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Fantastic and appreciated info, as always! I’m glad the new gov’t is relaxing the rather outdated laws regarding movement in and out of the country. The next step that would be nice would be streamlining and quickening the process of getting the visa from 6 months to something around 3 months.

Hi Kat,

I have completely failed to think of any logical reason that someone with a bebaiosi cannot travel outside the country except to visit their “home country” within the declared timeframes. It makes very little sense for an initial application, and none whatsoever for a renewal. I ask you or anyone else to please advise if you can think of a good reason.

You do say that the Gov’t has shown some indication of changing this law. Let’s hope they do. But no one should hold their breath waiting for it to happen. The country as a whole fears immigration in many respects (how much better they would be if they feared emigration to the same degree…), and I don’t see it
being any big priority. But I suppose, as we’re constantly reminded, we chose to live here!

Regards

Hi Kat,
Understand that the bebaiosi is only a receipt for what appeared to be a properly completed application for residence at the time it was submitted , including that they legally entered the country. But per Greek law, “Third-country nationals who have promptly submitted an application for the issuance or renewal of a residence permit with all required documentation and have received the certificate of deposit referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be considered as legally residing in the country until the administration decides on their request.” (Greek law 3386/05 {last amended 23Sep2009} Art 11, par. 4; the English version as published on several GR Gov’t web sites)

So what I fail to see is, why if a person legally resides in Greece they cannot depart the country and return as long as an adverse decision has not been made on their application? The answer seems to be implicitly admitted in the recent decision to grant a 13 ½ month window for “bebaiosi-holders” to depart/return.

As to where they travel, that should be up to those countries. I would argue that at the point they are granted the right to legally reside in Greece, whether it be through a bebaiosi or residence permit, they are not up against the “Schengen clock” for their time in Greece after issuance of the relevant authorization to remain there, given that Greece has granted them the right to reside in a (specific) Schengen country for an undefined period. But if for the sake of argument that’s a factor to another Schengen country besides Greece, that should still have no bearing on travel to one (of the large majority) of non-Schengen countries in the world. (In practice of course, one runs the risk of being “invited” for an interview in Greece and missing it due to their absence, which will effectively cause their application to be cancelled. But that’s in the category of adverse decision – for failure to appear for interview – and not for absence from the country per se.)

Finally, I understand that the above argument is not how the (majority of) Greek authorities will likely view the situation; I just don’t understand the why. And I have to say that this latest step by the government-in-power is a very big step forward. My biggest hope is that they continue to make significant progress towards more reasonable policies pertaining to all the many immigration/residency issues here; Greece will be much the better for it.

Regards,

I am a first time applicant for residence permit. I’ve read that this law applies to the first-time applicants as well, but I’m in doubt because in the google-translated version of the press release it mentions some paragraph numbers.

In my ΚΑΤΗΓΟΡΙΑ ΑΔΕΙΑΣ it is written: ” ΣΠΟΥΔΕΣ ΣΕ ΕΡΓΑΣΤΗΠΙΑ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΩΝ ΣΠΟΥΔΩΝ (N. 3386/05, αρθρο 30, παρ. 3)

Could you please shed some light on this issue?

I don’t know if this is the right place for my comment, but I just wanted to say thank YOU for your great website and all the useful info you are giving.

Also I wanted to share my experience with waiting my residence permit/card. It took more than a year and a half to get it. It was such a long period that I started thinking the bebaiosi they gave me the first time was the final permit

Hi Kat, First of all, I want to thank you so much for your wonderful site, I know a lot of people tell you this, but I want to let you know how helpful and informative you site has become to me, now that my boyfriend and I are planning to move to Greece, again Thank you so very much.

The reason I am writing to you, and I am sorry this is a bit off-topic, but I was searching on your site about this specific topic is not found anywhere. We are moving to Greece with our beloved pet. I been trying to get some info about bringing our Suzi with us, but there is no much info in the net about bringing dogs to Greece. I know is crazy, but I just can’t leave behind my dog here in Miami. Are Greek laws as strict as they are in England about pets? The Greek consulate here has not been of much help either.
Thank you so much, and a virtual big hug from Florida .

I keep on asking myself and my Greek friends in Africa why it’s so difficult to get or renew a residence permit in Greece, even when the person provides all the required documents when due. Some will wait six months, some wait two years to get the same permit, some say it depends on who handles your file. I believe only sensitive people should be employed to work at sensitive offices like the periferia.

