On Tuesday, Greece's Interior Ministry announced that the first written examination for foreign-born nationals to acquire Greek citizenship will be held nationwide on May 16.
The exam comprises of 20 randomly selected questions on Greek geography, history, culture and political institutions, as well as 20 questions and a brief essay testing the individual's knowledge of the Greek language.
If the candidate passes the exam, they will be granted the Certificate of Adequate Knowledge for Naturalization.
Some 30,000 pending applications for citizenship – some of which were lodged years ago – will be examined with the new system. In order to participate in the exams, candidates have to pay a fee of €250.
Those who are aged over 67 or who have diagnosed writing difficulties will be able to have oral exams instead.
The final decision on whether citizenship is granted will be made following an interview with three officials from the Interior Ministry and the National Transparency Authority.
The online platform to apply for the exam will open in coming days.
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