father.

Kat Reply:
August 19th, 2009 at 23:53

I’m a little surprised your Greek boyfriend or his parents don’t know the answer to this question and/or couldn’t call to inquire. In any case, I’d like to amend my answer after consultation with a trusted source.

Assuming you are covered by IKA, it will pay for exams/procedures at private hospitals only if IKA specifically sent you to a private hospital because the IKA system could not provide the service you needed. And even then, IKA may pay a very limited amount for a limited number of situations after contacting the hospital/doctor to verify they have an agreement with IKA, what it is and what bureaucracy is involved. None of this applies to your case because there are public hospitals on Crete that handle childbirth.

If you voluntarily choose a private doctor, hospital or clinic in Greece, nothing is covered by IKA and you pay all the expenses.

Kat Reply:
November 19th, 2010 at 01:17

Hi Trevor,

Sorry to hear you’re having problems with your employer, which I didn’t name for reasons of privacy and protection. The good news is I can offer you a solution. But first things first.

How do you know if the employer paid your IKA? You, and any of your co-workers, need to go to an IKA office and ask. Sometimes they ask that you go to the IKA location where you registered; sometimes you can visit any IKA office, i.e., one near work. See “IKA offices in Greece” if you need help in English.

Take your IKA AMA number (they may ask to see the original paper when you first registered called the “Bebaiosi Apografis Amesa Asfalismenou”) and AMKA number, your passport or national ID card. Ask for a printout called “Logarismos Asfalismenou.” The Logarismos Asfalismenou shows all IKA payments that have been made up until the date you inquire. If he did not pay your IKA, they will refer you to someone who can help you file a claim. For this you need to have your work contact, “Anaggelia Gnostopoiisis Oron Atomikis Symbasis Ergasias,” as proof you are working there, your start date and the rate of pay. If you are not comfortable conducting business in Greek, I recommend you take someone who is.

I cannot advise on whether it’s wise to keep working. If you continue working there, I understand that you may not get paid. However, if you stop showing up for work, you may be labeled irresponsible, giving the employer reason to terminate you without compensation and to file a counterclaim against you when you try to recover IKA payments and back pay.

There’s no way for me to know why 750 became 600 without questioning your employer or looking at the contract you signed. Your rate of pay should be stated on your work contract, and any questions about net or gross should have been clarified before you signed it. As explained in “Examples of jobs and salaries in Athens, Greece,” an employer will sometimes quote gross and not net as a way to fool prospective employees into thinking they will be paid more. You could have also questioned him the first time you were paid and requested an explanation, then decided whether to continue working there or have your employer draw up a new contract and refile it with IKA.

You and your co-workers can all file a claim against your employer to force his hand in paying what he owes. The first thing they ask you before filing a claim is if you have directly confronted your boss, so you need to do this. I realize it’s uncomfortable, but you need to do it in a calm, factual manner with courage and without losing your temper. If this doesn’t work, come back to me and I’ll create a new article detailing the procedure you and your co-workers need to follow to file a labor claim. I’ve been meaning to do it, anyway.

All best, K

Kat Reply:
December 17th, 2010 at 00:25

Unfortunately, giving your age and the number of ensima you have are not enough for me to help you.

There have been lots of changes to laws regarding Greek pensions, I do not know Serbian pension laws, and you did not provide information on work years outside Greece. Therefore, you must get in contact with the office in Serbia that handles pensions and find out how Greece and Serbia cooperate on calculating payments, which may also require you to visit an IKA office nearest your residence (addresses provided above).

Thank you for your question and visiting livingingreece.gr.

Kat Reply:
October 18th, 2011 at 16:14

You must determine if you are eligible to receive a dead relative’s pension. It is not automatic. As I say in the article, all business in Greece is conducted in Greek but you are free to find someone who speaks English.

I am not a lawyer and I do not represent the Greek government; I am a journalist providing this information in my unpaid free time. You can hire a translator and legal representative to assist you, then make contact with an IKA office above using the list of phone numbers and addresses I provide.

Good luck.

Kat Reply:
December 5th, 2011 at 23:25

The IKA office is at 48 Agisilaou, and the number you’re calling belongs to a department handling pension payments pertaining to disability and death, but may have been changed or temporarily disconnected because of reorganization.

Try their Main number: +30 (210) 52.79.962, Fax (210) 52.79.978, Email: ika_ath@otenet.gr

It’s worth mentioning that IKA is bankrupt and seeking a loan of 3 billion euros. Consider giving back to the website or sponsoring a turtle in exchange for the 20 minutes of research and four phone calls I made. All best.

Kat Reply:
December 8th, 2011 at 07:53

Because of fraud and abuse by relatives claiming pensions of the deceased, Greece now requires some type of live evidence from your uncle, not just a document or signed statement. He/you can use the information I provide above to call IKA on the phone and inquire on alternatives.

