Embassy of the United States

Citizen Services

OVERVIEW

This page provides important information about the services that the American Consulate General in Thessaloniki offers to the U.S. citizens.

The Consulate General's Consular Section can assist you with U.S. passports, Reports of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen, notarials, absentee voting, Selective Service registration, Federal benefits, and other specialized consular services.
 

You can reach the Consular Section:
By Telephone: 30 2310 242-905 extension 3104.
By Fax: 30 2310 242-927.
By e-mail: mailto:info@usconsulate.gr?subject=Consular Request

In person: The Consular Section is open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am to 13:00, except on Greek and American official holidays.
In emergencies, after normal working hours, you can seek assistance through the Switchboard at the American Embassy in Athens Tel: 210-720 2490
Detailed recorded information is available by dialing our telephone number and following the prompts.
Unfortunately, the Consulate General cannot serve as an attorney, bank, travel agent, employment agent, or investment advisor, nor can the Consulate obtain residence permits for you, renew your U.S. driver's licenses, act as interpreter, search for lost luggage, settle disputes, or issue immigrant or non-immigrant visas. However, we will be happy to advise you how to get help for such matters.

Here is information about our procedures that may be helpful to you:

• Visitors are admitted to the consulate one-by-one and must submit to security procedures similar to those you will encounter in airports. Please cooperate with the security personnel. They are there to protect the consulate and its visitors, and to maintain order.
• Cameras and mobile phones are not permitted inside the consulate.
• Don’t forget to bring your passport or identity card.
• Baggage and items such as baby carriages cause long delays and complications during the security procedures. There is no place to store these items at the entrance. It is better not to bring baby carriages or luggage.
• The consulate is handicapped-accessible.

American community

If you wish to contact fellow Americans in Northern Greece, you can consult our American Community Roundtable Info Sheet with U.S. affiliated organizations.

Download U.S. Community Information Sheet

Notarials Services

Notarial services provided by the Consulate General include:

• Acknowledgements
• Affidavits
• Power of Attorney
• Sworn Statements
• Certification of True Copies

The fee for notarial functions is $30.00 or the Euro equivalent for one, and $20.00 or the Euro equivalent for each additional. You should always come in person for the above services, bringing photo identification   (I.D. card, passport, etc.). If your document needs to be signed by one or more witnesses please note that Consulate staff may not act as witnesses. The fee for certification of true copies is $30.00 or the Euro equivalent for the first copy, and $20.00 or the Euro equivalent for each additional copy of the same document. The U.S. and Greece are parties of the Hague Convention on the Legalization of Foreign Public Documents. In order to legalize public documents issued in Greece for use in the U.S. (such as Greek birth, marriage, and death certificates), you should use the APOSTILLE notarization procedure. The APOSTILLE stamp on the document in Thessaloniki can be obtained from the Nomarchy (Prefecture) offices in the city in which the document was issued at.
The Consulate does NOT certify academic documents.

Greek Residence Issues & Visas

Greek work and residence Permits are a matter of Greek law. As laws sometimes change, you should check with the Greek authorities regarding your Greek visa and intent to work in Greece. Tourists may stay in Greece up to 90 days without a visa. After 90 days, you have to apply at the Greek Aliens Police for a Residence Permit, which is obtained by your employer from the Greek Ministry of Labor. Refer to our Info Sheet for more up to date information.

Download Residency Information Sheet

Marriage in Greece

Marriages cannot be performed at the Consulate General. If you wish to get married in Greece, as a first step please contact the church or the municipality (city hall) authorities who perform marriages for accurate information and requirements. One requirement for marriage in Greece is an affidavit affirming that you are free to get married, completed in both Greek and English. We can provide you this form.It must be notarized by a consular officer. The fee for notarization is $55.00 or the Euro equivalent.

Download Marriage Information Sheet & Form

Births Abroad

Report of Birth of a U.S. Citizen Abroad:

We can register the birth of a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents. The registration then serves as the equivalent of a birth certificate under U.S. law. Certain documentation is required to register a birth and obtain a Report of Birth Abroad and it is often convenient to apply for a passport and Social Security number at the same time. We ask that you make an appointment to apply for a Report of Birth Abroad. Please call Monday Wednesday or Friday between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. and speak with the Consular Assistant, Tel: 2310 242-905, extension 3104 to arrange for an appointment. If you do not meet the residence requirements to transmit citizenship to your child and your child's grandparent(s) meet certain residence requirements, they may be able to  transmit citizenship to your child through naturalization. See our Passport/Citizenship information sheet for further details.

Download Passports/Citizenship Information Sheet

Please also refer to the CA Passport Services page at:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html
 

Death in Greece

Death in Greece:

If a U.S. citizen dies in Northern Greece, the Consulate will notify any family in the U.S. and inform them of the options, formalities, and costs for the disposition of the remains. The family decides between local burial and shipment of remains to the U.S. Please note that cremation is not available in Greece. The Consulate will issue a Report Of Death of a U.S. citizen Abroad for every U.S. citizen who dies in Northern Greece, based on the Greek Death Certificate, copies of which are forwarded to the family of the deceased for use in estate and insurance affairs. For assistance in a death case the Department of State Citizens Emergency Center in Washington can be reached at 202 647-5225.

Download Disposition Information Sheet

Please also refer to: http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html 
 

Medical-Legal-Taxes

Medical Assistance:

We can provide you a list of local hospitals, clinics and English speaking physicians, although we assume no responsibility for their integrity and ability, should you need medical assistance. Please note that many U.S. insurance policies do not cover medical expenses incurred abroad, and you may wish to get a special insurance to cover you abroad.

Download Doctor List

Legal Assistance:

The Consulate General cannot provide you legal assistance. If you need legal assistance in Northern Greece, we have a list of English-speaking attorneys practicing in Northern Greece. We assume no responsibility for their integrity and ability.

Download Attorney List

U.S. Tax Assistance:

We provide federal tax forms (no state tax forms), but cannot provide tax assistance to complete the forms. One private U.S. citizen in Thessaloniki has been trained by the IRS to assist taxpayers with their returns: Mrs. Celine Tsougranis Tel :2310 820-501

IRS Tax Assistance

Attention: To all U.S. Tax Payers

• The Internet site for IRS to download forms is: http://www.irs.gov/

• For information and tax forms please call the Embassy Notarial Unit at
  210-720-2421 or 720-2423, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 – 17:00.

• Private tax assistors in Thessaloniki: Celine Tsougranis, Tel. 2310-820501

Voting Assistance

• Absent Voting Assistance to Uniform Services Members and Overseas Citizens
• Contact Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)

Federal Benefits

If you are a recipient of a check from the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs or other federal agency , we can assist you with minor requests, such as changing your address, reporting a lost check, arranging for direct deposit , applying for a Social Security number ,and completing questionnaires. As we do not have a Federal Benefits Office in Thessaloniki, we forward all your requests to the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, which then takes action. The Federal Benefits Unit in Athens can be reached at 210 720-2426 or 210 720-2434.  

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