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GREECE
Rejected asylum seekers who are allowed to stay temporarily for humanitarian reasons are granted
medical-pharmaceutical and hospital care, or other socio-economic assistance to cover their
immediate living needs (Presidential Decree 61/1999, Article 25).
Law No. 2910/2001 amended by Laws No. 3013/2002 and 3202/2003 regulates these issues as
well. Residence permits may be revoked, leading to the expulsion of those affected within
30 days, as decided by the Secretary General of the Region on recommendation of the Ministry
of Public Order or the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Following are the grounds for expulsion:
National security and public order;
Protection of public health;
Violations of obligations under the immigration act;
Presentation of forged documents to the authorities;
Revocation of work permit or of the permit to undertake an independent economic activity.
Irregular foreigners are also subject to expulsion when apprehended, with no timeframe specified.
Deportation can be administrative or judicial, reflecting the nature of the decision notified to
the concerned foreigner. Administrative Deportation is ordered by the police authorities and can
be temporarily suspended on humanitarian or health grounds by the Secretary General of the
Region. Judicial Deportation, on the other hand, cannot be revoked under any circumstances.
The Head of the local police can order an Administrative Deportation in the following circumstances:
The concerned third-country national has been convicted for at least one year for crimes against
the Constitution, treason against the country, crimes related to trade of drugs, money laundering,
exploitation of prostitution, trafficking of migrants, etc;
He/she has violated the provisions of the Immigration Act;
His/her presence is deemed dangerous to the public order and health.
Where the foreigner refuses to return to the country of origin, he/she may be removed by the
police on the decision of the Secretary General of the Region.
Judicial Deportation is ordered by the judicial authorities, i.e. courts and judges, and enforced
by the police.
Those regular foreigners whose residence permit has expired, or irregular ones who seek to
benefit from the regularization programme cannot be expelled for not having a residence permit,
until a final decision about the granting or not of such permit is reached (Article 68).
Detention
There are no clauses regarding detention in the relevant Immigration Acts, with the exception of
a provision under Article 44, paragraph 3 regarding foreigners who, if subject to deportation, are
detained if considered dangerous to the public order, or likely to escape.