the naturalization application shall be rejected by the Head of the Regional Directorate for Citizenship.1327 (d) It is worth mentioning that according to Ministerial decision No 29845/16.04.2021, applicants and beneficiaries of international protection, who have submitted their application before 31-3-2021 are required to submit documents proving their economic independence and social life for the last five years before their application.1328 Law 4735/2020 introduced a substantial reform in the naturalisation procedure for third country nationals by providing for the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation (Πιστοποιητικό Επάρκειας Γνώσεων για Πολιτογράφηση (ΠΕΓΠ), 1329 as a prerequisite for applying for naturalisation. The examination procedure is in writing, as, according to the General Secretary of Citizenship of the Ministry of Interior ‘the written test was introduced in order to apply objective evaluation criteria ensuring reliability and transparency, to safeguard the integrity of the process of acquiring Greek citizenship and to harmonize this practice with the practices of other countries at European and international level’.1330 The examinations are conducted twice per year on specific dates determined by the Organizing Committee and announced through publication on the platform of the General Secretariat for Citizenship, following an official announcement by the Ministry of the Interior.1331 In practice, the examinations for the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation (Πιστοποιητικό Επάρκειας Γνώσεων για Πολιτογράφηση – Π.Ε.Γ.Π.) are regularly conducted twice annually, during the April and November examination periods, as reflected in the official announcements of the Greek Ministry of Interior. 1332A pool of questions for the acquisition of the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation and information on the respective exams were posted on the webpage of the Ministry of Interior. 1333 As regards applicants who are over 62 years old, those who are unable to take a written test due to learning difficulties, and those with a disability certificate of 68% or more, the Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation examinations can be oral.1334 In February 2022, a circular was issued providing more details on the exams procedure.1335 As per the statistics issued by the General Secretariat for Citizenship of the Ministry of Interior 1336, in 2025 the rate of successful applicants ranged from 50.74% (April 2025 exams) to 44.52% (November 2025 exams). Overall, during 2025, a total of 286 beneficiaries of international protection received the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation.1337 GCR, based on citizenship applications it has handled and completed in 2025 after several years of procedure, observes that in most cases even wellprepared beneficiaries of international protection are not able to pass the citizenship examination on their first attempt, and that almost all candidates require two or even three attempts to succeed. This is reportedly linked to the difficulty of the examination questions. 1327 1328 1329 1330 1331 1332 1333 1334 1335 1336 1337 Article 7 (6) Citizenship Code as amended by article 38 L. 4873/2021 Ministerial Decision 29845/16.4.2021 Gov. Gazette B 1652/22.4.2021. Ministry of Interior, General Secretariat of Citizenship, available at: https://bit.ly/3s9ln31. Ministry of Interior, General Secretariat of Citizenship, available at: https://bit.ly/4dfyhVJ. Decision No. 21536/2026, Government Gazette (FEK) 2319/B/24-4-2026, Article 2 (“Place and time of the examinations, and procedure for submitting an application for participation in the examinations”). See indicative official announcements of the Greek Ministry of Interior (General Secretariat for Citizenship) regarding the conduct of the Π.Ε.Γ.Π. examinations and the publication of results (in Greek):https://www.ypes.gr/anartisi-apotelesmaton-exetaseon-pegp-5is-noemvriou-2023/ ; https://www.ypes.gr/oloklirothikan-epitychos-oi-exetaseis-apoktisis-pistopoiitikou-eparkeias-gnoseon-giapolitografisi-p-e-g-p/ ; https://www.ypes.gr/enarxi-exetaseon-gia-tin-apoktisi-pistopoiitikou-eparkeiasgnoseon-gia-politografisi-p-e-g-p/ ; https://www.ypes.gr/oloklirothikan-me-epitychia-oi-panellinies-exetaseisapoktisis-pistopoiitikou-eparkeias-gnoseon-gia-politografisi-p-e-g-p/ ; https://www.ypes.gr/deltio-typou-g-githageneias-ypes-anakoinosi-apotelesmaton-exetaseon-p-e-g-p-3is-noemvriou-2024/ . Ministry of Interior, General Secretariat of Citizenship, available at: https://bit.ly/3WgrMfB. Ministry of Interior, General Secretariat of Citizenship, available at: https://bit.ly/3WcAkUJ. Ministry of Interior, Circular No 81/04.02/2022, Prot.No: Φ 130181/6929, 4 February 2022, available in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3wMsSmz. Ministry of Interior, General Secretariat of Citizenship, Examination Statistics for the Certificate of Adequacy of Knowledge for Naturalisation, 2 December 2025, available in Greek at: https://tinyurl.com/4nwbcj3u. Information provided by the Central Directorate of Citizenship operating under the General Secretariat of Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior on 4 February 2026. 263