After dozens of hours of research in hopes of not overlooking any aspect, I have never found a succinct list of what to do if you want to make a move from the USA to Greece, so I have tried to create one for others. US citizens are allowed to stay in Greece and the other European Union countries for a total of 90 days out of every 180 days, so technically 180 days per year but divided into two visits. This is for those looking to obtain a Long-term Stay Visa from the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC, before departure to Greece and then a One-Year Residency Permit upon arrival in Greece.
Getting started for a Long-term Stay Visa:
A. Notarize
all documents (I go to my bank to do this for free)
B. Consider
going the extra step and obtaining an apostile certification on each document.
In North Carolina, this is the Secretary of State's office in Raleigh for the
stamp (certified authenticity). $10 per document.
C. Have 8 passport photos taken for various uses.
1. Of course you need a US passport.
2. Download fingerprint form
from FBI and get fingerprinted. I went to my local police department for
fingerprints for $15/card; I had two cards done so I am sending one to www.myfbireport.com,
an FBI-approved channeler which returns report within 10 days and one to the FBI,
which returns report in 7 weeks (simply as a backup because some Embassies are
very particular about having this done on the original FBI report form). I will
be submitting the myfbireport form to the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC.
Downloads
to print out:
Same
fingerprint cards are used for each agency, download PDF and print out however
many cards you need:
Send your completed forms and fingerprints to:
National Credit Reporting
ATTN: FBI Consumer Report Request
6830 Via Del Oro,
Suite 105
San Jose, CA 95119
Option
2 (turnaround time of approximately 7 weeks):
Info:
FBI CJIS Division – Summary Report
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306
3.
Letter of invitation or letter from a prospective landlord proving you will
have an intended place of residence.
Sample invitation letter you can copy from here and paste in a Word
document:
(Date of letter), (Year)
To whom it may concern,
This is to certify that (your name) will be renting
an apartment from me beginning on her date of arrival in Greece. (Your name)
has made all the arrangements for the rental agreement.
My address:
(Landlord’s mailing address)
(Landlord’s phone number there)
I am a Citizen of Greece.
Should you require any further information, please
do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
(Landlord’s name)
GUEST:
Name: (Your name)
Address: (Your address USA)
Date of Birth: (Your birthday)
Telephone: (Your phone)
Relationship: Tenant
*** Note: To landlords, do not forget to send a
scanned copy of your passport or permanent resident card. Notarize letter if
possible but not required.
6. Proof of health insurance
(I have BCBS -- Blue Cross Blue Shield -- so I can use that in Greece under BlueCard Worldwide; I had them write
a letter saying I have coverage continuously with my renewals annually)
Per acquaintances who just went through the Visa process: Embassy wants
to see proof of the AMOUNT of your coverage, and says it must be at least
$30,000 in benefits which can be paid directly to your doctor/health provider
in Greece. (there is no such policy because all are reimbursements to you --
the policy holder -- but most travel
insurance researched has that in the very fine print.) If you look into purchasing travel insurance and share how much that would cost in your Embassy interview perhaps it will be determined it is OK for you to
use the major medical policy you have in the US, which covers you anywhere in the world, such as my BCBS policy.
7. Financial records:
Proof
of income/financial statements. The Greek Embassy is very specific as to how
much is required per month. As of 2014 you must show monthly income from social security, a pension, earnings from a company of €2,000/month for €24,000/year to be approved for your Long-term Stay Visa. This CANNOT simply be that you have more than enough money in bank accounts; it must be monthly definitive income. It cannot just be rental income if you are leasing out a home in the US. If you have Social Security,
take proof of Social Security payments plus financial statements for each of your
accounts (deleting the accounts' numbers except for the last few digits) and a one-page
summary of all investments. If you are leasing out your home in the US, take a
copy of the lease for your house, which does prove additional income but as I stated above cannot be the sole source of your €2,000/month income.
