Want to move from USA to Kalamata, Greece

[kenapp]

Hello,

I am a US citizen looking to move to Kalamata. I have several issues resolved. I have a place to live, a job, and will be marrying a woman who has lived in Greece for 20 years, but she is actually a citizen of Austria. She was married to a Greek citizen for many years, and her daughter is a Greek citizen by birth.

I am concerned about being able to work in and stay in Greece legally.

Is being married to a woman who is a citizen of a state belonging to the EU sufficient? Are there any hurdles I will need to overcome to make this move?

Any information regarding this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ken

[Bevdeforges]

You should check with the Greek consulate in New York for details. Technically, as the spouse of an EU national, you may actually have a slightly easier time of it than if you were marrying a Greek national. (For all the complaints folks have against the EU, on this issue they have actually done some good stuff!)
Cheers,
Bev

[kenapp]

Thanks Bev. I sent an email and left a voice mail at the consulate today.

I found this information on the web, and could anyone verify if this is indeed correct. Basically states that an EU citizen has all the rights to stay and work in Greece, as does her "dependent family member". Not real sure on the meaning of dependent here, and if it would apply to a spouse or not. I'd post the link to the information here if i could, but will paste the text instead.

Again, any help is greatly appreciated.


Registration procedures and residence permits

As an EU/EEA citizen, you can enter Greece simply by showing a valid identity car or passport. There is no entry visa requirement.

* Immigration officials must not:
* stamp your identity documents when you arrive and enter the national territory;
* request you to prove your financial means;
* ask you to state your reasons for travelling.

Workers in the EU/EEA have the right of establishment throughout the European Union / European Economic Area. EU/EEA citizens may enter Greece to seek employment and stay for six months (three months and a further three months if they are looking for work).

Form E 303 gives an unemployed person who is looking for work entitlement to unemployment benefit for three months. Another ‘E’ form is required for social insurance. Those administrative documents are provided by the country of origin.

Form E 205 shows that the person looking for work is insured in his or her country of origin.

If you wish to stay in the country for more than three months, you must report to the police station of the area in which you are residing. The residence permit confirms your right to stay in the country as an employed person with EU/EEA nationality. You must have employment or possess sufficient resources for staying in Greece.If those conditions are met, a residence permit is issued for five years and may be renewed.

Each resident is given a personal tax registration number (AFM) for dealings with the tax authorities and another registration number (AMKA) for the social insurance services.

Citizens of Member States of the EU/EEA can enter Greece freely and work without a special permit. EU citizens are given a residence permit for the pursuit of paid employment when they present a statement of engagement from an employer.

If you are a dependent family member of an employed EU/EEA citizen, you enjoy the same rights as that person.

Residence permit allowing residence in Greece by an EU/EEA citizen.

Competent service: the competent police station.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
The document used by the applicant to enter Greece.

Evidence that both the applicant and his or her family members have health insurance and sufficient funds.

Three (3) photographs.

In order to have health cover you must have with you the European Health Insurance Card (rather than the older forms E 111 and E 119) from the country of origin.

[kenapp]

OK, found what may be better information, clearer and more direct to the point, i think, to what i am looking for. Again, i can't post links here yet (too new here). But if you were to google the term Directive 2004/38/EC, the second link is wikipedia's explanation of it ( or just search wikipedia org directly)r.

Here is the relevant part:
Family members are also covered by the right of free movement, but only as a dependent of the EEA citizen. The right is limited to the EEA state in which the EEA citizen is exercising treaty rights. In certain cases (e.g. divorce after at least 3 years of marriage where 1 year must have been spent in the host member state), the family member can retain the right of residence. A family member is defined as:

* the spouse (unless in a marriage of convenience),
* the registered same sex partner (but only in a state where same sex relationships are recognised),
* a child under the age of 21, or
* a dependent child or parent (of the EEA citizen or partner).


This is no marriage of convenience, so it sounds like residency in Greece should occur. correct?

Thanks,

[Bevdeforges]

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a reply from the Greek consulate. Many consulate websites in the US indicate that they don't take individual questions, or that they will not respond to questions that are answered on their website.

The right of a non-EU spouse of an EU national to live and work within in EU is pretty well recognized throughout the Union. Over in the French section, we've had some discussion about problems encountered when people have tried to insist on sections of the EU directives that extend the same rights to "recognized partnerships" - but once you're married, you should have relatively little difficulty getting whatever residence paperwork you may need.
Cheers,
Bev

[expat914]

Originally Posted by kenapp

Hello,

I am a US citizen looking to move to Kalamata. I have several issues resolved. I have a place to live, a job, and will be marrying a woman who has lived in Greece for 20 years, but she is actually a citizen of Austria. She was married to a Greek citizen for many years, and her daughter is a Greek citizen by birth.

I am concerned about being able to work in and stay in Greece legally.

Is being married to a woman who is a citizen of a state belonging to the EU sufficient? Are there any hurdles I will need to overcome to make this move?

Any information regarding this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ken

Where is Kalamata? Is it near Korintho? I feel like I've been there before. Anyways, my husband is a Greek and US citizen. He has moved back to Greece (near Korintho) and I plan to move their with our son sometime before June. I think you can apply for a long-term visa as long as the spouce is a greek citizen. Did she established a Greek citizenship after she was married for 3 years? Do you know if you have to live in Greece for three years or just be married to one? We were married in Greece, but only this past summer.

[kenapp]

Thank you all for your responses.

Believe it or not, the Greek consulate called me back and answered my questions. Bravo!