Greek Citizenship Exam fails nearly half of applicants in latest results

Key Takeaways

• Only 50.74% passed the April 2025 Greek Citizenship Exam, with 2,136 out of 4,222 candidates succeeding.
• Applicants must achieve at least 80% overall and minimum scores in all sections to pass the exam.
• Graduates of Greek schools, older adults, and some disabled individuals may be exempt or take oral alternatives.

Nearly half of all candidates who recently tried to earn Greek 🇬🇷 citizenship did not pass the Greek Citizenship Exam, as stated by the country’s Interior Ministry. This April 6, 2025, exam session was the latest opportunity for those seeking to become new citizens by way of naturalization. Out of 4,222 people who sat for the test, just 2,136 passed. That leaves the overall pass rate at only 50.74%, meaning almost as many failed as succeeded. These statistics highlight just how tough and important this stage has become in Greece’s process for granting citizenship and how it represents a significant hurdle for many foreigners hoping to call Greece 🇬🇷 home.

What Is the Greek Citizenship Exam?

To move forward in the naturalization process, most applicants must first pass this exam. The Greek Citizenship Exam is a standardized test required by the Interior Ministry for foreign nationals who want to become Greek 🇬🇷 citizens. The test is intended to measure whether applicants possess sufficient knowledge about Greece 🇬🇷—not just the language, but also the country’s culture, politics, geography, and history.

Structure of the Test

The exam itself comes in three main sections:

• Written Questions: There are 20 questions. These questions cover key facts about Greek 🇬🇷 culture, politics, geography, and history. The questions are chosen from a large pool, so the exact topics will be different for each test-taker.
• Oral Questions: Applicants answer another 10 questions orally, selected by a panel of examiners. Here, the focus may be more on understanding and expressing oneself clearly.
• Essay: Individuals must write an essay. This part is aimed at checking whether the applicant can present their thoughts in written Greek 🇬🇷 and understand a topic well enough to explain it.

Along with these, there is a language requirement. Applicants must show they can use Greek 🇬🇷 at either a B1 or B2 level—this means they need to use Greek comfortably in daily situations, but they do not need to be fully fluent.

To pass, a candidate must score at least 80% across the test. But it’s not just about the total score: each section is counted separately, and you must get at least four out of five questions correct in each section. This makes the scoring especially strict and demanding.

Who Has to Take the Test?

Most adults applying for citizenship through naturalization need to pass the exam. However, the law makes some exceptions to make things fair for people in certain situations:

• If you graduated from a Greek 🇬🇷 school or university, you do not have to sit for this written exam, but you still need to go to an interview.
• People above a set age—either 62 or 67, depending on the law in force—do not need to take the test.
• For those with certified learning disabilities or significant physical disabilities, the process is handled orally, not by making people take the written test.

This way, Greece 🇬🇷 seeks to recognize when individuals have already proven their integration or may be at a disadvantage with test taking.

What Happens After Passing the Greek Citizenship Exam?

Passing this exam does not mean instant citizenship. Instead, those who make the cut receive a “Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalization.” This is an official document confirming that the applicant has shown enough knowledge about Greece 🇬🇷 to proceed further.

The next step is an interview, which is led by a panel from the General Secretariat for Citizenship. The interview tests if the applicant is integrated into Greek society—in simple words, if they have learned to live, work, and participate in Greek 🇬🇷 community life. Interviewers look not just at a person’s ability to speak Greek 🇬🇷, but also whether they really understand and respect local customs and values.

After the interview, authorities carry out a thorough review of all documents and eligibility. This process is not quick—according to most reports, the entire route from passing the exam to final approval for citizenship often takes as long as three years. Reasons for the delay include heavy paperwork, not enough staff, and regular checks to prevent mistakes.

Read more about the official process and requirements on the Greek Ministry of Interior’s citizenship webpage, which offers full details and up-to-date instructions.

Why Is the Failure Rate So High?

The sharp failure rate—just above 49%—has many underlying causes.

Challenging Content and Broad Scope

The exam covers a very broad set of topics. Questions can come from a bank of hundreds of possible subjects. This bank includes facts from history and politics, but there are also testing questions about present-day culture, important geography points, and key improvements in the country’s development. Applicants never know which topics will appear, making it hard to prepare fully.

Strict scoring is another issue. Every applicant has to get at least 80% right overall and score well in every section, not just in total. Even someone who does very well on most parts of the test can still fail if they do poorly in just one section.

Language Requirements

While the language requirement is only at a B1 or B2 level, for many adult learners, reaching even basic fluency in Greek 🇬🇷 is quite difficult. Some applicants may have lived in Greece 🇬🇷 for years but still find reading, writing, or discussing certain topics in Greek hard, particularly on complex historical or political issues.

