Greece: Whether the expiry date of the Special Document of an Alien who has requested the Status of Refugee can be extended; whether Greek authorities in Canada may issue such an extension if the document has already expired; if an extension is given, whether an individual may use such a document to return to Greece; whether an individual granted refugee status in Greece, but who subsequently left Greece for a country other than his/her country of nationality, and who has been outside of Greece for the past seven years, continues to enjoy the status of a Convention Refugee; the procedure governing such an individual's return to Greece (1999-January 2000)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 8 February 2000 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GRC33159.E |
| Reference | 7 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Greece: Whether the expiry date of the Special Document of an Alien who has requested the Status of Refugee can be extended; whether Greek authorities in Canada may issue such an extension if the document has already expired; if an extension is given, whether an individual may use such a document to return to Greece; whether an individual granted refugee status in Greece, but who subsequently left Greece for a country other than his/her country of nationality, and who has been outside of Greece for the past seven years, continues to enjoy the status of a Convention Refugee; the procedure governing such an individual's return to Greece (1999-January 2000), 8 February 2000, GRC33159.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad5844.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
No information on procedures governing the extension of the Special Document of an Alien who has requested the Status of Refugee could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
Very little information could be found among the sources consulted on whether an individual granted refugee status in Greece continues to enjoy such status after being outside of Greece for the past seven years in a country other than that of his or her nationality. However, in a letter dated 8 February 2000, a Protection Officer with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Branch Office in Greece stated that
Persons granted Convention status but thereafter leaving Greece are not allowed back to Greece if there is no readmission agreement providing for it, unless on the basis of a bilateral agreement for the case at hand.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Branch Office in Greece, Athens. 8 February 2000. Correspondence from Protection Officer.
Additional Sources Consulted
IRB databases.
World News Connection.
The Embassy of Greece in Ottawa was unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response.
Internet sites including:
Amnesty International.
Embassy of Greece in Washington.
European Council on Refugees and Exiles.
International Helsinki Federation.
International Office for Migration.
United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
US Committee for Refugees.