About 3,400 Bangladeshi migrants granted legal status in Greece in 2023

Desk Report

Publisted at 11:15 AM, Sat Feb 24th, 2024

Last year, Greece granted legal status to 3,405 Bangladeshi migrants in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) inked between Athens and Dhaka back in 2022.

A total of 10,337 irregular Bangladeshis applied for regularization in 2023 under the MOU. Around 1,009 applications were canceled for various reasons, reports Infomigrants.

According to the agreement, Greece allowed undocumented Bangladeshis residing within its borders to seek legal residence. The application period ran from January 11 to December 31, 2023. 

To qualify, applicants needed a Bangladeshi passport valid for at least two years, proof of residency in Greece before February 9, 2022, and evidence of employment if they intended to retain legal status.

Those interested in the opportunity were required to register at the Bangladesh Embassy in Athens before applying online via the Greek government's website.

However, the Bangladesh Embassy in Athens informed Infomigrants on February 21 that applicants whose requests were rejected could reapply, provided they meet specified conditions. 

In addition to last year's applicants, another 113 Bangladeshi migrants had applied to obtain legal residency status by February 15, 2024, from among those who registered with the Bangladesh Embassy in Athens last year. 

A further 5,910 applications are currently pending from migrants who completed the first step of the procedure but are awaiting confirmation from Greek authorities regarding their initial residence permit or smart card.

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