If you need legal help with asylum in Greece, start with the official Get legal aid (for migrants and asylum seekers) service on gov.gr, then check UNHCR Greece’s Refugee.Info and Athens or Thessaloniki directories. For an appeal, use the separate Asylum Service lawyer-registry route and treat the deadline printed on your decision as urgent. Free representation is not automatic at every stage: each route has a different scope, eligibility process and availability.
This guide explains what each route covers, how to apply, how to authorize a lawyer, what to prepare and how to find current local assistance. Information reflects official guidance available on 13 October 2026; provider capacity, opening hours and appeal instructions can change, so confirm them directly before relying on them.
Which legal-aid route fits your case?
There is no single service that guarantees a free lawyer for every asylum procedure. The right starting point depends on whether you are registering, preparing for an interview, waiting for a decision, appealing a rejection or dealing with another matter. Use the route that matches the stage of your case and verify the provider’s current intake before sending documents or travelling.
| Route | What official guidance establishes | What you must confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Gov.gr legal-aid application | The government service accepts applications for free legal aid and authorization of a lawyer from the Asylum Service register for the applicant-card procedures described on the service page. | The current workflow, any appointment or eligibility requirements, and the exact procedure covered. |
| Nonprofit legal-aid organization | UNHCR directories identify organizations offering free assistance and local legal services. | Whether the organization is accepting cases, serves your location and language, and covers your stage and type of matter. |
| Lawyer you choose | You may choose a lawyer or counsellor without Asylum Service mediation. You normally pay that professional’s fees and expenses. | The fee arrangement, asylum experience, scope of work and authorization documents. |
| Asylum Service registry lawyer for an appeal | UNHCR says registry lawyers may provide free support at the second-instance appeal stage, with an online application route. | The deadline on your own decision, the current application process and whether a lawyer is available in time. |
The Ministry of Migration and Asylum states that access to the asylum procedure itself is open and free of charge. That statement concerns access to the procedure, not an automatic entitlement to a private lawyer for every step. A free interpreter at an interview is also different from free legal representation.
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Start with a quick case triage
Before calling, write down four facts: your current city or island, the stage of your case, the language in which you can discuss detailed personal facts, and any date printed on an official notice. If you have received a rejection, put the appeal deadline at the top of the page. If you are detained, say so in the first message because the contact and appearance process can differ.
Do not wait for one organization to answer before checking the next appropriate route. You can submit the gov.gr request, contact a local nonprofit and ask UNHCR for a referral in parallel. Keep a simple log with the date, organization, person contacted, response and next step. This prevents missed appointments and helps a new provider understand what has already happened.
Apply through gov.gr for the official legal-aid service
The English-language gov.gr service is titled Get legal aid (for migrants and asylum seekers). It identifies the Ministry of Migration and Asylum as the competent authority and was last updated on 18 June 2026. Its wording is specific: it describes applying for free legal aid and authorizing a lawyer from the Asylum Service’s register for procedures concerning the international-protection applicant card.
How to use the service
- Open gov.gr and search for the exact service title, Get legal aid (for migrants and asylum seekers).
- Read the description and scope before submitting anything. Do not assume that the service automatically covers every first-instance interview, every preparation meeting, document translation or every later appeal.
- Complete the application with the identity and case information requested by the service. Use contact details you can safely access and check regularly.
- Follow the instructions about selecting or authorizing a registry lawyer, appointments and supporting documents. If the service asks for information you do not understand, seek help from a listed legal-aid organization or UNHCR rather than guessing.
- Save the submission confirmation and any reference number. Take a screenshot or keep a paper copy if possible.
- If no response arrives within the period stated by the service, contact the competent office or a legal-aid organization. Do not let a separate interview or appeal deadline pass while waiting for an online reply.
Because the page’s scope is tied to the procedures it describes, ask the authority or a provider whether your particular interview, document request or representation need falls within it. An application is a request, not proof that a lawyer has accepted your case.
Use UNHCR Greece’s directories to find local assistance
UNHCR Greece’s Information Resources page links to Refugee.Info, city guides and referral information. Refugee.Info provides asylum, legal-rights and local-service information in English, Arabic, Urdu, French, Farsi, Somali and Ukrainian. Its service view can be filtered by area, and its team can be contacted in the listed languages.
