Bureaucratic bottleneck: A struggle for residency

For many immigrants in Greece, like Fouad Salem, the quest for residence permits has become an endless struggle marked by bureaucratic red tape.

Salem, who moved to Greece from Egypt at 14 in 1995, faces challenges every time he needs to renew his residency documents. His permit expired in June 2023, but despite applying two months early, he is still waiting.

“I feel like a second-class citizen,” he shared, noting the paradox of approval delays often resulting in permits expiring before they are granted.

As of September, over 272,930 residency applications were pending, a 12% increase since last year. Most are in Attica, where delays can stretch for years. As a result, many applicants cannot travel abroad due to their uncertain status.

The situation has worsened since the Covid pandemic, as staffing shortages have compounded the backlog. With less than 350 permanent staff members processing these applications, the system is overwhelmed, leaving countless people in limbo.