National Service

General Information

Permanents residents abroad Greece: Birth and entire lifespan abroad Greece

Permanent residents abroad Greece: At least eleven (11) years of living abroad Greece immediately prior

Permanent residents abroad Greece: At least seven (7) years of continuous working for a living and living abroad Greece

Draft evaders living abroad Greece: Certificate of stay for military use

General Information

• Permanent residents abroad Greece
All male Greek citizens, aged between 19 and 45, are required to serve in the Armed Forces. Greek citizens living permanently outside of Greece have the right to postpone their conscription. They are permanently exempted from their military obligations when they reach the age of 45 years old. The postponement is granted with the certificate of permanent resident abroad for military use, issued only by the Greek Consular Authorities. The supporting documents are filed only once and not every year.

The Consular Authority to which you should apply for the issuance of the certificate is dependent on the State where you last resided. In case you have lived in other countries in the past, you should first contact the corresponding Greek Consular Authority to confirm the years spent in these areas.

The certificate of permanent residence abroad is officially sent to the competent Conscription Service. For the results of your postponement request, you can consult the website https://www.stratologia.gr/el/anavoli by inserting your personal information (in Greek).

Please, click on one of the above categories of permanent residents abroad Greece, for the prerequisites and the supporting documents (if you qualify for more than one option, please choose whichever you want).

• Draft evaders living abroad Greece

In case you are between 19 and 45 years old, you live abroad Greece, and you do not meet the criteria for a certificate of permanent resident abroad Greece, nor for a military exemption or postponement, you can apply for a certificate of stay for military use, in order to fall under the category of draft evaders living abroad Greece.

The certificate of stay is a necessary supporting document for the issuance of the certificate of draft evader abroad Greece. With the certificate of draft evader abroad Greece, you can:

a. travel to Greece for a period which does not exceed thirty (30) days totally within a calendar year

b. if used within six months of its issuance date, issue/renew your Greek passport
The certificate of stay is issued by the competent Consular Authority and it is sent officially to the competent Conscription Service that issues the certificate of draft evader abroad Greece.

You will receive the certificate of draft evader abroad Greece electronically.