What happens after I get my positive decision?
If you live in a camp, once you have a positive asylum decision, your Cash Card won’t be charged again and you may stop receiving food. Law also states that 30 days after receiving your positive decision you have to leave the camp you reside. However, practices vary and are constantly changing - currently this 30 day deadline is not imposed and camp residents are requested to leave the camp only after they obtain both their residence permits and their travel documents (refugee passports).
How can I apply for the first issuance of my residence permit and a travel document (refugee passport)?
You will receive your decision either directly by email, or in the camp you reside. Along with the asylum decision, you will also get the decisions for the issuance of residence permits and travel documents (for each person separately). Check if your personal data is correct on all documents!
Sometimes these decisions have faults or lack proper signature or stamps. In this case you will need to visit the competent Asylum Service office to receive the decision in the proper form. Once you hold these, you can book an
appointment at the nearest Police Office/Passport Office via email to submit your fingerprints, recent passport photos and sign the application to obtain the printed residence permit (ADET). You can ask camp employees, your
lawyer or legal advisors to assist you.
Email for Allodapon - Athens: tallodathinon.anagnprosf@astynomia.gr or tallodathinon@astynomia.gr
Email for Allodapon - Thessaloniki: talloddytthessalonikis@astynomia.gr
If all of your family members hold the necessary decisions from the Asylum Service, and in case of being a single parent you also hold relevant proof of sole custody (see section „Marriage and custody“), and after paying the
relevant passport fees, you can apply to have the appointment for residence permit and passport on the same date. You can also first apply for the residence permits, if necessary papers for the passports are not yet ready and
apply for the passports afterwards. Then check regularly if your residence permit/refugee passport are ready on the page of the Asylum Service in order to pick them up.
Check here for residence permits (page in English)
Check here for passports (page in English)
Attention: You need to hold a valid asylum seekers card when you go to the police for this application!
Attention: If you are a single parent, you must also bring proof that you have custody of your children, if you want to apply for refugee passports for your children.
Attention: Contact emails for the Aliens police departments responsible for the applications for residence permits and passports may change. If your email is not delivered, check here for up to date contact information.
As a recognized refugee do I hold the same rights as Greek nationals?
Once recognised as a refugee in Greece, you should have equal access to work, education, social welfare and medical care as Greek citizens. Bear in mind that many Greek citizens also struggle to survive, because of the poor economy and lack of support from the government.
In practice, refugees face more barriers than Greek citizens to access the limited state support. For example, some state benefits require you to live in Greece for a minimum number of years, and language barriers can also be a
problem. Refugees may also encounter racism when accessing state services.
Racism is unacceptable. (See section „Reporting rights abuses by the state“) The main difference to Greek nationals is that as a recognized refugee you are not automatically given the freedom to work or live for longer periods in
another EU-country. This is only possible when you lived and worked for many years in Greece and gained either an unlimited stay residency with the freedom to travel within EU or Greek citizenship.
I got a positive asylum decision, my cash card was cut and I was asked to leave the camp. Where can I find help?
In order to help you integrate and build a life in Greece, there are two possibilities for state support, which we will explain here briefly, though they are limited and dysfunctional in many ways. First, and in order to transition
from the asylum seeker reception conditions to the Greek welfare system, you can apply for the HELIOS program, which is run by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). HELIOS supports recognised refugees for a
maximum period of 12 months upon receiving your positive asylum decision.
They mainly provide for rent subsidies, Greek classes and support to find a job. The biggest problem refugee women report is that before you can receive this help, you need to first find a flat and second sign the contract - which can
only happen if you pay the first 1 or 2 months rents plus any requested guarantees. You must hold a house contract from the official Greek government platform (called TAXISnet) which you will need codes for and assistance to access. You must also have a Greek bank account. HELIOS is only available for people who were previously living in a camp - you cannot access the program if you were living independently during your asylum procedure.
Attention: In practice, HELIOS has repeatedly faced funding gaps when transitioning from one program to the other which has led to a temporary halt of rent subsidies and enrollment options, leaving people relying on this
support in difficulties.
