The bureaucracy, demystified.
Everything an international student needs to know about visa, residence permit, tax number, social security, banking, and healthcare — set out in the order you'll actually need them.
Before you arrive in Greece.
Study in Greece publishes a step-by-step visa guide — recommended companion reading.
Greek tax ID, via myAADE.
Documents required
- A copy of a valid passport or another travel document officially recognised by the Greek authorities.
- Proof of lawful residence in Greece — a valid visa with the entry stamp in the passport, or a valid residence permit.
- For foreign minors: an officially translated birth certificate.
- Where applicable: a marriage or civil partnership certificate.
How to obtain your AFM
- Submit an application via the myAADE digital platform under "TIN number (AFM) & Key Code (Act for myself)", leaving blank the sections related to residence permit and tax representative.
- You will be assigned an application number (Αρ. Αίτησης). Retain it — required to schedule your online appointment with an AADE official.
- An AADE officer verifies your application details and passport, then generates your AFM and Key Code.
- Your credentials (AFM, password, Key Code) are sent to your email address as an encrypted file.
The temporary password must be changed for security reasons when activating the account. The Key Code is required for activation.
Healthcare access & employment-related services.
The Social Security Number (AMKA) is a unique identifier that grants access to healthcare and employment-related services in Greece. The e-EFKA (electronic National Social Security Entity) is the designated authority for issuing AMKA numbers. International students are required to submit the application in person at the EFKA office serving their place of residence and may obtain an inactive AMKA.
To schedule your appointment, call 1555. At the appointment, present:
- A completed application form.
- A copy of a valid passport.
- A certificate of studies issued in Greek.
- A residence permit for study purposes with authorisation for part-time employment (non-EU students), or a "Blue Certificate" (residence-permit-application confirmation).
- A certificate of AFM (Tax Identification Number).
- Proof of residence — for example, a property-lease declaration submission confirmation from AADE.
- For EU nationals: a registration certificate for EU citizens residing in Greece.
Activating your AMKA
To change an inactive AMKA to active status, schedule a new appointment with EFKA and provide:
- A copy of your employment contract or the Recruitment Notification Form (Ergani-E3).
- For social-security contributions in another EU Member State: EU Form A1.
- For healthcare coverage from another EU Member State: EU Form S1.
Six categories of documentation.
Provision of all the documentation below is mandatory to initiate a banking relationship. Arrange an appointment at a nearby bank branch to submit them — the Bank reserves the right to request additional documentation if required. All identification documents must be original and include a photograph.
Non-EU nationals residing in Greece: a Special Identity Card for Aliens of Greek origin, or a valid passport accompanied by a valid residence permit (or, where not applicable, a valid student visa together with a certificate of enrolment from the relevant university).
- A recent utility bill (electricity, water, or landline) — dated no more than six months prior.
- An electronic lease agreement filed with the Tax Authority, or proof of submission of a property-lease declaration.
- A certificate of permanent residence issued by the relevant municipal registry.
- The most recent mobile-phone bill.
After arrival —
within 90 days.
Citizens of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are not required to obtain a residence permit, as they benefit from the right of free movement within Greece. Students from all other countries who have obtained a student visa (Type D) must submit an application for a study residence permit within 90 days of arrival.
How to apply
Use the online platform of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum to:
- Apply for an initial residence permit;
- Apply for a renewal of an existing permit;
- Retrieve your "Blue Certificate";
- Send additional documents to the migration office.
Then visit the Secretariat of the Migration Policy in person to:
- Create an account on the designated online portal;
- Schedule an in-person interview at the Immigration Office and submit the required documentation;
- Arrange a further appointment for the collection of your residence permit.
Required documentation (* = required at online submission)
- (*) A copy of a valid passport or another recognised travel document.
- (*) A valid student visa (Type D).
- (*) An administrative fee issued via the e-paravolo platform — Public Authority: Ministry of Migration Policy, code 2107. Exemptions apply for scholarship recipients.
- A health-insurance certificate (unless coverage is provided through a scholarship). Insurance from your country of origin may be accepted if officially translated and meeting the required criteria.
- (*) A certificate of enrolment with proof of fee payment, or — where applicable — an official letter of acceptance from the University.
- (*) Evidence of sufficient financial resources, including any scholarship support and confirmation that funding will continue.
- If under 18: documentation confirming consent from a parent or legal guardian.
- A certificate from the institution indicating the total duration of the specific programme of study.
- Where applicable: documentation confirming a scholarship — including a certificate specifying both the duration of the programme and the period of financial support.
- A Solemn Declaration requesting the issuance of a residence permit for study purposes, valid for the full duration of the programme.
At your biometrics appointment
- One passport-sized photograph, also provided in digital format (.jpg on a CD or USB device).
- An administrative fee via e-paravolo, code 2119.
- An official public document from the country of birth or origin — duly certified and translated — clearly indicating place of birth in Latin characters (only required if not already present in Latin in the passport).
Duration & renewal
The residence permit for study purposes (Type "H.1.") is granted for a duration corresponding to the maximum length of the programme. Every two years, you must provide the competent service of the Decentralised Administration with a certificate of enrolment and exam participation, plus an official transcript covering the same period. The permit may be renewed subject to confirmation that you retain student status and are continuing your studies.
Renewal applications must be submitted at least two months prior to expiry. Late applications may be accepted up to three months after expiration, subject to a penalty. The cumulative duration of renewals cannot exceed the standard study period extended by an additional four semesters, plus a further half-semester for postgraduate or doctoral candidates. All renewals are submitted exclusively through the online platform of the General Secretariat for Migration Policy.
Read about life in Thessaloniki.
Once the paperwork is settled, the rest is the city itself: cost of living, transport, the campus location, and how to make the most of eighteen months in Northern Greece.