UNHCR says its Greece help pages are being updated and directs users to the English version for the more current information. The Athens and Thessaloniki guides are useful starting points, but they are the 2023–2024 edition. The Athens guide describes entries with a provider name, service description, address where available, email, telephone or WhatsApp details and a QR link to a fuller Refugee.Info listing. Use that current listing rather than treating an older PDF as proof that an organization still has an open caseload.
Search by the place where you are now, not only by the city where you first registered. Ask whether a service covers your accommodation site, island, relocation destination or detention location. Confirm the address, opening hours, language arrangements and intake method before travelling. A directory entry establishes that a service was listed; it does not establish current eligibility, capacity or a guaranteed appointment.
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Athens entries in the UNHCR guide
- Greek Council for Refugees (GCR): legal aid and legal services in Athens. The guide lists Solomou 25 and language-specific contact details.
- Mobile Info Team: legal support concerning asylum in Greece, with language-specific telephone contacts and an email address in the guide.
- SolidarityNow / Athens Solidarity Center: listed among Athens legal services.
- DIOTIMA Centre for Gender Rights and Equality: legal aid for refugees and asylum seekers, including women, men and LGBTQI+ people who have experienced, or are at high risk of, gender-based violence.
Thessaloniki entries in the UNHCR guide
- Greek Council for Refugees (GCR): legal aid in Thessaloniki, with locations and language-specific contacts in the guide.
- Equal Legal Aid: legal services and legal aid for displaced people in and around Thessaloniki.
- European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL): listed among legal services; confirm its current geographic scope and availability directly.
These names show that the organizations appeared in UNHCR’s city guides. They do not establish current capacity, eligibility or a promise of representation. If one provider cannot help, ask whether it can refer you to another service rather than assuming that no assistance exists.
Ask UNHCR Greece for a referral when you are unsure where to go
UNHCR Greece’s contact page lists Athens helpdesk lines operating Monday to Friday, 09:00–17:00, with support in Arabic, English, Sorani, Greek, Farsi/Dari, French and Russian. For Lesvos, Chios and Samos it lists one WhatsApp contact operating 09:00–13:00; for Kos and Leros it lists another WhatsApp contact with the same hours.
Numbers and schedules can change. Check the live UNHCR contact page immediately before calling or messaging. Explain your location, the stage of your asylum case, the language you understand and whether you have received a decision with an appeal deadline. Ask for a referral to a service that currently accepts cases in your area. UNHCR can help identify information and referral options, but it is not a substitute for a lawyer accepting responsibility for your individual case.
What “free lawyer” means in practice
There are separate routes and scopes. The government service offers an application for free legal aid through a registry lawyer for the applicant-card procedures described on its page. UNHCR separately says that applicants can choose their own lawyer or counsellor, but that the applicant pays that person’s fees and expenses; it also identifies organizations that provide free legal aid. For the second-instance appeal stage, UNHCR identifies a lawyer registry that may support an appeal free of charge.
Ask what “free” includes. It may mean advice only, help completing a form, attendance at one interview, preparation of an appeal, file inspection or representation throughout a defined stage. It may not include travel, translation of extra documents, unrelated family or criminal matters, or work after the agreed stage. Before sharing documents, ask whether there is any fee, expense or limit and request the answer in a language you understand. Do not pay an individual who merely claims to be connected to a directory without verifying the organization’s official contact details.
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If your asylum application was rejected: act on the appeal immediately
An appeal follows a distinct official route. UNHCR says the appeal is submitted to the competent office that issued the decision, and the deadline is the one written on the decision you received. Do not substitute a general internet deadline for the date on your own document. Different decisions and procedures may contain different instructions.
Appeal checklist
- Read the entire decision and mark the stated deadline, submission office and any instructions about the form, signature or language of the appeal.
- Contact the Asylum Service lawyer registry through the current online application route, and contact a nonprofit legal-aid provider at the same time if you need another referral.
- Tell every provider the date and time of the deadline in your first message. Ask whether the registry lawyer can take your case before that date and whether the service is free for the second-instance stage.
- Give the lawyer the decision and relevant evidence as soon as the provider confirms a secure way to receive them. Ask what facts or documents are missing instead of sending large amounts of unrelated material.