The other option for state support (or second step, if you are already in the HELIOS program) is available to Greeks as well as migrants and recognised refugees legally residing in the country. Once you hold refugee status and get
your residence permit, you can apply for the so-called Guaranteed Minimum Income (Greek: „elachisto engiimeno eisodima“, formerly known as KEA) which is a €200 monthly allowance per household, plus €100 per additional
adult and €50 per additional child. In order to apply for these social benefits, you need either a registered address proven by a rental contract in your name or a “homelessness certificate” from the municipality. The benefits are accessible only to people living below the poverty line, which means people who have no or very little income. To apply you also need to hold a valid residence permit, a tax number (AFM), access to your online tax system
(TAXISnet credentials), a tax clearance, a social insurance number (AMKA) and a bank account. Families with children also have to provide certificates that child/ren are enrolled in school. You can inform yourself and get help for
the application at the Integration Offices for Immigrants (KEM) who have limited translation available or the Service Centers of your municipality of residence (KEP). There you can also ask for any other social benefits you could
apply for. Seek information directly from HELIOS and respectively at the municipality’s “Integration Offices for Immigrants” (KEM).
HELIOS
Contact via WhatsApp here:
English - French - Ukrainian - Greek +30 6909868980
Arabic +30 6906656134
Sorani, Kurmanji, Turkish +30 6906956107
Farsi - Pashto - Urdu - Hindi - Panjabi +30 6906656125.
KEΜ Athens / Thessaloniki
In Athens visit directly: Maizonos Street 45, Athens. Or book an appointment: Tel. +30 2105246722 or E-mail: kem@athens.gr.
Languages: Greek, English, Farsi and Urdu.
Bring along all your documents (AFM, Asylum card or residence permit, proof of residence, bank account, your
AMKA or PAAYPA, school documents etc.).
In Thessaloniki there are three addresses:
- Call +30 2313318560 and visit Kleanthous 57 in Ano Toumba (open 08:-14:00),
- call +30 2313318531 and visit Eirinis 4 in Bardari area (open 08:30-14:00) or
- call +30 2313318646 – 8647 or 8623 and visit Monastiriou 93B on the 1st floor (open 08:30-14:00).
From our experience, integration works best in friendly environments and with specialised supporters. We recommend that you contact organisations providing educational classes, workshops and employability projects, while you’re in the asylum procedure. Don’t wait for your asylum decision. If possible, be active in advance. Start with language classes, seek advice from social workers and employability advisors and attend workshops or on job
training. The more people you know, the more organisations you visit, the greater your support network will be and the more information and help you will find.
Check the w2eu.info contact list for Greece under the sections “education, workshop and sports” and “services for women”, here.
What are the documents I need to build my life in Greece?
For most integration steps and in daily life you will need to have:
- AMKA (social insurance number, like the temporary PAAYPA you have)
- AFM (tax identification number)
- An official proof of address (house contract, address certificate from the camp, hosting declaration or other)
- Access codes to the online tax system (TAXISnet credentials) which you need to apply for at the competent tax office (you can receive the help of an accountant, see section „Financial support“)
- Tax clearance (see section „Financial support“)
- A bank account
- An official proof of your phone number from the relevant telecommunication company
- School diplomas and vaccination booklets of your children
- Family status certificates such as marriage, divorce, birth and death
- certificates or family books and custody court decisions (i.e. from the Asylum Service, Greek notaries or courts or verified originals from your country of origin)
Important but not always necessary are the following:
- An unemployment card - with which you can get also a free public transportation card and access employability programs
- A unique ID number (AMA) from the National Service for Social Insurance
- EFKA (Greek: „Ethnikos Foreas Koinonikis Asfalisis“) - for work
Attention: Many of these documents you can get before receiving a positive asylum decision. Ask camp employees or social workers from NGOs for more information and assistance. Keep all your documents well organised and safe.
Attention: In Greece, public services are increasingly digitalised. Inform yourself which services can be provided online. In most cases you can access them either upon holding a bank account and internet banking access or with your online tax access codes - as these can be used to verify your identity.
Attention: Always keep all your information with the authorities updated. If you change address, phone number, you renew your identity documents/passports, your family status changes etc. inform the relevant authorities -
such as the municipality, the civil status registry, the tax office and also your bank.