Convention of 1951. This derives from the fact that Article 24 Asylum Code does not include refugee
family members. In practice this provision has been applied only to spouses that are required to keep the
travel document/passport of their country of origin.
C.
Movement and mobility
1. Freedom of movement
According to Article 32 Asylum Code, beneficiaries of international protection enjoy the right to free
movement under the same conditions as other legally residing third-country nationals. No difference in
treatment is reported between different international protection beneficiaries.
2. Travel documents
Article 24 Asylum Code and Joint Ministerial Decision 10302/2020, 1414 regulate the procedures for the
issuance of travel documents for beneficiaries of international protection.
Recognised refugees, upon a request submitted to the competent authority, 1415 are entitled to a travel
document (titre de voyage),1416 in accordance with the model set out in Annex to the 1951 Refugee
Convention. This travel document allows beneficiaries of refugee status to travel abroad, except their
country of origin, unless compelling reasons of national security or public order exist or where the person
concerned is subject to proceedings for suspension, exclusion, revocation or cessation of the status
granted.1417
In 2024, the Council of State ruled on a case of a Turkish recognised refugee, whose application for the
issuance of travel document was refused. In particular, the Court observed that Article 25(1) IPA (and the
similar provision of Article 24(1) Asylum Code) introduced a prohibition on the issue of a travel document
to a recognised refugee, either when a procedure for the application of a suspension, exclusion,
revocation or cessation of the status granted is pending against him, or when there are compelling
reasons of national security or public order, while with Article 25(2)(b) L. 4636/2019 an authorisation is
granted to establish, by joint ministerial decision, the procedure for issuing, renewing and replacing the
travel document, the supporting documents required, its type, content of the indications and its period of
validity. However, the Court held that the authorisation granted, in the above context, does not include
the specification of the vague legal concepts of 'compelling reasons of national security or public order'
and thus the decision of non-issuance of travel document to a recognised refugee is not lawful.1418
The abovementioned travel document is issued by the competent Passport Directorate of the Hellenic
Police.1419 It is subject to an administrative fee of approximately 84 € for persons over 14 years old and
73 € for those up to 14 years of age, where the beneficiaries had applied for international protection after
the operationalisation of the GAS in June 2023, and a fee of 58 € for all beneficiaires irrespective of age,
for those that had applied for international protection under the old procedure. These travel documents
are valid for 5 years for adults, as well as for children over 14 years old, and 3 years for children under 14
years old, and can be renewed.1420
1414
1415
1416
1417
1418
1419
1420
Joint Ministerial Decision 10302/2020, Gov. Gazette B; 2036/30.05.2020, available in Greek at:
https://bit.ly/2P71hc8.
The territorially competent Aliens Police Directorate of the Hellenic Police is responsible for the submission of
travel document applications and service of travel documents to the recognised refugees who have applied
for international protection before the start of Asylum Service’s operation. The territorially competent Passport
Offices of the Hellenic Police are responsible for the submission of travel document applications of the
recognised refugees who have applied/apply for international protection after the operation of the Asylum
Service. However, the competent authority for the service of these travel documents is the Asylum Service.
Article 24 Asylum Code.
Article 24(1) Asylum Code.
Council of State, Decision 1107/2024.
Article 24(2) Asylum Code.
Article 6(1) JMD 10302/2020 (in force since 30.05.2020).
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