Correcting or changing your name in Greek legal records is one of the most common — and most important — issues faced by members of the Greek diaspora. Very often, a person’s name appears differently in Greece than it does in the United States, Canada, Australia, the UK, or elsewhere. The surname may be shortened or completely altered (for example Papadopoulos → Pappas), a Greek name may have been translated (Ioannis → John, Efthymios → Mike), the father’s name may appear as a middle name, or there may be inconsistencies in spelling across documents. These discrepancies can prevent you from obtaining Greek Citizenship by Descent, Greek Dual Citizenship, a Greek passport, registering acts at the Greek Special Registry, inheriting property in Greece, completing Greek probate, or buying and selling Greek real estate.

At E. Chatzidimitriou LLC, we handle Name Change and Name Correction in Greek Records with full legal accuracy and attention to detail. We begin with a complete review of your Greek and foreign documents, including Greek birth certificates, marriage certificates, Special Registry records, municipal registrations (Dimotologio), Male Registry entries, Greek tax records (AFM), Greek property deeds, consular registrations, foreign passports, naturalization certificates, and any court decisions relating to your identity. Our goal is to establish a clear and legally provable link between all versions of your name, ensuring that the Greek authorities recognize that they all refer to the same person.

Depending on your circumstances, the correction may be completed through administrative procedures (for obvious clerical or spelling errors), or through Greek court proceedings where a formal Name Correction in Greek Records is required. In many cases, a foreign court decision granting a legal name change must also be recognized in Greece before the change can be applied to Greek civil status records. We ensure that all necessary Greek authorities are updated — including the Greek Civil Registry (Ληξιαρχείο), Municipal Registry, Male Registry, Tax Office, Greek Land Registry (Ktimatologio), and the Greek Special Registry in Athens where required.

Special attention is given to complex diaspora cases, including situations where the surname has evolved over generations, where spouses use different surnames abroad, or where the father’s name appears as a middle name in foreign documents. In these situations, we build a strong chain of identity using official translations, affidavits, legal certificates, and documentary evidence so that your identity is fully aligned across Greek and foreign legal systems.

Once the process is completed, your Greek legal records will reflect one consistent, verified identity, allowing you to safely proceed with Greek citizenship registration, Greek Dual Citizenship, Greek passport issuance, Greek inheritance and probate, property transactions, Greek court filings, and Special Registry registrations — without the risk of rejection due to name inconsistencies.

If your Greek records contain incorrect, incomplete, mismatched, translated, shortened, or anglicized names, contact us or submit your details through our consultation form. A qualified Greek citizenship and Greek inheritance lawyer from E. Chatzidimitriou LLC will review your case and provide an initial legal assessment at no cost, so you clearly understand the legal steps needed to correct your name in Greek legal records.