Wondering how marriage works in Greece? We checked with lawyers at the organization Solidarity Now to answer your questions about getting married below.
How can my marriage get legally recognized in Greece?
A lawyer or the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translations Service will need to verify the authenticity and officially translate your wedding certificate from your country of origin. If your public document is from a country that is under the Hague Convention it can be tranlated only if they have the stamp of the Hague Convention (Apostille). If your public document is from a country that is not a Hague Convention member then they will ask for a validation by the Greek Consular authority in the country of origin where you published these documents or by the country’s Consular authority in Greece and then by the Validation Office (KEPAE) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Validation Office of the Thessaloniki International Relations Service (Y.DI.S) (Dioikitirio).You can find a list of languages the service translates and relevant prices, as well as their address, on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.
## I am a recognized refugee in Greece. Can I get married?
If you are a recognized refugee that has been granted either refugee status or subsidiary protection, you are allowed to get married in Greece.
I am an asylum-seeker in Greece. Can I get married?
The Greek Ministry of Interior recently allowed asylum-seekers in Greece to get married. However, in practice, this is very difficult.
The requirement to get a certificate from your home country, stating there are no obstacles to marriage, is what makes getting married so difficult. This is called the “Certificate of Non-Impediment to Marriage,” and both spouses need it in order to issue a marriage license.
If a relative or friend of yours can get it from your home country and send it to you by post, you won’t have any problem. You will need to translate, have it certified for its authenticity and submit it along with the other required documents.
But if you need to get in touch with your national embassy in order to get this certificate, be aware that this process might jeopardize your asylum claim. Claiming asylum means stating that you face persecution or discrimination from your country’s government. If you contact the embassy of the country that has persecuted or discriminated against you, your claim is no longer valid.
According to the organization Solidarity Now, when your local municipality registry receives your marriage application including this certificate from your embassy, there is a possibility to inform the Asylum Service about it. In that case the Asylum Service can reject your asylum claim as a consequence.
Some asylum-seekers who wanted to get married and faced this serious dilemma, challenged the process before a court and won the case. The court decided that going through this process violates the right to family life. According to the court decision, the municipality should now accept a signed official form or “solemn declaration” stating that there are no obstacles to marriage, instead of the certificate.
Following the court decision, the municipality must proceed with the wedding and accept the solemn declaration. However, if you face any difficulty before the municipality, you should consult with a lawyer.
If the municipality accepts your solemn declaration in place of a certificate that states there are no obstacles to get married, the other required documents are exactly the same as those for recognized refugees, mentioned below. As a form of ID, you will need to have your Pre-Registration card, Full-Registration card or your national passport with a visa.
It’s important that your form of ID proves that you are staying legally in Greece.
You will also need to provide an official document that confirms your personal details. If you’re using your Pre-Registration or Full-Registration card as ID, this has to be issued by the regional Asylum Service where you got your card from. If you’re using your national passport, your country's embassy or consulate can issue this confirmation, but this may again get you in trouble as explained above.
Can I have a civil wedding in Greece? What documents do I need?
Yes, the municipality where you live can arrange a civil wedding ceremony and the mayor would officiate it.The municipality’s registry will ask for all the documents mentioned below to issue a marriage license.
First, you need to get a marriage license which is issued by your municipality registry. Both you and your spouse-to-be need to apply for your marriage license separately.
In order to apply for a marriage license, you will need:
- Your Residence Permit, Pre-registration, full -registration, Travel Document or national passport.
- A proof of address, showing that you live permanently in Greece.
- A certificate of divorce, if applicable (officially translated and certified).
- The death certificate of your previous spouse, in case you are a widow (officially translated and certified).
- An announcement of your marriage published in a local newspaper. You can do this by calling or visiting any local newspaper, and paying for the announcement.
- A tax stamp fee or a receipt copy of € 15 from your local tax office.
- A copy of your birth certificate (officially translated and certified).
- A certificate stating there are no obstacles to marriage from your country’s consulate, or any other competent authority from your country (officially translated and certified) or a solemn declaration. A friend or relative from your home country can also get this from your home country and send it to you.
