# Marriage Visa Interview



## mariek (Aug 17, 2009)

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has been through the interview process for a residency permit as a non-EU foreigner married to a Greek. Is the interview conducted only in Greek (my own Greek is still very limited)? Is it treated as more of a formality or is it an intense interview process? I'm just looking for any clues on what to expect. 
Thank you very much!


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## wka (Sep 18, 2009)

Hi, I'm new to this as well, I am going to be doing this sometime this year. I don't know very much about it but I do know that:

1) it is usually a seven-member panel that conducts the interviews
2) they will summon you and you show up - and if you don't show up, your application is void
3) it is only conducted in Greek
4) some people are not required to do this, even though they are non-EU citizens married to Greeks (just lucky, I guess)

If I find out anything more, I'll add it... but from what I hear, the aim is determine if the marriage is a real one or just for the papers, so you have to answer personal questions about each other.


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## mariek (Aug 17, 2009)

Hi there, 
I actually had my interview last week and it was basically a formality. It took no more than two minutes, literally. They did ask if I spoke Greek, to which my husband replied, "Not really." They asked four questions:
Where did you meet?
What do you do?
Do you speak Greek?
Do you like Greece?

My husband answered all the questions except whether I like Greece or not. It was very much a formality in our case.
Good luck with yours!


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## wka (Sep 18, 2009)

WOW! Thanks for posting that! We had heard that it was more of an interrogation, and that we had to bring our wedding photos, plane tickets from trips we had taken together, and much more!! That's a huge relief!


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## mariek (Aug 17, 2009)

When they send you the letter telling you when your appointment is they will tell you what to bring. Ours just said to bring ID, which they actually never looked at. 
I don't know if they are tougher in Athens but here in Larissa it was like we had stumbled into somebody's coffee time with their 6 friends. 
I'm sure you will be fine.


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## brionnaj (Jun 1, 2009)

*don't sweat the interview*

From what I have heard, it's mostly a formality. I didn't even end up having one - they told me that the office was so backed up, they were only interviewing couples in which there seemed to be a large disparity in age (and I am assuming targeting higher risk countries of origin, which we are not). A friend of mine from Malaysia said her's lasted only a couple minutes and she had it within some months of moving here and her Greek wasn't very strong.


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