Brexit and More Implications for this Expat in Greece.

 13^th of February – a memorable day, when Z’n’me headed off to the regional administration offices of Macedonia-Thrace to submit my application – and reams of related papers - for Greek naturalization. We took a number to secure our position in the queue but, fortunately, there were not many people there, most in fact waiting for offices dealing with other issues to be freed up. Once the official had made a rather cursory review of my documents, he told us to go to any Citizens’ Service Centre to pick up and fill out the form we required to make the required fee to any bank. This entailed a 15 minute-walk, then a further 5 minutes to the nearest bank.

 Question1: Why couldn’t we pay the fee electronically in the first office?            Or, failing that,

Question 2: Why couldn’t they keep a supply of those forms in that office to expedite the whole process?

This went fairly smoothly and my vivo-smart device was chalking up a considerable number of unexpected footsteps and related expended calorie-count – all good. We even joked about the Harry Klyn sketch, hoping that we could bring this application event to an uneventful conclusion. Big Mistake! As we returned to the original office, with our bank receipt of payment in hand, we were met by the official who glumly informed us the system was down and none of their computers was in operation. Should we stay or should we go now – how do we respond to this updated Klyn-type obstacle? Well, we stayed, service resumed, we left with the official number of our freshly-minted file – and 2 further requirements: a copy of every page in my passport, lawyer-validated, and a copy of the part of our tax form to verify I am co-owner of our home. Could have been worse!

On Monday 18^th February, we meet up at the Electra Palace Hotel for our Outreach Meeting with the British Ambassadress, Kate Smith, and her team to update us on the Brexit situation. Very articulate and efficient, she prevented question-time from meandering or wobbling. It was reassuring and commendable that Catriona, from the Citizens’ Rights Policy Group in London had been sent to meet us as was her counterpart, Areti, from the Greek government. They were able to pick up on issues that the Lady Ambassador fielded to them though even they baulked at predicting the status of NGO workers and ….nuns!

We were informed that in terms of citizens’ rights, our government had made a unilateral commitment to all the European countries that in Britain their expats’ rights would be upheld. We were assured that hosts of people were working behind the scenes, trying to gain the same commitment for British citizens residing in these countries. 

And we had evidence of that the very next day when Kate Smith announced on the social media that the Greek government had confirmed its commitment to recognizing and guaranteeing the rights of UK nationals already living in Greece. Oh, joyful news!

Busy week, this! Wednesday 20^th saw me collating - hopefully the last - papers to take to the regional administration offices. A different official accepts them and gives us an additional protocol number to identify my file.

I know that applicants are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of Greek history and language and am told they will not accept my Ellinomatheas, a hard-earned certificate for which I had to sit a written history exam, write an essay and have an oral interview in front of 3 officials. Instead I will be called before a 5-member board to answer questions on Greek History, Geography, language and culture.  To assist us they provide us with a link to a booklet containing all the information we are expected to know. It apparently runs to 88 pages - gulp! But they tell me there is no rush: they are currently interviewing applicants from 2014, and working on the applications made in 2013!

A happy me, relieved of heavy file, outside the regional offices.

Then we head off to celebrate in the warm sunshine with some meze and a nice local wine!

As they say, ‘When in Greece …..’

Brexit and Some Implications for Expats in Greece.

In my last post I mentioned, ‘disaffection with Westminster politics’ which affords a wonderful link to today’s topic: Brexit. Having lived outside of Britain for more than 15 years, I have long lost the right to vote, but it does seem unfair that on such topics as EU membership ex-pats did not have a say in the referendum, especially since the outcome can impinge greatly on us. We keep updated on relevant developments through two very important information sources from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Gov.UK and our particular bespoke page, Living In Greece.

So we know about the big day of 29^th March and we know how long the period of grace is, allowed for by the Withdrawal Agreement, which always suggests to me some kind of consensual method of contraception. After that, we move into the area that ancient cartographers depicted as, ‘Here be monsters’- the great fearsome unknown. There is even a helpful little flow-chart, outlining diagrammatically, the binary if-not-then option range in the event of a no-deal deal. Me? - I can’t see past the red EU refuses option.

