European countries have different naturalization thresholds, and it is normal for Greek immigrants to "queue" for more than 5 years

Greek immigrants "queuing" waiting for citizenship for more than 5 years has become the norm

Looking at the southern European country Greece, although it is not a traditional immigration country, due to its unique environment and climate, its politics has been relatively stable in recent years, its economy has recovered rapidly, and with the blessing of "golden visas", the number of foreign immigrants settling in Greece has continued to increase. In recent years, the number of foreigners naturalized in Greece has been increasing every year. However, according to the "Daily" report, many second-generation immigrants who were born in Greece or completed their studies in Greece have to wait for more than 5 years to obtain Greek citizenship.

According to data from the Greek Ministry of the Interior, between September 1, 2015 and March 31, 2022, a total of 116,500 applications for naturalization were received, 18,882 of which are still under review, of which 10,674 involved those studying in Greek schools or universities. children and teens. These delays mainly occurred in the Attica and Central Macedonian regions and were mainly due to staff shortages. Delays in naturalization approval will prevent them from continuing their education or working abroad.

According to Greek law, children of foreign citizens born in Greece have the right to apply for Greek citizenship if one of their parents has lived legally in Greece for five years after entering school for one year. In addition, minors with permanent residence status in Greece can be eligible to apply for citizenship by completing nine years of primary and secondary education or sixth grade education.

The Greek naturalization written test is held twice a year, in May and November. Exam content includes Greek language, history, geography, culture and politics. According to the Greek naturalization procedure, after passing the written test, the applicant must go through an interview with three Ministry of Interior officials with more than 5 years of experience before finally deciding whether to obtain Greek citizenship. This step will be overseen by the Greek Ministry of the Interior and the National Transparency Authority.

According to the Henley Passport Index (Henley Passport Index) released in July this year, Greek passports enjoy visa-free treatment in 185 countries, ranking eighth in the global passport rankings.