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.

Visa term

10 years

Renewal: yes

Work

It gives full access to the labour market. 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.

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	Digital nomad visa
Visa term	Issued for ten (10) years	A residence permit for 5 years, renewed while the investment is retained	Temporary status with the possibility of renewal
Work	It gives full access to the labour market	No right to work as an employee; free residence and Schengen travel	Remote work for a foreign employer is allowed; not for a local one
Residence	There is no separate residence period	No mandatory minimum number of days to keep the residence permit	No strict day-count regime

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?

Since 6 February 2026 the article on the ten-year permit has applied in a new version, and the answer depends on the ground. Those born in Greece or who completed six years of Greek school have the permit renewed automatically for another ten years, provided they have not been away from the country for two consecutive years and there are no public-order or security grounds. Only those who obtained the ten-year permit through ten years of continuous lawful residence move into EU long-term resident status on expiry: they have to stay within the absence limits (under six months in a row and no more than ten months in total over the last five years) and to meet the income criteria.

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

The ten-year permit is on the list of titles that allow a naturalisation application after seven years of lawful and settled residence. The application fee is 550 euros, a re-application 200. Knowledge of the language, history, geography, culture and institutions is proved by the ΠΕΓΠ certificate: a written examination held twice a year, 150 euros to sit. Anyone who studied at a Greek school or university is exempt from the examination, and those born in Greece who live there continuously do not need the seven years at all.

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

For the ground «born in Greece or completed six years of Greek school before the age of 23» no current residence permit is needed: the law speaks simply of people residing in the country. Two conditions apply here: full medical cover and no continuous two-year absence from Greece. A definitive residence title is required only under the second ground, which counts ten years of continuous lawful residence. The «first a student permit, then a switch» scheme does not follow from the law.

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.