GreeceResidence permit

Second-generation permit in Greece

A long-term type of residence permit for third-country nationals who grew up in Greece. It is intended for people born in the country or who completed Greek schooling before coming of age. The new Migration Code substantially widened the benefits: the period rose from five to ten years, automatic conversion into EU long-term resident status was added, and work is not tied to a sponsor.

Source: Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου (migration.gov.gr)

Who can apply

The category is intended for foreigners whose lives have been bound up with Greece since childhood. You may apply on several grounds — there is no need to choose one.

Born in Greece

An official birth certificate issued in the country
Have come of age (18+)
There is no restriction on the year of birth

Studied at a Greek school

Completed at least 6 years of primary or secondary school in Greece
Completed their education before the age of twenty-three
Must be of age when the application is filed

Unaccompanied migrant children

Arrived in the country as unaccompanied minors
Completed at least 3 years of secondary school in Greece
Completed their education before the age of twenty-three

When the programme is not a fit

You are an EU citizen or have other grounds for permanent residence

Contact the consulate of your country for information on EU rights, or consider other types of residence permit

You did not complete 6 years of school and were not born in Greece, and you are already over 23

Look at the programmes for labour migration, family reunification or investment

You do not hold a residence permit in force (a requirement of the new code)

First obtain another type of residence permit (for example student, work or freelancer), then move to M.2

The education was obtained outside Greece or at private schools without accreditation

A school in the state sector is required; check that your school diploma is recognised with the local education department

What it costs

Application for M.2 (the ten-year residence permit)Under Law 4251/14; this may change with the move to the new code 5038/2023	300 EUR
Production of the cardElectronic production of the plastic card	16 EUR
Naturalisation (application)After seven years of lawful residence; a separate process	+550 EUR
PEGP examination (knowledge certificate)Required for naturalisation, Greek B1 plus history, geography, culture and politics	+150 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Naturalisation (application)” adds 550 EUR; “PEGP examination (knowledge certificate)” adds 150 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	316–1 016 EUR

Paid separately

No sponsorship fees — The residence permit is issued on the basis of your own status; no sponsor is needed
Work permits — They are covered by the residence permit; no additional licences are required

Documents to gather

The package depends on the ground, but insurance and documents on birth or education are mandatory.

Passport: every page, copies for the last five years
Certificate of birth in Greece: the original document, officially translated, with the place of birth in Latin letters
School diploma: the certificate of completion of six years of Greek schooling (if you are applying on the ground of education)
Insurance: a certificate from the EFKA funds (state insurance) or from a private insurance company with the KKAA number
Proof of residence: a utility bill, a lease or a certificate from the municipality
Photographs: four colour passport-size photographs of 40x60 mm, white background, neutral expression; plus digital copies in JPEG2000 on a CD

How the process runs

The process takes from three to six months after the full package has been filed. The status can be tracked online.

1
Preparing and translating the documents
2-4 weeks
Collect the birth certificate or school diploma, have it translated into Greek by a notary (if it was not issued in Greece), and obtain a certificate from the insurance company that insurance is in force. If you do not hold a residence permit in force, obtain one first.
2
Filing with the Aliens and Migration Directorate
1 day
Attend the office for your place of residence with the full package of documents, or send it through a representative (a lawyer or a close relative). The application is registered online through the e-Paravolo system. Pay the fees electronically (EUR 300 for the application, EUR 16 for the card).
3
Checking of the documents
3-6 months
The office examines the material and may request further certificates. The status can be tracked on the migration service portal by surname and passport number.
4
Issue of the permit
1 day
You receive the plastic M.2 card (the ten-year residence permit). It is valid for ten years from the date of issue. On expiry the card passes automatically into M.1 status (EU long-term resident) provided the conditions on absence are met.
5
Renewal (every ten years)
3-6 months
A month before expiry, file the renewal application with a copy of the card in force, your passport, insurance and the same photographs. Provided the conditions are met (an absence of no more than 6 consecutive months or 10 months over 5 years), the card passes automatically into M.1.

Timelines and rights

Work

It gives full access to the labour market. Work is not tied to a sponsor.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

There is no separate residence period. What counts is either birth in Greece or six years of Greek schooling completed in Greece before the age of 23.

The permit is issued for ten years. One to two months before expiry, file the renewal application at the same office: a copy of the card in force, your passport, an insurance certificate and photographs will be required. The fees are the same (EUR 300). On expiry the M.2 card passes automatically into the M.1 permit (EU long-term resident) if you have not been absent for more than 6 consecutive months and have not exceeded 10 months of absence over the last five years. The transition happens without filing the package of documents again.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Second-generation permit	Investment residence permit	Financially independent residence permit
Visa term	Issued for ten (10) years	A residence permit for 5 years, renewed while the investment is retained	Temporary status with renewal
Work	It gives full access to the labour market	No right to work as an employee; free residence and Schengen travel	No right to work in Greece
Residence	There is no separate residence period	No mandatory minimum number of days to keep the residence permit	Actual residence for renewal

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Five years of lawful residence open up EU long-term resident status — the M1 permit with the right to move to another country of the Union. Ten years give the national ten-year M2 permit, for which no Greek examination is sat.

Route to citizenship

The second-generation residence permit is on the list of titles with which you apply for naturalisation after 7 years of lawful residence. Before applying you sit the PEGP examination: Greek at level B1 plus the geography, history, culture and political institutions of Greece. The fee is EUR 550.

Frequently asked questions about Second-generation permit

What rights to work does the M.2 residence permit give?

Full access to the labour market. You may work as an employee or on your own account, carry on independent activity, or set up your own business. No sponsor, employer or separate work permit is required. Your rights to work are equal to those of an EU citizen.

What happens to my residence permit when the ten years are up?

The M.2 permit is automatically converted into the M.1 permit (EU long-term resident). This happens without filing further documents, provided you have not exceeded the limits on absence: no more than 6 consecutive months and no more than 10 months of absence in total in each five-year period. M.1 gives you the right to live and work in other EU countries.

How do I obtain Greek citizenship after receiving M.2?

After seven years of lawful continuous residence in Greece you may apply for naturalisation. You have to sit the PEGP examination (the certificate of knowledge of Greek and of culture): the Greek language at level B1 plus the history, geography, culture and political institutions of Greece. The fees are: EUR 550 for the naturalisation application and EUR 150 for the examination. Once it is approved you are issued with a Greek passport.

Can I obtain M.2 if I do not yet hold another residence permit?

That depends on the new rules of Law 5038/2023. Under the old law (4251/14) it was enough to prove birth or education. The new code may require a residence permit to be in force. It is advisable to check with the local migration office, but if you do not yet hold a residence permit, it is better to obtain one first through the student, freelancer or another category, and then move to M.2.

Other ways to move to Greece

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Greece.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.