Competent authorities for the fingerprinting are:
a) the Aliens Departments of Greek Police, for the residents in the area of jurisdiction of the General Police Directorates of Attica and Thessaloniki and
b) the Passport Offices, which have been set up and operate at the headquarters of the Police Directorates of the General Regional Police Directorates of Greece for the residents in the area of jurisdiction of the aforementioned Police Directorates.
Procedure of fingerprinting
Αs long as the competent authorities for the issuance of the residence document approve the issuance of the residence permit, the persons concerned are directed to the competent authorities for fingerprinting.
In this procedure, the fingerprints of the index fingers of both hands of the applicant are taken and encrypted. In case of permanent or temporary inability to take a fingerprint of the index finger, a fingerprint of the thumb or the middle finger or the ring finger of the same hand is taken in order, while in case of an one-handed person, a second fingerprint is taken from the existing hand, in the same order as above.
Please note that the taking of the fingerprints is a pre-condition for the issuance of the residence permit. Non-consent of taking fingerprints from the person concerned is deemed to be failure to meet the conditions for granting the residence permit and the decision to issue is revoked. However, this fact does not affect the residence status of the person concerned under WA.
The following applicants are exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints and this procedure is skipped:
a) minors under the age of 6
b) persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible at the time of the application. In this case, the temporary inability of fingerprinting is certified by a medical certificate, issued by a doctor of a corresponding specialty with the disease concerned.
c) persons for whom fingerprinting is permanently and physically impossible. In this case, the permanent inability of fingerprinting is certified by a medical certificate, issued by a doctor of a corresponding specialty with the disease concerned.
If there are particularly serious health reasons that make it impossible or substantially difficult for the applicant to visit the fingerprinting authority (such as home nursing or hospital stay, disabled people etc), then a police officer visits the place where the applicant is located, as to take his/her fingerprints with the appropriate equipment. In this case, a medical certificate, issued by a doctor of a corresponding specialty with the disease, which essentially certifies the inability of movement, is required.