NOTE: The Greek Ministry of Interior recently announced, if you are a recognized refugee and not able to submit a birth certificate or the document that states that there are no obstacles to marriage, you can submit a solemn declaration instead. Here is the solemn declaration form, translated in English. You will need to sign this form in front of the municipality registry officer.
Also make sure you check with the municipality’s registry in case you need any additional documents.
NOTE: Any document that needs to be officially translated and certified must be done by a lawyer or the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translations Service as mentioned at the begging of this article.
Finally, you need to agree on the day and time of the ceremony with the municipality, and make sure two Greek citizens, who will sign as witnesses to your marriage will be present.
Depending on the municipality, there could be an additional cost for booking a room for the ceremony, from € 70 to € 100.
If I am a refugee or asylum-seeker in Greece and my spouse-to-be is Greek, does this affect my marriage application and asylum status?
You will still need to issue a marriage license through the process described above. However, if you are a recognized refugee or an asylum-seeker who is married to a Greek, you have the right to apply to a different kind of Residence Permit. This Residence Permit is reserved for members of a Greek citizen’s family.
If you are an asylum-seeker, in order to be eligible, you need to: * Have legal residence in Greece for at least one year before getting married. * Withdraw your asylum application.
The deadline to apply for this type of Residence Permit is within two months after the wedding date; If you apply later, you’ll get fined € 50.
This type of Residence Permit expires after 5 years.
Can I have a civil wedding in Greece? What documents do I need?
Yes, the municipality where you live can arrange a civil wedding ceremony and the mayor would officiate it.
The municipality’s registry will ask for all the documents mentioned above to issue a marriage license.
You then need to agree on the day and time of the ceremony with the municipality, and make sure two Greek citizens, who will sign as witnesses to your marriage will be present.
Depending on the municipality, there could be an additional cost for booking a room for the ceremony, from € 70 to € 100.
Is it possible to have a Muslim wedding in Greece, according to the Muslim religion?
Yes, it is possible but your marriage will only be legally recognized in Greece if both spouses-to-be are Muslims and one already has Greek citizenship. Any other kind of religious Muslim wedding in Greece cannot lead to an official marriage certificate, and so lawyers recommend you have a civil wedding as well.
Muslim weddings can only take place in Thrace, in Northern Greece, where muftis operate.
What documents do I need in order to have a religious Muslim wedding?
You need to issue a marriage license from the municipality where you live, with all the documents mentioned above.
Depending on where the marriage will take place, the regional mufti office will inform you about any additional documents you may need.
Mufti offices are located in Thrace, in northern Greece. Here is how you can contact them according to location:
- Comotene +302531026771
- Xanthi +302541023288
- Didimoticho +302553022266
What do I have to do after I get married?
Right after your marriage, you will get a marriage certificate signed by you and your spouse, as well as the person who officiated the marriage. This could be the mayor, clergyman or mufti.
Then you need to go to the municipality registry to declare and register your marriage within 40 days after the ceremony.
What documents do I need in order to register the marriage?
You will need:
- Both spouses’ ID (Residence Permit, Travel Document or passport)
- Both spouses’ tax number (AFM) and social insurance number (AMKA), if available
- The declaration of marriage
- The marriage certificate
- A legal affirmation of the last name your children will get, if this is not specifically mentioned in the marriage certificate. You can get this form at the registry where you sign and declare the surname your children will receive.
What happens if I delay registering the marriage?
You are obliged by law to register your marriage at the municipality’s registry within 40 days after the marriage ceremony.
If you don’t, you will get fined. Fines are:
- € 100 for a delay of up to 3 months
- € 300 for a delay longer than 3 months
I am married to multiple wives, as polygamy is allowed and practised in my country of origin. Can I legally recognize all of my marriages in Greece?
As polygamy is not allowed in Greece, it is not possible to legally recognize more than one marriage in Greece. If you come from a country where polygamy is legal, Greek law allows you to choose only one of your marriages to be recognized. It doesn't have to be the first or the last marriage; it’s up to you to decide which one it will be.