- Prepare the appeal document with your signature or your lawyer’s signature as instructed. Confirm whether you must attend personally.
- Submit it to the competent office named in the decision. UNHCR says an applicant normally appears in person with the signed appeal document; detained applicants follow the process explained by the authorities.
- Keep proof of submission and every receipt, appointment notice and message exchanged with the office or lawyer. Record the name of the receiving office or person and the date.
The registry route concerns support while an appeal is submitted and examined at second instance. It does not erase the deadline or guarantee that a lawyer can accept a late request. If you cannot reach a lawyer in time, ask the competent office or an established legal-aid provider what immediate procedural step is available; never assume silence extends the deadline.
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Understand lawyer authorization and interpretation rules
The Ministry says you may request assistance from a lawyer or other counsellor of your choice without Asylum Service mediation. For that person to attend an interview or represent you before the Asylum Service, the Ministry requires written authorization with the authenticity of your signature duly certified. The applicant and the authorized representative may request access to the administrative file.
Ask the lawyer or organization exactly how the authorization should be prepared and where the signature must be certified. Clarify whether the authorization covers attendance, representation, file access or only a particular appointment. Do not assume that an informal message, an unsigned email or a copy of an identity document alone satisfies the requirement. Keep a copy of what you sign and note who received it.
UNHCR says an interpreter is present at an asylum interview and provides interpretation in a language the applicant understands without charge. Tell the authorities promptly if the interpretation is not understandable, incomplete or in a different dialect. Do not sign a statement you cannot understand; ask for clarification and tell your lawyer or the official that you need the information explained.
You may also request contact with UNHCR or organizations providing legal, medical and psychological support. If you have experienced torture, rape or other serious violence, tell the authorities or your lawyer. UNHCR says this information can allow appropriate assistance to be arranged. Share sensitive details through a verified channel and ask who will have access to them.
What to have ready before contacting a provider
Keep the following available, but ask the organization what it wants before transmitting sensitive documents:
- Your international-protection applicant card and identity details.
- The asylum decision, interview notice, appointment notice or any letter from the Asylum Service.
- The exact date and time of any appointment or appeal deadline.
- Previous submissions, evidence and correspondence relevant to the case.
- Your current address, telephone number and a safe way to receive messages.
- The language in which you can discuss detailed facts and whether you need an interpreter.
- Information about detention, relocation, family members or urgent medical or protection concerns.
- A short timeline of registration, interviews, moves, previous legal advice and decisions.
Send only what is necessary through a contact channel you have verified. Ask whether the provider can open the matter, whether an appointment is required, how documents should be delivered and whether originals must be brought in person. Keep originals unless an official specifically requires one, and retain a copy or photograph of anything submitted.
Questions to ask before accepting help
Use these questions to distinguish a suitable referral from a general information service:
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- Do you handle my stage: registration, preparation for the first interview, a pending decision, an appeal or another procedure?
- Do you currently accept cases from my city, island, accommodation site or detention location?
- Can you communicate in a language I understand, or arrange an interpreter?
- Is the service free for my case? If not, what fees and expenses apply, and what work is included?
- Will a lawyer attend the interview, prepare written submissions, inspect the administrative file or only give information?
- What written authorization, certified signature or identity documents are required?
- Who will contact me, and how should I report a change of telephone number or address?
- If I have a decision, can you confirm the deadline and the office where the appeal must be lodged?
- What should I do if I cannot attend an appointment or lose access to my telephone?
Ask the provider to repeat the next step and deadline. If you are using an interpreter, check that names, dates and numbers have been understood correctly. A clear written message summarizing the agreed action can prevent misunderstandings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes that can cost time
- Waiting for a directory entry to respond: A listing is not confirmation of intake. Contact several appropriate routes and record when you contacted each one.
- Assuming “free legal aid” means every stage is covered: Check whether the service concerns applicant-card procedures, nonprofit assistance or second-instance appeal support.
- Using a general appeal deadline: Follow the date and instructions printed on your own decision.
- Travelling to an old address: The city guides are 2023–2024. Verify the current address, opening hours and contact method first.
- Signing an incomplete authorization: Ask the lawyer or authority how signature authenticity must be certified before submitting it.
