United Kingdom citizens and their family members, irrespective of nationality, who are permanent residents of Greece, will have an established right of residence in the country after the end of the transitional period of the EU-UK Departure (Brexit) Agreement.
The transitional period comes to an end on December 31.
According to the Migration and Asylum Ministry, there is also a provision for special residence permits for UK citizens and their families, irrespective of nationality, that are not permanent residents in Greece.
The Withdrawal Agreement calls for the issue of a new residence permit document by EU member-states that will certify the new residence status of UK citizens and their family members.
According to the statement, Greece has opted for the fast-track process of simply confirming right of residence, rather than re-establishing the right, recognising the contribution of UK citizens to the social and economic progress of the country.
This means that UK nationals that have been legally resident in Greece for more than five years or register as residence in Greece before December 31 and continue to stay in the country after that date, establish the right to remain in the country.
A joint ministerial decision (JMD) issued by the Migration and Asylum Ministry in collaboration with the Citizen Protection Ministry, outlines that new residence permits will be valid for 10 years for those that have established the right of permanent residence and five years in the opposite case. A five-year residence permit can be converted to a permanent residence permit after five years, provided the permitted periods of absence are not exceeded.
UK nationals and their family members can apply for the new residence document from January 1, 2021, supplying the necessary supporting documents.
UK citizens that are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement can remain in Greece as third-country nationals in accordance with migration law. For stays exceeding three months and depending on the purpose of their stay, they must possess either a visa or residence permit.
Brexit
The U.K.'s withdrawal from the European Union after voting to do so in a June 2016 referendum.
On 17 October 2019 the UK and the EU reached an agreement on the conditions for the UK’s departure from the EU (Brexit), and on a transition period until 31 December 2020.