 Now that really is moving into the realms of a WTF situation. An alternative, wonderfully graphic description is one furnished by my beautiful, insightful niece, Jenny: a heavy-duty car-crash being watched in horror …. and in slow-motion!

I am the proud owner of a Greek Permanent Residence Permit, tattered though it may be,  but, since its validity is contingent on my being a citizen of a member state, this no longer holds after the Brexit transition period comes to an end.

Which is why I have been busy collecting documents in preparation for my application for Greek citizenship.  Dealing with Greek bureaucracy is viewed as an almost Sisyphean task, certainly not one to be undertaken lightly. Harry Klyn, a dear-departed Greek comedian, performed a memorable sketch about presenting credentials to officialdom. So in the office is a winding queue, each person dutifully standing there clutching bulging files – Klyn with an actual wheelbarrow stuffed with papers! As each supplicant approaches the guichet, his/her plea is rejected because some document is missing. In each case Klyn checks against his pile - smiling with satisfaction - yes, he has that one! When his time comes, he confidently produces each requested - and ever more obscure - certification before the civil servant. It begins to look as if patience, prudence and profusion is about to win the day,  until the official sullenly declares to an astounded Klyn that he cannot process his application – it’s now 12.55 and the office is about to close!

Here is what I thought was the complete file for my application. :(

The document below, issued by the Greek authorities, outlines what documents are necessary.  Points to note are:

a) The naturalization statement is a written declaration, made in the local authority office before two witnesses, confirming ones eligibility to make such an application and entails quite a number of documents relating to domicile, registration in the local authority and in the country as a foreign resident, marriage certificate, tax return copies, etc..

c) My passport is a relatively new one - unblemished in that my recent travels have been within the EU so required no stamps. But bureaucracy demands that each - empty- page be copied, then validated by a lawyer who has the specific authority to do so. This is apparently to check that I’ve not been out of the EU community for more than three months. But there seems to me to be an underlying misconception there: surely the permit affords me the right to reside there but does not entail an obligation to do so?

e) They required, we were told by the local office, an ‘up-to-date ‘birth certificate’  - what  IS that?? When booking tickets online, it’s humbling enough to have to scroll back soooooo far to reach the relevant year of birth, but I’d never heard of updating ones birth certificate.  Turns out they were looking for a certificate that had a recent apostille– ie a stamp as outlined by the Hague Convention of 1961 which certifies the validity of a document. This check and certification is run by the issuing country, thereby absolving the recipient country from undertaking any further checks.

Greek citizenship through naturalization: Prerequisites and process

Regarding the supporting documents that need to be submitted for the application for naturalization, they must, in accordance with Article 6 (3) of the Greek Citizenship Code, be certified, either bearing the apostille stamp, the countries from which they have been issued have adhered to the relevant contract or are validated by the Greek consular authorities abroad or the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs as to the authenticity of the foreign citizen signature.

        The documents that every interested person who wishes to apply for naturalization must provide are as follows:

a) A true and validated copy of the naturalization statement,

b) A copy of the Social Security Number (AMKA),

c) A true and validated copy of a passport or other travel document proving identity,

d) A copy of the residence permit in force,

e) Certificate of birth of the applicant or birth certificate of the Greek authorities or other equivalent certificate provided for by the legislation of the first country of nationality,

f) Copy of a statement of income or tax return for the last financial year.

        The above documents must be submitted by the non-EU citizen submitting the application together with the fee provided in each case. The amount of the fee that should be paid to the Greek authorities corresponds to € 700 when it comes to third-country nationals to € 100 in the case of expatriates or nationals of EU Member States or for recognized political refugees and stateless persons. If the application is rejected and the non- citizen wishes to reapply, then the amount for third-country nationals is € 200 and for the remaining € 100.

Now, being a true Scot, I am breaking a leg to submit my application before Brexit which would then render me a ‘third country national’, thereby obliged to pay a 700 euro fee rather than the current 100 one!

Just around this time came the invitation from the British Embassy in Athens to attend their Thessaloniki Outreach Meeting on Monday 18^th February.

Wonderful! I was sure I was not the only person among the British expats resident here who had questions following on from the If no-deal, then ……….????

To be continued ………!