Are you an Australian resident with Greek heritage? Dreaming of reconnecting with your roots or gaining access to the EU through Greek citizenship? You’re not alone. Thousands of Australians of Greek descent apply for Greek citizenship every year—and the process is more straightforward than you might think.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to apply for Greek citizenship from Australia, including eligibility, required documents, and official links to help you get started.
Who Can Apply for Greek Citizenship?
Greek citizenship is primarily granted by descent. You may be eligible if:
- You were born to at least one Greek parent.
- You can prove your Greek ancestry through official documentation.
- Your birth and your parents’ marriage are registered in Greece.
If you’re unsure about your eligibility, the Greek Consulate can help assess your case.
Which Category Do I Fall Under?
Depending on your personal circumstances you will be required to provide the Greek authorities with different documents in order to be eligible to apply for Greek citizenship.
We’ve done our best to provide a comprehensive guide below which you may find relevant to your circumstances.
Category 1: Both my parents are Greek citizens by birth and their marriage is registered in Greece
You will need to provide the following documents to the Greek Consulate or Embassy:
- A birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
Category 2: Both my parents are Greek citizens by birth, but their marriage is not registered in Greece
One of your parents will need to register their marriage before your citizenship application can be processed.
To register their marriage, you will need of your parents to make an appointment with the Greek Consulate and Embassy and provide them with:
- A marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A marriage certificate issued by the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- Valid Greek ID Cards, Greek passports or Australian passports for both spouses
After your parent’s marriage is registered, then you can apply under Category 1 above and provide the Greek Consulate or Embassy with the following documents:
- A recent birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
If both of your parents are deceased, and their marriage was never registered in Greece, then you will need to refer to category 11 below.
Category 3: I was born before 08/05/1984 with only my mother being a Greek citizen by birth and with her marriage registered in Greece
You will need to provide the following documents in support of your application:
- A recent birth certificate for yourself issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents from the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- A recent marriage certificate for yourself (if applicable) issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
All official Australian documents will need to be Apostilled and translated into Greek by an approved Greek translator.
Category 4: I was born before 08/05/1984 with only my mother being a Greek citizen by birth and with her marriage not registered in Greece
Your mother, who is a Greek citizen by birth, will need to register her marriage before your citizenship application can be processed.
To register her marriage, she will need to make an appointment with the Greek Consulate and Embassy and provide them with:
- A marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A marriage certificate issued by the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- Valid Greek ID Cards, Greek passports or Australian passports for both spouses
After her marriage is registered in Greece, then you can apply under Category 3 above and provide the Greek Consulate or Embassy with the following documents:
You will need to provide the following documents in support of your application:
- A recent birth certificate for yourself issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents from the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- A recent marriage certificate for yourself (if applicable) issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
You will then need to make an appointment for yourself to attend the relevant Greek Consulate or Embassy.
If both of your mother is deceased, and their marriage was never registered in Greece, then you will need to refer to category 11 below.
All official Australian documents will need to be Apostilled and translated into Greek by an approved Greek translator.
Category 5: I was born after 08/05/1984 with only my mother being a Greek citizen by birth and with her marriage registered in Greece
You will need to provide the following documents to the Greek Consulate or Embassy:
- A birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
Category 6: I was born after 08/05/1984 with only my mother being a Greek citizen by birth and with her marriage not registered in Greece
Your mother, who is a Greek citizen by birth, will need to register her marriage before your citizenship application can be processed.
To register her marriage, she will need to make an appointment with the Greek Consulate and Embassy and provide them with:
- Valid Greek ID Cards, Greek passports or Australian passports for both spouses
- A marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A marriage certificate issued by the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church).
You will then need to make an appointment for yourself to attend the relevant Greek Consulate or Embassy and provide them with the below documents:
- A birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian Passport
Category 7: I was born before 18/07/1982 with only my father being a Greek citizen by birth and with his marriage registered in Greece
You will need to provide the following documents in support of your application:
- A recent birth certificate for yourself issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents from the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- A recent marriage certificate for yourself (if applicable) issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
All official Australian documents will need to be Apostilled and translated into Greek by an approved Greek translator.
Category 8: I was born before 18/07/1982 with only my father being a Greek citizen by birth and with his Marriage not registered in Greece
Your father, who is a Greek citizen by birth, will need to register his marriage before your citizenship application can be processed.
To register his marriage, he will need to make an appointment with the Greek Consulate and Embassy and provide them with:
- A marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A marriage certificate issued by the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- Valid Greek ID Cards, Greek passports or Australian passports for both spouses
After his marriage is registered in Greece, then you can apply under Category 7 above and provide the Greek Consulate or Embassy with the following documents:
- A recent birth certificate for yourself issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A recent marriage certificate for your parents from the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- A recent marriage certificate for yourself (if applicable) issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
If your father is deceased, and his marriage was never registered in Greece, then you will need to refer to Category 11 below.
