Translation of documents when applying for Greek citizenship - for UK nationals
- Vasiliki Prestidge
- May 10, 2017
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 23
Brexit is upon us and a lot of British citizens in the UK have started looking into becoming citizens of another EU country. If you are of Greek descent, then that’s good news for you.
The question you probably have is what is the process and how it works. I am not an immigration lawyer specialising in Greek citizenship by descent, so I cannot help you with immigration questions. However, I can help you with any translation questions or requests you might have relating to official documents accompanying your application.
When applying for Greek citizenship by descent, the two documents you need to get translated into Greek are:
1) your birth certificate and
2) a recent criminal record certificate.
The translation process you need to follow step-by-step is:
Obtain your official documents from the relevant UK authorities.
Legalise your documents following the instructions on https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised.
Email them to a professional translator to receive a quote. You need to send both the Apostilles and the documents attached to them for translation. You can either scan your documents to the translator for quoting purposes or send them by post or submit them face-to-face. Please note that in accordance with Greek citizenship law only qualifying lawyers or translation graduates of the Ionian University can produce translations of documents supporting Greek citizenship applications.
Your chosen supplier will translate them into Greek, sign and certify them as ‘true and accurate translations of the originals’ and they will post them back to you.
As everyone's case is unique, there might be other official documents that you might need to get translated to support your application. For instance, your marriage certificate, your tax return, house bills etc. The above two listed documents are the two standard documents requested of everyone by the Greek authorities.
According to the Greek Embassy website, here is the full list of what's required:
If you have any questions, get in touch.
---Post updated June 2026---
Vasiliki is a translator, interpreter, transcreator, blogger, consultant and director of Greek to Me Translations Ltd. She works with English, Greek and French herself and has a team of trusted colleagues who can cover other languages. The offered language services serve mainly the legal, creative, marketing & advertising, fashion and media industries, including voiceover direction.
Greek to Me translations are official and certified for Greece, Cyprus, UK, Spain, Ireland, France, and EU countries, the English speaking world including the US and Canada.
Vasiliki is a Chartered Linguist, member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI). She is registered with the Greek Consulate in the United Kingdom as a certified translator and interpreter.
She holds a BA in English Language and Linguistics and Masters in Business Translation and Interpreting. As Member of Council to the CIOL and Board Member of the IoL Educational Trust she overseas and supports the organisations' strategic goals.
Being involved in her industry means often delivering public speaking and writing for industry magazines. Her mission is to help organisations and individuals achieve their goals through the power of words. Through The Translators Mentor, Vasiliki helps aspiring or young translators to overcome self-limiting beliefs, build a business mindset and achieve their highest potential.