Kat Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 10:42

Greece, in general, is behind Sweden in cancer treatment therapies, though I’m sure there is something available. There’s no way I can know what they offer in Rhodes, as I have not lived or worked there since 1998. He should call hospitals there and inquire. Many people are airlifted to Athens when island hospitals are insufficient.

Cross-border coverage depends on many things — the insurance company, an agreement between Greece and Sweden, etc. As I understand, your father should be carrying an EHIC card and the Greek insurance company must be contacted BEFORE admittance to a hospital in Sweden to see which hospitals, doctors, expenses and treatments are covered.

There are a lot of insurance companies and you didn’t mention which one it is, so you, your father or his wife needs to find out and call them.

Kat Reply:
March 20th, 2012 at 11:23

You can go to IKA or contact them and ask for a printout of your ensima, which they can print on demand and certify. Also call the UK and see if they require anything else to recognize them or a translation, which you can get at “Official translations to Greek.”

Kat Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 15:15

You didn’t provide enough info, but I answered this question already. Look at the question/answer above you.

If IKA wasn’t your social insurance carrier, you need to contact whoever was.

Kat Reply:
April 8th, 2013 at 01:13

You didn’t provide enough information for me to give an answer specific to your mother’s situation, so all I can do is offer my best guess.

Greece’s social insurance funds began requiring all pensioners participate in a regular census to continue collecting payments due to thousands of families committing fraud and illegally collecting a dead relative’s pension. The census is not new; it’s been mandatory since 2011.

The people I know collecting a pension all live in Greece, so their experience isn’t relevant to your mother’s. However, if you look at commentator ‘Atreyi’ from December 8, 2011, I advised him to make direct contact with the insurance fund (IKA, OAEE, etc.) and they told him what was needed. That’s my advice to you, as well. Payments will resume, and retroactive compensation released.

P.S. Here in Greece, we don’t call it ‘chaos.’ This is typical, everyday life.

Kat Reply:
April 14th, 2013 at 09:15

IKA is social insurance, not taxes, so I have no idea what you’re asking or how to help you as you gave too little information for anyone to help you. Please visit an IKA office (listed above) to get advice.

Kat Reply:
June 12th, 2013 at 22:43

Anyone collecting a Greek pension and/or dependents are also required to have AMKAs as of January 1, 2010, not just employees and workers. See “AMKA: Greek social security number.”

Kat Reply:
June 15th, 2013 at 08:44

I completed my IKA paperwork in a few hours without anyone’s help, so I’m not sure why there would be lag time, the possibility of checks and fines, or leniency shown by police or IKA.

Kat Reply:
June 28th, 2013 at 07:51

“You?” I’m a non-EU citizen helping people to solve problems in my unpaid spare time. I don’t represent Greece, and I’m not a lawyer or state worker. I’m not putting anyone through anything, and I’m not obliged to tolerate ingratitude or listen to complaints. That’s the job of state workers, which my taxes pay for. My IKA contributions also fund your pension.

They suspended pension payments as a way to get everyone to comply with requirements, since asking people nicely to update their AMKAs and AFMs got little to no response. It worked.

What you’re encountering is what I and everyone experience every day for everything, 24/7, except on a much smaller scale. I also get a dose of racism and discrimination being a woman and non-Greek.

IKA offices place priority of helping people in person and stop serving the public at 14:00 local time (5:00 a.m. your time) or earlier. If you call anytime after that, of course no one will pick up. Email is also an advanced concept in Greece, with the majority of state workers unable to use a computer.

Kat Reply:
June 28th, 2013 at 08:06

IKA offices place priority on helping people in person. They also stop serving the public at around 14:00 local time, which is 5:00 EST, so of course no one will pick up the phone if you call anytime after that.

Kat Reply:
July 2nd, 2013 at 08:23

What you’re saying isn’t true.

This is a measure to prevent fraud since thousands of Greek families were collecting dead relatives’ pensions, and having an AMKA has been a mandatory requirement since January 1, 2010. See “AMKA: Greek social security number.” The difference is they’re enforcing it now.

They suspended pension payments to force everyone to comply, since asking people nicely to update their AMKAs and AFMs by April 2013 (extended to June) got little to no response.

Being ignored is a 24/7 norm at the majority of public sector offices for pretty much everything. Nothing new.

Kat Reply:
July 22nd, 2013 at 00:34

Answer 1:
I received both of your near-identical comments/questions left in the past 4 days. Please be aware, as disclosed in widget ‘Have a question’ under name days and weather, I work 9-9 every day including weekends and run this website in my unpaid spare time. If you cannot wait for an answer, feel free to inquire directly with Greek authorities.

Answer 2 & 3:
No problem. I moved your question/comment since this post is more relevant. It’s after midnight and I’m tired, but I won’t let another day go by so you can start resolving your wife’s issue.

IKA sent letters to all pensioners with missing AFMs and AMKAs, requesting they provide the information by April (extended to June) or else payments would stop. Therefore, you should have been informed. If you didn’t get these letters, perhaps your address on file with IKA is incorrect or outdated.

