Many in diaspora seek Greek citizenship amid US political shift

He archetypal considered it successful 2020, during the Covid pandemic. “At that constituent successful time, the determination was political,” says 44-year-old Alexander. Four generations ago, his ancestors emigrated from Greece – specifically the Peloponnese – to the United States. Nearly 150 years later, Alexander has applied for Greek citizenship.

He, his parents and his grandparents were each calved and raised successful the United States. But they ne'er forgot their roots. As a child, Alexander (who would lone supply his archetypal name) would spell to the Greek religion successful Chicago connected Sundays with his grandparents. Greece – its civilization and traditions – was ever contiguous successful his life, forming portion of his identity. At his core, however, helium was American, and arrogant of it. He had ne'er imagined wanting a Greek passport – until Donald Trump became president.

Church and Theodorakis

During the Covid lockdowns, when, arsenic helium puts it, the situation successful the United States was “awful,” the archetypal thought crossed his mind: Could helium get Greek citizenship?

From California, where helium present lives, helium traveled to New York, Ohio, and, of course, Chicago to stitchery ineligible documents spanning the past 150 years and to found the genealogical enactment connecting him to his Greek ancestors.

Along the way, helium discovered galore things helium had ne'er known astir his family’s history, grew person to his roots, and came to cherish them adjacent more. Today, helium is simply a subordinate of the choir astatine a Greek religion successful Los Angeles, where they sing the works of Mikis Theodorakis each week.

“I americium a profoundly antiauthoritarian person,” Alexander says. He has submitted each the required documents and is present awaiting a effect from the Ministry of Interior, which oversees the General Secretariat for Citizenship. “Something has fundamentally changed successful the system of government. My tendency is to unrecorded successful a antiauthoritarian country, to beryllium successful Europe,” helium says. “And if I tin bash that successful my ancestral home, then why not?”

A increasing fig of American citizens of Greek descent are applying for Greek citizenship, according to information from the General Secretariat for Citizenship obtained by Kathimerini. In 2021, 298 applications were submitted; by 2025, that fig had climbed to 749 – a 151% increase. But what is driving this imaginable reverse migration, decades aft their families archetypal left?

“Many Greek Americans are seeking citizenship done their ancestors,” Greek-American lawyer Maria Davari tells Kathimerini. According to sources, adjacent Greek-American histrion Jennifer Aniston has shown interest, requesting accusation done her representative, who contacted Greek authorities astir six months ago.

Motivations among the diaspora vary. “Some radical are acrophobic astir the governmental situation successful the United States, while others want to reconnect with their Greek practice – galore besides anticipation to discontinue successful Greece,” she adds.

More than doubled

In caller years, the workload of Olga Kallergi, a lawyer based successful Athens and a subordinate of the New York Bar Association, has much than doubled – and she stresses that this is simply a blimpish estimate. “Ninety-nine percent of my work is for the Greek diaspora.”

Her clients mostly travel from large US cities, “not so overmuch from agrarian areas.” They are educated, betwixt astir 25 and 60 years old, and predominantly second- oregon third-generation immigrants. “About one-third of those seeking a 2nd citizenship mention concerns astir the absorption the United States is heading, owed to governmental developments,” Kallergi says. She believes the existent proportionality is adjacent higher.

“We saw a crisp summation during Donald Trump’s archetypal term and again conscionable earlier his 2nd predetermination – and not each of them are Democrats,” she adds. “I person clients who traditionally voted Republican but nary longer consciousness represented by the ideology Trump promotes.”

One of them, 58-year-old comedian and histrion Ant, says that helium is an autarkic voter and has supported two Republican presidents successful the past – but helium could not support Trump. He archetypal began considering Greek citizenship when Trump was initially elected, but lone started the passport process when helium realized Trump would tally for the presidency again.

“I wanted an exit strategy. Before Trump, I visited Greece but ne'er thought astir obtaining citizenship oregon moving there,” says Ant, whose parents some emigrated from Greece to the United States successful the 1960s.

He received his Greek passport past September and, successful the meantime, has been steadily improving his Greek. “If things get truly atrocious successful the US, I’ll determination to Greece,” helium says. His parent owns a location connected Lesvos. “I’m already looking to bargain different spot – possibly a location oregon a edifice – so I tin unfastened it when I retire.”

Return to the roots

For others, authorities played nary role. For a 32-year-old third-generation migrant surviving successful New York, who wishes to stay anonymous, the tendency for Greek citizenship arose astir a decennary agone – not due to the fact that of Trump. “It was truly astir formalizing a transportation that’s ever been contiguous successful my life. It was a way to link much profoundly with my roots, and I wanted to get citizenship for my kid arsenic well, to guarantee that Greece would stay a surviving portion of our family,” helium explains.

Similarly, 55-year-old Theodora Miller, whose parent immigrated to the United States successful the precocious 1960s, did not statesman the process of obtaining Greek citizenship with authorities successful mind.

Her parent died successful 2016 and Miller aboriginal visited Greece with her American begetter successful 2021, due to the fact that helium was sick and knew helium would not person the accidental to instrumentality to the state helium loved arsenic his homeland. It was then that she realized it was present her work to support the Greek traditions and taste practice live within the family. She recalled the summers she spent arsenic a kid with her grandparents successful Greece, and the quality of those moments. She decided she wanted to connection her ain grandchildren the aforesaid experience.

In summation to Miller, an creator surviving successful Washington, each three of her children person besides applied for a Greek passport. And though her ain information was not – astatine slightest initially – political, she present takes comfortableness successful knowing that her children will have, arsenic she says, “options.”

“We don’t cognize however the governmental situation will evolve, so I’m gladsome they will person different options, particularly since I person two daughters. Things alteration so quickly, and Greek citizenship will springiness them greater flexibility for the future,” she says.

Crowds astatine the consulates

Both the erstwhile wide caput for citizenship, Athanasios Balermpas, and the existent secretary, Dimitris Karnavos, accidental that successful caller years request for Greek citizenship has soared – so overmuch so that consulates are “struggling,” according to Balermpas. “Of course, aft President Trump’s election, galore radical person wanted the passport,” helium notes, referring to members of the Greek diaspora successful the US, though some stress that governmental reasons are not the lone factor.

The officials besides item measures the authorities has taken to scope retired to Greeks overseas seeking citizenship. “The authorities has made galore efforts, including idiosyncratic contacts and outreach tours,” Karnavos adds.

Since the start of the year, the General Secretariat for Citizenship has maintained a regular file successful the diaspora paper The National Herald. Published twice a month, the file aims to reply readers’ questions astir citizenship matters, which Karnavos says are numerous.

Other initiatives see providing elaborate informational leaflets successful some English and Greek, and offering supporting materials for Greeks overseas done the National Registry of Administrative Procedures, besides available successful some languages. “The authorities has recognized however vital the Greek diaspora is arsenic a span for our country,” Karnavos emphasizes.

“There is simply a consciousness of nostos,” helium adds, noting that astir caller applicants are fourth- and fifth-generation immigrants. “People are searching for their roots.”