Migrants without papers face prison
The government introduced sweeping immigration legislation on Wednesday that criminalizes an undocumented presence in the country, imposing prison sentences up to three years and fines reaching 10,000 euros for migrants caught without legal papers.
Migration and Asylum Minister Makis Voridis presented the draft law to the cabinet. It upgrades unauthorized stays by third-country nationals from an administrative to a criminal offense. The legislation targets migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected at both first- and second-instance levels.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the cabinet the measures represent a “hardening of the legal framework” for illegal entry and stays, particularly for cases involving rejected asylum seekers. He characterized immigration control as both a national and European priority, noting Greece’s pivotal role in reshaping European migration policy.
The proposed law extends detention periods from the current 18-month maximum to two years, with possible extensions for security reasons. Prison sentences cannot be suspended or converted unless convicted individuals agree to voluntarily depart from Greece.
Migrants who return to Greece after deportation face escalated penalties, including fines between 10,000 and 30,000 euros. Entry bans for individuals deemed dangerous increase from five to 10 years, with possible five-year extensions.
The legislation tightens voluntary return procedures, reducing departure deadlines from 25 to 14 days, with extensions for exceptional circumstances cut from 120 to 60 days. Electronic monitoring devices, including ankle bracelets, will track migrants during this period.
Officials expanded the “safe third country” concept, allowing rejected asylum seekers to be returned to transit countries rather than only countries of origin. This includes nations through which applicants passed before reaching Greece.
Detention criteria for suspected flight risks now include lacking fixed residence, abandoning registered addresses without notification, or refusing biometric identification procedures.
The bill eliminates provisions allowing migrants residing illegally in Greece for seven years to obtain legal status – a measure previously enacted by the SYRIZA government to help undocumented workers gain legitimate papers.
Ministry sources said the legislation aims to create disincentives for illegal residence while adopting European Commission guidelines for return procedures currently under development.
The draft law, titled “Reform of Framework and Reform of Return Procedures for Third Country Citizens,” faces immediate public consultation before parliamentary consideration.
Recent arrivals underscore immigration pressures, with over 1,000 migrants reaching Crete within one week, according to official reports.
Kathimerini
