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A.6-7 — Exceptional reasons — seven years' continuous presence

GreeceHumanitarian protection

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Greece Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is this: asylum, temporary protection, humanitarian admission, resettlement or another protection mechanism?

A national residence permit for exceptional reasons, type A.6, under the Greek Migration Code (category A); not asylum or international protection.

See recorded sources

Which population, circumstances or geographic group does the mechanism cover?

Third-country nationals who have lived in Greece for at least 7 continuous years before applying, shown by documents of certain date; time spent in Greece as an international-protection applicant does not count towards the 7 years.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Quoted from the original 2023 Migration Code (Law 5038/2023, FEK A 81); Law 5275/2026 amends art. 134 only in paras 1 and 4; other intermediate amendments not checked.

Where can protection be requested, and is this a direct application, border/in-country request, referral or other process?

A passport (even expired) is required, unless objective inability to obtain one is established after a reasoned request and a Migration Committee opinion.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Quoted from the original 2023 Migration Code (Law 5038/2023, FEK A 81); Law 5275/2026 amends art. 134 only in paras 1 and 4; other intermediate amendments not checked.
  • The filing office/platform is not stated in the captured text; in-country filing is only inferred from the residence requirement.
  • https://migration.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/%CE%9A%CF%8E%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%9C%CE%B5%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AC%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B7%CF%82.pdf
    6. Προϋπόθεση για τη χορήγηση άδειας διαμονής σε πρόσωπα που υπάγονται στο παρόν είναι η κατοχή διαβατηρίου, έστω και εάν αυτό έχει λήξει. Άδεια διαμονής χορηγείται και στις περιπτώσεις που διαπιστώνεται αντικειμενική αδυναμία εφοδιασμού του ενδιαφερόμενου με διαβατήριο, εφόσον αυτό διαπιστώνεται, κατόπιν αιτιολογημένης αίτησης του ενδιαφερομένου και γνώμης της αρμόδιας Επιτροπής Μετανάστευσης.

What happens after the request: registration, family handling, major support and rights where officially stated?

On filing, the applicant receives an application receipt stating that a return decision cannot be issued while the application is examined. The permit gives labour-market access, is granted only once, lasts 3 years, and at expiry the holder may apply to change permit category (art. 12).

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Quoted from the original 2023 Migration Code (Law 5038/2023, FEK A 81); Law 5275/2026 amends art. 134 only in paras 1 and 4; other intermediate amendments not checked.

Which competent authority, UN body or official assistance channel should the person use?

The permit is granted by decision of the Secretary of the (competent) Decentralised Administration.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Quoted from the original 2023 Migration Code (Law 5038/2023, FEK A 81); Law 5275/2026 amends art. 134 only in paras 1 and 4; other intermediate amendments not checked.
  • No official fraud/scam warning or dedicated assistance channel found in the captured sources.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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