*** If you can't provide this, you will need to consider other Visa options (discussed in an upcoming post here).
8. Upon receiving/completing
all your documents you need to go to the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC, for an
interview and to submit your application and documents. As of July 2014 you must make an appointment, so call to set a time:
2217
Massachusetts Avenue
N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008
202
9391300 x8001
Fax
202 9391324
consulate@greekembassy.org OR greece@greekembassy.org
CASH
only for fee, which is currently $243 but call and check before you go to the
Embassy
Monday
|
2:00 – 4:00 pm
|
Tuesday
|
9:30 am – 1:00 pm
|
Wednesday
|
9:30 am – 1:00 pm
|
Thursday
|
2:00 – 4:00 pm
|
Friday
|
9:30 am – 1:00 pm
|
|
|
9. Upon arrival in Greece, you then need to apply where you are living for a One-Year Residency Permit.
http://athens.usembassy.gov/residency_08.html
Once the non-EU citizen (American) acquires a residence permit in Greece, then she/he is allowed to live in Greece, exit and re-enter Greece without a Visa, and travel to all Schengen countries without further documentation other than her/his passport and her/his Greek residence permit.
Applying for the One-Year Residency Permit
Although third-country nationals (Americans) may apply for a residence permit until the expiration of their special Visa, it is recommended you apply as soon as possible after your arrival in Greece. Furthermore, the following documents should be submitted.
Documentation for 1st issuance (1 year)
- Application form in two (2) copies
- Three (3) recent colored passport photographs
- True copy of valid passport or equivalent travel document recognized by Greece, together with valid Visa.
- Health Certificate issued by a Greek state hospital, certifying the third-country national (American) does not suffer from any disease which according to the international standards and the World Health Organization (WHO), could pose a risk to the public health.
- Fee of €150.
- Certificate that the applicant has applied to a medical insurer for full coverage of her/his medical care and expenses.
- Evidence the third-country national (American) has sufficient funds at the level of consistent annual income. €2,000/month for €24,000/year.
In case of third-country nationals (Americans) who have received the special Visa as financially independent persons and who are applying for a residence permit sufficient resources are determined to be a minimum of €2,000 per month. In case the third-country national is accompanied by family, this amount is increased 20% for the spouse and 15% for every child. These funds are evidenced by pension abroad, bank account statements, or evidence you are capable with your own financial means of legal origin to cover your living expenses without having to work in Greece.
Procedure after submission of documents
After the submission of the necessary documentation, the competent Greek authorities provide the third-country national (American) with a certificate of receipt (blue paper with photo) proving that she/he has submitted all necessary documents for initial issuance or renewal of resident permit. Upon the receipt of the above certificate, you are permitted to stay in Greece until the authorities reach a final decision on your application for the resident permit. You are allowed to travel to your homeland and return more than once, according to a decision of the Ministry of Citizen Protection.
Annual renewal of residence permit
The residence permit to financially independent persons is valid for one year, as the income of the applicant must be verified annually. Therefore, the above type of residence permit must be renewed every year and the third-party national (American) must apply for a renewal in the period of two months before the expiration of the permit. Applications are also acceptable one month after the expiration but the applicant should pay a fine, which is equal to the one third of the normal fee of €150. Most of the documents which are necessary for the first issuance and mentioned above, are also necessary for the renewal of the permit.
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* Additionally you might
consider getting an International Driver’s License, good for one year:
I use AAA for this and for my passport photos.
* PETS: If you are taking
pets with you, there are many veterinarian forms and checks so research and
take care of this ahead of time. For flights, I recommend Lufthansa Airlines with their excellent pet-transport record.
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Below
are some helpful Web sites but I found I needed to dig deep to get firm answers
– and there was still varied info on the different sites – so I resorted to asking
friends who have recently made a move to Greece or who are well-informed on the process. Their direction has been
invaluable. I thank everyone for their patience with my numerous questions:
Pamela Jane Rogers
Diane Shugart
Tracy Morton
Anastasios Rodis
Katerina Papadopoulos
Konstantinos Kyriou (Second Secretary -- Political and Consul, Washington, DC)
Konstantinos Gatos (Administrative Secretary for Visas, Greek Embassy, Washington, DC)
Yiola
Pakhchanian (American Hellenic Instiitute in Washington, DC)
Scott Bloom
Leonard Harris
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Kali tihi! Good luck!
Ahhhhhh…well worth it all!
