As Greece approaches its final stretch before the 2023 national elections, ex-pat Greeks will also be eligible to participate in the electoral process for the first time ever by casting their ballots at their place of residence abroad.

The process of registration in the relevant electoral rolls is relatively simple, but it concerns a limited number of Greeks abroad and not all emigrants, due to the criteria set both by the legislation and by the decisions on its implementation. As stipulated by the law (4648/2019) passed in December 2019, voters who have lived in Greece for at least two years in the last 35 years and have submitted a tax return form E1 or E2 or E3, or E9 have the right to be registered in the electoral rolls and of the previous two years, even if the declaration is nil. In order to certify that someone has lived in Greece for two years in the last 35 years, specific public documents are required as evidence:

• Certificate of attendance from a primary, secondary, post-secondary, technical, or vocational school or from a higher education institution.

• Certificate of payment of national insurance contributions (stamps).

• Certificate of completion of military service for as long as it lasts.

However, Greek men and women who live or study abroad and are under 30 years old can be registered in the relevant electoral rolls without having submitted a tax return, provided that a first-degree relative has submitted one during the current or previous tax year.

In order to be able to register, the voter must first register and log in to the apodimoi.gov.gr application.

It is important to note that those interested to register should do so immediately. The legislation stipulates that the electoral rolls for Greeks abroad are closed twelve days before the day of the announcement of the elections. Since the announcement of elections could be made public at any time, it is advisable that the process be completed as soon as possible.

In order for the voter to be able to use the application, he must first register as a user and fill in the email address, through which he will receive the answer for the application he will submit.