- Sending confidential papers to an unverified contact: Confirm the organization through UNHCR, Refugee.Info or its current official contact channel.
- Failing to mention detention or a deadline: Those facts can determine which service can respond and how quickly.
- Assuming a referral equals acceptance: Wait for the provider to confirm that it has opened your matter and understands its scope.
If nobody answers or a provider cannot take the case
Keep trying the official routes rather than abandoning the matter. Recheck Refugee.Info for another organization serving your area, contact UNHCR during the listed hours and submit the gov.gr request if it fits your situation. When a provider declines, ask whether the reason is location, stage, language or capacity and whether it can suggest another service. Tell every new contact if the appeal deadline is approaching.
Use a safe contact method. If your telephone number, accommodation or address changes, notify the lawyer, provider and relevant authority as soon as possible and keep evidence of the update. Missing a message because a directory has an old number can create avoidable risk.
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- Photograph or securely store the applicant card, decision and appointment papers.
- If there is a decision, identify the printed appeal deadline before doing anything else.
- Write a short timeline and note your location, language and any detention or urgent protection issue.
- Submit the gov.gr legal-aid application if your need fits the service description.
- Search Refugee.Info by your current area and contact suitable organizations in a language you understand.
- Call or message the appropriate UNHCR helpdesk if you cannot determine which service covers your location or stage.
- Ask each provider about capacity, scope, language, cost and authorization requirements.
- Record every submission, call, appointment and instruction, and keep originals of your documents.
What you can and cannot expect
You can use official government and UNHCR channels to request or locate legal assistance, and the sources identify free-assistance organizations in Athens and Thessaloniki. You can ask for an interpreter during the asylum interview without charge and request access to your administrative file through an authorized representative. You cannot assume that a listed provider has capacity, that a free service covers every procedure or that a registry lawyer will be available after an appeal deadline. Confirm the details with the competent authority or provider handling your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find a lawyer for my asylum case in Greece?
Start with the gov.gr legal-aid service, then search UNHCR Greece’s Refugee.Info directory by your current area. Contact the listed provider directly and confirm its stage, location, language and intake capacity.
Can I get a free lawyer for asylum in Greece?
Possibly, but free representation is not automatic at every stage. Gov.gr describes a registry-lawyer application for specified applicant-card procedures; nonprofit organizations may offer free assistance; and UNHCR identifies a registry route for free support at second-instance appeal. Confirm the exact scope and eligibility.
How do I get a lawyer for an asylum appeal in Greece?
Read the deadline and submission office on your own decision, apply through the current Asylum Service lawyer-registry route and contact a nonprofit provider at the same time. Ask whether a lawyer can accept the case before the stated deadline.
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Where can I get free legal aid in Athens?
UNHCR’s Athens guide lists the Greek Council for Refugees, Mobile Info Team, SolidarityNow/Athens Solidarity Center and DIOTIMA among legal-service providers. The guide is from 2023–2024, so verify each organization’s current Refugee.Info listing, address and intake status.
Where can I get free legal aid in Thessaloniki?
UNHCR’s Thessaloniki guide lists the Greek Council for Refugees, Equal Legal Aid and European Lawyers in Lesvos among legal services. Confirm current geographic coverage, eligibility and capacity before travelling.
Do I have to pay a lawyer I choose myself?
UNHCR says applicants who choose their own lawyer or counsellor normally bear that professional’s fees and expenses. Ask in advance what work is included and whether any costs remain, unless you have confirmed a free-aid arrangement.
What authorization does my lawyer need?
The Ministry says written authorization with duly certified signature authenticity is required for a chosen lawyer or counsellor to attend an interview or represent you before the Asylum Service. Ask the lawyer or authority how and where certification must be completed.
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UNHCR says an interpreter is present and interpretation is provided in a language the applicant understands without charge. Tell the authorities immediately if you cannot understand the interpretation.
The Bottom Line
Use gov.gr for the official legal-aid application, Refugee.Info and UNHCR directories for current local referrals, and the Asylum Service registry route when an appeal is involved. Check the deadline on your own decision, confirm every provider’s current capacity and scope, and do not sign or send sensitive documents until you understand the authorization and contact process.
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