According to Article 5 of Joint Ministerial Decision No. 4000/1/113-a of 14.10.2020 (Government Gazette B΄ 4610), United Kingdom nationals who hold a five-year (5) residence permit and acquire the right of permanent residence pursuant to Articles 15 and 16 of the Withdrawal Agreement have the right to submit –at any time– an application for the issuance of a ten-year (10) residence permit.
Given that the majority of beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement who hold a five-year residence permit have already acquired or will soon acquire the right of permanent residence, it is highlighted that they are not required to wait for the two-month period prior to the expiry of their current permit in order to submit an application for renewal/upgrading to a ten-year residence permit.
It is noted that in previous years a large number of United Kingdom nationals have successfully submitted applications and have been issued a new ten-year residence document under the Withdrawal Agreement, despite the fact that their initial five-year permit was still valid.
The timely and gradual submission of applications contributes to better and more efficient service for citizens and to the avoidance of delays, especially in areas with an increased number of applications. At the same time, it facilitates administrative planning and ensures faster issuance of the required documents.
It is emphasized that although Greece has chosen the declaratory system of Article 18(4) of the Withdrawal Agreement, according to which the possession of a residence document is not a precondition for lawful residence in the country, holding a valid residence permit or temporary document (e.g. a certificate of submission of supporting documents) is particularly important in everyday life as proof of falling under the Agreement (for example, in transaction with public authorities and third-party entities). Holding valid documents is also essential in the context of the commencement of operation of the Entry/Exit System (for general information click here and for more specific information click here).
Finally, it is clarified that the expiry of the residence document or the submission of an application for renewal after its expiry does not in any way affect the residence status of beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, nor does it entail the imposition of sanctions, provided that the substantive conditions set out in the Agreement are met.
UK nationals are encouraged to contact the competent issuing Authorities as soon as possible for the submission of their application and for any further information regarding the procedure to be followed (for the contact details of the competent police Authorities, please click here).
For any matter relating to the procedure for the renewal/upgrading of residence documents of United Kingdom nationals in the context of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, you may also either visit the website of the Hellenic Police by clicking here or contact the competent central Authority of the Hellenic Police Headquarters (Aliens Directorate).