AMKAs have been mandatory since January 1, 2010. You can read, “AMKA: Greek social security number” to learn how to get one and what papers are necessary.

AFMs have been necessary for pretty much everything for decades. A tax office (eforia) can help her with this.

I’m not sure why you’re inquiring about a lawyer in Athens, while the rest of your comment refers to Chania. There are lawyers in Chania as well. I’ve never used a lawyer for anything except suing someone; I’ve done all bureaucracy myself, so I can only assume you ask around for a recommendation, interview a few by phone, and choose one. Common sense.

Before finding a lawyer, I recommend calling the tax office and IKA office directly to inquire what could be done via mail, fax or another method. Other people (above) who had missing AFMs and AMKAs were able to resolve their issues and restart pensions without coming to Greece — however, the exact conditions or circumstances are unknown because no details were given, and therefore no one can learn from their experience.

Answer 4:
As I already said to previous commentators, and in the post above, priority is given to people who appear in person and email is an advanced concept to most state employees, which is why they go unanswered.

An AFM is a tax number, which is not the same as an AMKA social security number in Greece. Therefore, the processes and bureaucracy are different.

My article, “How to get an AFM: Greek tax number” is password protected and removed from public view because it’d been plagiarized by several so-called expert/expat websites. You must show proof of residence near the tax office in which you intend to register and conduct transactions.

Most people bring their landlord or a Greek friend. Never heard people use the word ‘guarantor’ before.

Kat Reply:
August 25th, 2013 at 21:07

Hello, I’m still working 9-9 every day, but I wanted to respond before more time passes.

I’ve never encountered a case like yours before, so I have no first-hand experience in what happens when someone dies while a divorce is in progress.

This is what I know. What matters is:
a) if the ex-wife and her daughter make it difficult for you and your daughter;
b) what you can prove on paper, not what people say, especially when you’re non-Greek and non-white foreigner.
– Did he ever register your daughter in his oikogeneiaki merida (mayor’s office where his family papers are kept)?
– Do you have a birth certificate saying that he is the father to your daughter?
– Did he ever go to the insurance company and add your daughter to his health booklet and get her one?
I refer to your daughter because this is his blood, and this is an important factor. You and your “husband” were never legally married, so in the eyes of Greek law you have no real rights.

Try doing as much as you can yourself or with a Greek friend. Be careful about employing a lawyer. Many take advantage of foreigners and charge higher fees without actual knowledge or results, especially those in a tough situation.

Kat Reply:
August 17th, 2013 at 08:35

I’ve answered these questions previously. Please look at responses to Hans, John, Helen, Apostolidis, Jim and Tiffany. Beyond the advice dispensed and article above, I cannot help as I’m not a lawyer or an employee of the Greek state, though my taxes pay for the latter to assist you. This website is provided as a free service in my unpaid spare time.

Kat Reply:
December 2nd, 2013 at 10:28

Eimai Amerikanida, oxi IKA. Do not give sensitive and private information to anyone over the Internet.

Kat Reply:
January 24th, 2014 at 02:56

You need to call the IKA or Army Pension Fund offices directly.

I am a private American citizen running this website in my unpaid free time. I do not provide free consultation via email, I don’t work for the Greek government, and my taxes pay for them to assist you.

Kat Reply:
January 24th, 2014 at 01:22

Please see answers I gave above to readers and commentators with a similar problem, why it happened and what I recommend. I cannot forward her inquiry, as the pension fund will require her to verify confidential information (not just a file number).

I am a private U.S. citizen running this website in my unpaid free time, and my taxes pay for Greek authorities to help her. All best.

Kat Reply:
February 2nd, 2014 at 17:06

That can’t possibly be a valid email address as synt.com doesn’t exist. Nearly all offices are connected to hol.gr or otenet.gr. Even if we could find a current/working email address, official communication via email is an advanced concept here. Many still use fax machines.

It’s my opinion that you need to call between 7:30-13:30 local time in Greece, which is 6-10 hours ahead of Canada, depending on the city.

Kat Reply:
February 10th, 2014 at 11:11

Actually, there are far more requirements, but 50 ensima (50 days a year) earned through work as an employee is the minimum. Details can be found at, “How to sign up for IKA,” now password protected because of plagiarism.

As far as I know, the law is not online, which is one of many reasons I started this website. If you read Greek, you can browse the IKA website. You may also inquire directly at the nearest IKA office or KEP.

Kat Reply:
February 18th, 2014 at 20:43

There have been no reported incidents of delays to IKA pensions. However, as you might know, things in Greece take time.

While abroad, the only thing you can do is call before 13:30 local Greek time. They typically do not respond to email or letters. In Greece, lots of us are forced to take time off from work or send a blood relative to get things done in person, which unfortunately is not an option for you.

Complaints can be filed for free and online with the Greek Ombudsman.

Sorry I cannot be of more assistance.