I brought my Cat to Greece in 2004. The Greek consulate in Los Angeles advised me to get a current health certificate (must be within a certain number of days days prior to departure–not sure exactly how long), plus i had to have a chip implanted in her because of supposed Euro laws. When I arrived at the Athens Airport, the customs guy looked at my cat, said “What’s this”, and I said “Patriotisa” (compatriot–because she was born in Greece), and he just laughed and looked briefly at the Greek consulate’s stamp on her health certificate, and waved us thru…. As Kat says, results may vary–but that’s my Cat story.

i am confused . my question is i am married to a greek woman i have the bebaiosi can i go back to my country then come back to greece with the bebaiosi only and my passport or do i need another visa or what , i did read the article but i am so confused , i called at the dimos they said it is ok . so what is the truth ?

Thank you very much for all that you have been doing for us, the non- eu citizens in greece.

My question is my brother left about a month ago for our home country (Ghana) after the law was made that those with bebaiosi can travel ’til the end of December 31 2010. He already applied for his residence permit and is waiting for his sticker. Still waiting for his sticker he decided to go with his bebaiosi to his mother`s funeral and return a month later.

On his bebaiosi there is no expiry date so on his way back, his passport together with his bebaiosi was seized by immigration officers in Ghana saying that there is no expiry date on his bebaiosi, so they will never allow him to go back.

He is confused now and all explanation to let him come back has proved futile and all that they are saying is they need a document that shows that there is no expiry date on the bebaiosi.

Please, can you do anything about this for me. This happened only three days ago. Please help because he needs to come back and start his work. If there is any letter that can be sent to him to prove to Ghanian immigration officers which can allow him to return to Greece safely. Counting on your co-operation. Thank you.

Hello Kat,
First of all, thanks a lot for all the help you provide to us via this website, it is amazing how unorganized the laws and public offices are in Greece, nobody know (or cares) to tell you what you must do to make things right.

I am from Mexico, I currently am in Athens with a Student Permit, waiting for it anyway, I have given all my papers, I have the blue photo ID paper but still waiting for the sticker. I have booked tickets to go back home for about a month in June (June 11 to July 18 to be exact), but I didn’t know we had a specifc period of time to go outside the country with this.

my question is, if my sticker is not ready by the time I travel, when is the time they usually allow us to travel back home? do you think I’ll have any problem?

I gave all my papers in Sept 2009, in feb I went to get an update and they told me everything was ok, just still waiting, in March I went and they told me I need another health insurance, which I should be giving these days and hopefully won’t take another 6 months for them to update me.

Thanks a lot!

Kat, I’m very sorry, when you posted Nov 2009 to Dec 2010 my mind understood Dec 2009 thinking it was a Xmas Grace period kind of thing, I’m actually very surprised they did it for that long the time. But very happy to hear it though =p

Sorry again and thanks for the info!

Hello, thank you for your incredibly useful site.

I moved to Greece in late December. Before I left the States, I began the application process for a residence permit for financially independent persons for myself and my child. Five months into my stay, I am still awaiting confirmation that my application will be approved.

My child attends school here, but will return to the States with me this summer. She may or may not return at the end of the summer for school in Greece. (There is a chance she will attend in the States where her father lives. We haven’t made this decision yet.)

I have several questions:

1. One, if I have not yet received our permits by the time we leave, will i have any trouble returning? As it stands now, I intend to return in the fall for a period of time, either in September with my child or on my own by mid-October.

2. If I’ve not yet received our permits by the time we leave, will I need to return specifically to complete the application process?

3. Our dimos only issued a blue paper/bebaiosi for me. Should I request one for her, too, for our travels home?

4. If our permit is denied for some reason, what are the ramifications? Do you see any other possibilities for problems with my situation?

5. You say, “As a precaution, non-EU citizens may want to print and carry a copy of the official “Press Release in Greek.” Why? Because border police are sometimes misinformed of the law, or know it and refuse passage until a lawyer or journalist intervenes.” Do you mean it is possible for a US citizen to be denied the right to travel home, or that we could be denied entry upon trying to return to Greece? I hope, if either, the latter. The idea of being held at the Athens airport with my child is nightmarish!

6. If my child travels to the US this summer on the blue bebaiosi but doesn’t return until after the deadline of December 31st, will there be any ramifications. (When I return in the fall, my intention is to complete both of our permit applications, not just mine.)

Again, my thanks for your help. I’m amazed by the extent of your knowledge and research!

hi
i was wondering , i have two nationalities. can i travel to both of my countries with the blue paper?

Thank you very much for your website and information you provide.

My husband and I are Russian citizens. My husband works in Greece. We applied for a renewal of a residence permit recently and received a blue paper from Greek authorities. In August we are planning to travel to the United States (for which we have visas), and I’m sure that permits won’t be ready by the time of our travel. I understand that if we leave Greece without a permit, we will have to apply for Greek visa in US in order to re-enter Greece. This is not a problem. My main concern is if we can LEAVE Greece with the blue form. I am afraid that the officer at the airport can start asking why, having the blue form, we’re flying to the US instead of Russia (my homeland).

Thank you very much,
Liudmila

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