Other Barriers Beyond the Exam

Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that even for those who do pass the exam and the interview, the process is not finished. There are stricter economic requirements as well, meaning that people need to prove a steady income or stable financial situation. Advocacy groups have stated that these hurdles lead to more applications being denied, sometimes after candidates have already navigated the demanding test stages.

For example, the candidate must show they are not only involved in Greek society, but that they also meet income thresholds and provide paperwork on taxes or employment. Some candidates report being rejected even after passing the exam, simply because they cannot satisfy these economic guidelines.

Exam Statistics at a Glance

Here are some key numbers from the April 6, 2025, session of the Greek Citizenship Exam:

These numbers reveal how demanding the process has become. For every two people who tried, only one walked away with a passing score.

What Applicants and Advocacy Groups Are Saying

Many who sat the exam say it requires a level of preparation that’s hard to meet, especially if they don’t have access to good Greek 🇬🇷 courses or tutors. Some have called for more official sample questions and study material to help level the playing field, pointing out that complicated phrasing and topics not directly tied to daily life can be stumbling blocks.

Advocacy groups say that the system unintentionally leaves many long-term residents feeling excluded, as even people who live and work in Greece 🇬🇷 full-time—and who may have spouses or children who are already citizens—find it difficult to meet all the requirements.

Others support the tough rules. They argue that it is important for new citizens to truly understand and appreciate Greek 🇬🇷 history and society. These voices claim that the exam protects the country’s culture, ensures better integration, and maintains pride in citizenship.

How Does Greece 🇬🇷 Compare to Other Countries?

Greece 🇬🇷 is not the only country to require a citizenship exam, but its pass rate is lower than some others in Europe. Other countries, for example the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, France 🇫🇷, and Germany 🇩🇪, also have similar knowledge and language tests, but often offer more widely available preparation resources, sample exams, or have less strict scoring rules.

Some experts suggest that offering more official practice materials and reducing paperwork might encourage higher pass rates and make the process fairer, without lowering the standard expected of future citizens.

Tips for Applicants Preparing for the Greek Citizenship Exam

Based on the challenges above, here are some tips for applicants hoping to pass in the future:

• Study Widely: Don’t just focus on one topic. The question pool is broad, so be ready for questions on geography, political structure, important historic events, and modern Greek 🇬🇷 culture.
• Language Practice: Regularly speak, read, and write in Greek 🇬🇷, not just to pass the language part, but to feel more comfortable with parts of the written and oral tests.
• Mock Tests: Search for practice tests and sample questions. Even if there are limited official resources, using study guides and previous exams can highlight key areas.
• Legal and Economic Preparation: Be sure to collect documentation on your employment, income, taxes, and residency history before applying.

The Broader Picture: Citizenship and Social Inclusion

Passing the Greek Citizenship Exam is only part of the journey. The real goal of the exam—as intended by the Interior Ministry—is to choose new citizens who understand and respect the country’s core values, rules, and way of life. For many, though, the combination of academic and financial hurdles seems daunting, even discouraging.

Despite challenges, the system is meant to support fair naturalization by testing true knowledge and fostering real integration. However, as more than 49% of applicants failed the April 2025 test, it is clear that many find the route unexpectedly hard.

Conclusion: What’s Next for Greek 🇬🇷 Citizenship Applicants?

The high failure rate on the Greek Citizenship Exam shows that getting Greek nationality through naturalization is far from easy. Applicants should prepare thoroughly, both academically and in terms of paperwork and finances, before starting their journey.

The Interior Ministry, advocacy groups, and future applicants will likely keep discussing how to make the process both fair and thorough—protecting Greek 🇬🇷 values while giving long-term residents a fair chance at citizenship. As laws and requirements can change, those interested in applying should always double-check official sources and stay updated.

For those ready to begin, the journey involves careful preparation, patience, and determination—from the first written question to the final interview. Passing the Greek Citizenship Exam may be tough, but for many, it remains a key gateway to building a new life as a full member of Greek 🇬🇷 society.

Learn Today

Naturalization → The legal process through which a foreign national becomes a citizen of a country, meeting specified government requirements.
B1/B2 Level → International language proficiency standards describing intermediate (B1) and upper-intermediate (B2) communication abilities, especially in Greek for this exam.
Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalization → An official document proving an applicant’s successful knowledge assessment required for Greek citizenship.
General Secretariat for Citizenship → A Greek government office overseeing the citizenship application process and conducting integration interviews for candidates.
Pass Rate → The percentage of candidates who pass an exam out of the total number of people who took it.

This Article in a Nutshell

Nearly half of recent Greek Citizenship Exam candidates failed, showing the process’s difficulty. Applicants face tough written, oral, and essay components, plus legal and economic hurdles after passing. The exam’s strict format and limited resources challenge many aspiring citizens. Proper preparation and staying updated are crucial for success and integration.
— By VisaVerge.com

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