Last updated 14 October 2026. By Demetre E. Katsouris, Managing Partner, Katsouris Law Firm.
The short answer: a Greek passport can be renewed at a consulate; the new Greek identity card is issued by the Greek police in Greece, with the holder present for biometrics. Citizenship by descent is registered through the consulate and the municipality, and it is the registration, not the ancestry alone, that makes you a citizen on paper. If you are a Greek living abroad with an expired ID card and no passport, do not rely on the ID card to board a flight.
The three documents and who issues them
| Document | Issued by | From abroad? | Biometrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | The Greek passport authority, with applications accepted at consulates | Yes, at a consulate | Yes, taken at the consulate |
| Identity card (new format) | The Greek police, at a police station in Greece | No; the holder attends in Greece | Yes |
| Citizenship registration (municipal rolls) | The municipality, via the consulate for applicants abroad | Yes, through the consulate | No |
The identity card and the passport are both proof of citizenship, but they are not interchangeable for every purpose. Greek banks, notaries and the tax office ask citizens for the ID card as the primary document, though a passport is accepted. For travel, a valid ID card is accepted within the Schengen area; for flights from outside the EU, the passport is what counts.
The expired ID card problem
We see this several times a year. A family resident abroad holds Greek ID cards that expired years ago and no Greek passports. They book flights to Athens to renew everything. At check-in the airline refuses them, because an expired identity document is not a travel document, whatever the destination.
If this is your situation:
- Apply for a Greek passport at the nearest consulate before travelling. It is the Greek document that can be issued to you abroad.
- If you also hold another nationality, travel on that passport and deal with the Greek documents once in Greece. The airline cares about the document, not the citizenship.
- Do not count on an emergency travel document from the consulate. One may be issued in genuine emergencies, but it is discretionary and airlines are not obliged to accept it.
Renewing the ID card in Greece
The ID card is issued at the police station competent for your registered address in Greece, or, for residents abroad, at stations designated for that purpose. You book an appointment, attend with the old card or a declaration of its loss and proof of your entry in the municipal rolls, and fingerprints and a photograph are taken on the spot. The card can be collected by an authorised person. A visit of one to two weeks is usually enough if the appointment is booked before departure and the municipal records are in order.
If the municipal records are not in order — a marriage abroad never registered, a name spelled differently in the Greek and foreign records, a child never entered — the ID card cannot be issued until they are. That is the part to check before booking flights.
Citizenship by descent
A person born abroad to a Greek parent is Greek by birth, but is recognised as such only once their birth is registered in a Greek municipality. The chain of registrations must be unbroken: the grandparent’s entry in the municipal rolls, the parent’s birth and marriage, the applicant’s birth. Each foreign document needs an apostille and a Greek translation.
The application is lodged at the consulate, which forwards it to the municipality. Processing times vary with the municipality and the completeness of the file. Once registered, the applicant can obtain a passport and ID card like any citizen.
For men, registration brings military-service obligations into view. Exemptions and deferrals exist for those permanently resident abroad, with their own conditions and paperwork. Take advice before registering a son rather than after.
What a Greek lawyer can and cannot do for you
We can: obtain the municipal certificates and civil-status documents, correct errors in the rolls, register foreign marriages, births and name changes, prepare the application file, book appointments, and accompany you for biometrics so that a short visit is enough.
We cannot: obtain the ID card or passport without your presence for biometrics, or shorten a consulate’s own queue.
Frequently asked questions
My Greek passport expired but my ID card is valid. Can I fly to Athens from the United States? Not on the ID card. Renew the passport at the consulate first, or travel on your other passport.
My parent was Greek but never registered me. Am I Greek? In law, very likely yes; in practice, only once the registration is completed. Start with your parent’s documents.
Can I renew the ID card during a summer holiday? Yes, if the appointment is booked in advance and the municipal records are correct. August appointments are the hardest to get.
This article is general information, not legal advice; it reflects the position on the date above and may change.
Send us copies of the Greek documents you hold and we will tell you what is missing: info@katslaw.eu or +30 210 8982 864.