All official Australian documents will need to be Apostilled and translated into Greek by an approved Greek translator.
Category 9: I was born after 18/07/1982 with only my father being a Greek citizen by birth and with his marriage registered in Greece
You will need to provide the following documents to the Greek Consulate or Embassy:
- A birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
Category 10: I was born after 18/07/1982 with only my father being a Greek citizen by birth and with his marriage not registered in Greece
Your father, who is a Greek citizen by birth, will need to register his marriage before your citizenship application can be processed.
To register his marriage, he will need to make an appointment with the Greek Consulate and Embassy and provide them with:
- A marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A marriage certificate issued by the Greek Orthodox Church (if married in a church)
- Valid Greek ID Cards, Greek passports or Australian passports for both spouses
After his marriage is registered in Greece, then you can apply under Category 9 above and provide the Greek Consulate or Embassy with the following documents:
- A birth certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages
- A valid Australian passport
If your father is deceased, and his marriage was never registered in Greece, then you will need to refer to Category 11 below.
All official Australian documents will need to be Apostilled and translated into Greek by an approved Greek translator.
Category 11: Special Application Cases
This category applies to applicants who need to follow special application processes, including:
- Applicants with both Greek-born parents being deceased and family registration records being closed off in the relevant municipality
- Applicants with at least one Greek parent by birth, but with the Greek parent being deceased and having never registered their own marriage in Greece
- Applicants with Greek parents not by birth but by descent (born outside Greece), who were granted Greek citizenship after giving birth to their children
- Applicants born outside wedlock to a Greek parent
For these complex cases, you will need to provide extensive documentation and may require naturalisation procedures. We strongly recommend contacting the Greek Consulate directly to discuss your specific circumstances.
Category 12: Applicants with only grandparents being Greek citizens
If only your grandparents were Greek citizens, the process becomes more complex. In most cases, your parent of Greek descent will need to acquire Greek citizenship first before you can apply. If your parent is deceased, naturalisation procedures may be required.
Apostille Stamps
All official Australian documents such as birth or marriage certificates must have an Apostille stamp on them. An Apostille stamp verifies that your document is an official document and that the contents are authentic – only the Australian government can provide this stamp.
All Apostille stamps should be obtained before you send your documents for translation, as the Apostille stamp itself must be translated into Greek.
Australia: You can organise an Apostille stamp by contacting Notarial Services via this link and by booking an appointment or sending them your document in the post.
Greek Document Translations
All documents, including those with Apostille stamps, which are not in Greek must be translated into Greek by an authorised NAATI-certified Greek translator. The Greek authorities only accept translations from approved translators who are licensed to operate in Greece.
At Balkan Translations, all of our Greek translators are NAATI-certified and authorised to provide official translations for Greek citizenship applications. We understand the specific requirements and formatting needed for Greek government documents, ensuring your application meets all necessary standards.
Applying with the Right Consulate
The Greek consulates in Australia can only process applications from applicants based on the State in which they were born, and not the State in which they are currently living. It is important to know the relevant jurisdiction and to which Greek Consulate or Embassy you should be applying.
The below consulates are responsible for the following jurisdictions:
- Greek Consulate-General in Sydney: NSW excluding Newcastle and Maitland
- Greek Consulate in Newcastle: Newcastle and Maitland
- Greek Consulate-General in Adelaide: South Australia
- Greek Consulate-General in Melbourne: Victoria
- Greek Consulate in Perth: Western Australia
- Greek Consulate in Darwin: Northern Territory
- Greek Consulate in Brisbane: Queensland
- Greek Consulate in Hobart: Tasmania
Getting Started with Your Application
- Determine your category using the guidelines above
- Gather all required documents from Australian authorities
- Obtain Apostille stamps for all official documents
- Have documents translated by an authorised NAATI-Certified Greek translator
- Complete the application form available from the Greek Consulate
- Book an appointment with the relevant consulate
- Attend your appointment with all required documentation
Important Notes
- Processing times can vary significantly depending on your category and the complexity of your case
- Additional documentation may be requested during the application process
- Stamp duty fees apply to all applications
- The information in this guide is for general guidance only – always verify requirements with the relevant Greek Consulate
Why Choose Balkan Translations?
Our team understands the specific terminology, formatting, and legal requirements that Greek consulates expect. We’ve successfully translated thousands of documents for Greek citizenship applications across Australia, ensuring our clients’ applications meet all official requirements.
Ready to get started? Contact Balkan Translations today for a quote on your Greek citizenship document translations. Let us handle the translation requirements while you focus on gathering your documents and preparing for your consulate appointment.
Remember, obtaining Greek citizenship not only connects you with your heritage but also provides you with EU citizenship rights, including the ability to live, work, and study anywhere in the European Union.
