Our family lawyers in Greece are specialized in providing assistance in any legal matter regulated by the Greek Family Law. This area of law refers to any legal matter that can arise from family dynamics, starting from marriage to divorce; if you need legal representation, you can rely on our family lawyers in Greece.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Legislation regulating family law | The main rules of law concerning family matters derive from the Civil Code and the Code of Civil Procedure. |
|
Branches regulated by the law |
Marriage, divorce, international marriages, custody, matrimonial property, etc. |
|
Divorce law |
The Civil Code (Articles 1438-1441) |
| Grounds for getting a divorce | Consensual divorce (both parties agree to divorce) and contested divorce (on grounds such as adultery, bigamy, desertion, separation) |
| How long does the divorce procedure take? |
A consensual divorce can be completed in less than 1 month. A contested divorce (for which the parties will need the assistance of family lawyers in Greece) can take up to 1 year, but the law does not specify a statutory limit for this procedure. |
| Existence of divorce fee (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Who charges the divorce fee? |
In consensual divorces, the fees are charged by local notaries. In contested divorces, the fees are imposed by the competent courts (family lawyers in Greece also charge fees for legal representation). |
| Can foreigners get married in Greece? |
Yes |
| Basic conditions to get married in Greece |
Have an age of minimum 18 years old, provide evidence of not being married by the authorities of other states, have a valid identification document, submit the original birth certificate, have 2 witnesses (basic conditions for civil marriage). |
| Where can civil marriages be held? | At the local municipality where the one spouse (or both) has his/her habitual residency or at a venue of choice. |
| Laws protecting children’s rights |
Law 2101/1992, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) |
| What is the definition of a child according to the Greek laws? |
A child is a minor with an age below 18 years old. |
| Is there an age limit for child maintenance? |
18 years old |
| How can child maintenance be established? |
In accordance with the rules of the Greek Civil Code, Articles 1485-1500 |
| Can a parent appeal a child maintenance decision? | Yes (our family lawyers in Greece can provide the necessary legal support). |
Table of Contents
How can your Greek lawyers assist me in family-related matters?
Our team of Greek lawyers has the necessary legal expertise to represent clients in a variety of procedures deriving from the Greek family law. Some of the ways in which we can offer legal assistance are:
- helping individuals get married in Greece;
- representing clients in any of the divorce procedures available here;
- assisting in local/international adoption;
- offering information on the applicable law and the obligations and rights deriving from it;
- drafting and signing prenuptial agreements;
- for legal matters addressed in Greek courts, we offer legal representation in appeals as well;
- gathering and submitting any type of paperwork requested by the competent Greek institutions.
What does the Greek family law regulate?
Some of the basic legal matters that fall under the supervision of the Greek family law are the following:
- marriage;
- adoptions;
- paternity disputes;
- prenuptial agreements;
- legal separation and divorce (contested and uncontested);
- other legal matters arising in the eventuality of a divorce, regardless of its type.
What are the main legal acts applicable to the Greek family law?
The basic rule of law regarding marriage and matrimonial aspects is the Greek Civil Code (Book IV). All the procedures regarding this are given by the Code of Civil Procedure (Book IV). Other basic rules of law that refer to the Greek family law are the following:
- the Presidential Decree 391/1982 regarding the civil marriage in Greece;
- the Law 590/1977, prescribing the Charter of the Greek Orthodox Church;
- the Law 4356/2015, which prescribes the cohabitation agreements of partners;
- the Law 3719/2008, referring to the family and the children;
- if a divorce takes place, the law (given by Article 22 of the Code of Civil Procedure) stipulates that the legal procedure will be held in the One Member Court of First Instance.
Can I get married in Greece as a foreigner?
Yes, if you are a foreigner and you want to get married in this country, you should know that you have this right. You can get married here in a civil ceremony regardless of your nationality. You also do not need to be a Greek resident.
What documents must I present if I want to get married in Greece?
Foreigners must prepare certified translations in Greek for their documents, except for their passport. Besides this document, they need to present the following:
- the birth certificate, with an official apostille;
- a document which states that the person is free to get married;
- where applicable, documents which show that a previous marriage has been terminated (through annulment, divorce, the death of the previous spouse);
- the couple must also publish, in a local newspaper, a marriage announcement, in which they show their intent to get married in Greece – a copy of the announcement must be added to the file.
Who can adopt in Greece?
Under the Greek law, the right is granted to both Greek and foreign nationals, according to the Greek Ministry of the Interior. It must be noted that the procedure can be done when the adopted person is a minor or an adult (in special cases). The adoption of a foreign individual (born abroad) is also possible; our team of Greek lawyers can offer in-depth information on the conditions that apply in each case.
What is the uncontested divorce in Greece?
The uncontested divorce in Greece (or the divorce by mutual consent) represents the simplest way to terminate a marriage, provided that the parties agree on the conditions of the divorce. The advantage of this procedure is that it is completed in front of a public notary. It also benefits from a straightforward formality, saving time and money for those involved.
Below, you can observed some of the services offered by our family law attorneys:
What is the contested divorce in Greece?
A contested divorce refers to a type of divorce in which the spouses do not agree on the terms of the separation. In this case, they need to address the Greek courts, which will decide on the disputed matters in accordance with the applicable law and based on the circumstances of the spouses divorcing. In such cases, the assistance of a Greek lawyer is mandatory.
On what legal grounds can I ask for a divorce in Greece?
In divorces where parties mutually agree on the procedure, the law does not require to provide a reason for the dissolution of the marriage. In a contested divorce, a party (or both) must state that the marriage is irretrievable broken down due to a fault of one or both spouses (this can be adultery, bigamy, the desertion of the marital home and others).
What are the legal aspects established during a divorce?
Regardless of the type of divorce couples will enter to, the procedure will establish judgments for a variety of matters. Our Greek lawyers present below some of the aspects that can appear during the dissolution of the marriage:
- child custody (there are different types of custody recognized in Greece);
- child alimony;
- the visitation rights of the parent who does not live with the children after the divorce is finalized;
- spouse support (in certain cases, one spouse can have the obligation to provide financial support to the other spouse after the divorce).
Please address our family lawyers in Greece if you need more details on any matter regulated by the family law.