For those doing DCF in Athens, Greece, here's some useful info

[Marrienne 113]

Hey guys!
We are in the midst of it but I thought I would offer some useful info on doing DCF via the US Embassy in Athens, Greece.
For the record I am the Greek spouse, hubby is the USC. He has a Legal Permanent Resident card (Adeia Paramonis) as he has been here since 2013 and we have a child together (it is a LOT easier, faster and cheaper to get the LPR if you have a half Greek child!!)

We filed via the Embassy on January 28th and got a call to tell us the I-130s were approved within 8 days.

I wanted to write mostly because I want to warn anyone about the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I have dealt with a lot of public services here in Greece but they are by far the worst, so be prepared.

First of all let's get one thing straight: Anything you submit to the Embassy *has got to be translated into English*. Their website is misleading and so is the DS-2001 document. Both state that if the document is written in anything other than Greek or English, it must be translated. This is NOT true. Everything MUST be in English, Greek originals are requested, photocopied but do NOT count.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Translation Agency in located in 10 Arionos street, in Thissio. It is a 4 minute walk from the train station (Thissio stop).
The US Embassy does not require an apostille on your documents (Sfragida tis Hagis) BUT the Ministry will absolutely NOT accept them without one. Period. End of story.
They also charge you 8.50 Euros to translate such an apostille.
In order to obtain one for simple civil documents such as a birth certificate, you can go to the ground floor where they will that for free.

For judicial documents (i.e. a previous divorce decree) you need to get the Apostille from the issuing court. If your divorce took place in Athens, then you must go to Protodikio in Euelpidon. It is a little complicated. You first need to buy a megarosimo of 3 Euros for each document you are sealing. Then go to building 4 if I remember correctly, where you wait in a looong line to pay 10 Euros for each seal you are requesting. Total 13 Euros per Apostille.

They will then direct you to the correct building where you will fill out some applications, and the lady will print your apostille, get it signed next door and you are DONE.

If your document is from another country (like my husband's divorce decree was from Germany) they WILL NOT accept it at the Ministry without an apostille. Which can only be obtained from the country in which your document came. So if you flying out of your country to do DCF in Athens, ** get apostilles on all your documents!!! **

The tranlastion agency

The agency opens at 9am sharp. I usually try to get in at 8.45am and there is always a huge throng of people waiting outside who clamor to get in!!
Bring you own pen, there are NONE available to you!
Fill out the application while you wait in line. Bring a folder if you do not have one to lean on! Saves you time as the queues are pretty long and sloooow.

I do not know what their issue is, but the staffers are extremely short tempered and will actually take one look at your papers and if not as they want them, will throw them back at your face and scream at you!!!
You can choose to pay extra for Express but it is 20 Euros per page!!!
Otherwise, depending on their load the wait will be between 7 and 10 days. For some languages (i.e. German to English, it was about 3 weeks)

They currently do not a Finish translator btw.

After you pay, make sure to take your receipt as you need it to bring it back to receive your documents. Also, they almost always overcharge you. They look at your documents and say "Oh this is 6 pages but in English it will be 7 pages". Make sure when you get the translations back, that you count the translated pages. Took me an hour of fighting and two managers coming down to get my money back!!!
Always request copies. A copy is .50 cents per page. Get two copies of everything at least!! Yes, you PRE-pay so make sure you have enough money on you!! They do not accept anything but cash. If you are short only a small amount, like I was last time, I was 20 Euros short, you can give them what you have and pay the rest on pickup.
You need your ID to pick up the translations. If you can't go, you need a signed authorization from KEP (gnision upografis) so someone else can pick up your translated documents for you.

Their English translators usually do not speak English judging from their translations (I used to work as a freelance translator and I have an degree in English, so trust me on this!!).
Their syntax and grammar (and sometimes, amazingly in the age of spell checkers, their spelling) is so off, sentences do not make sense, especially in judicial documents or other "not common, plain English" documents. Frankly, they look as if Google auto translated them.
I worried the Embassy would not accept them, but so far, they have.
Make sure you read all your documents through. They make a LOT of mistakes. I have translated over 500 Euros worth with them and each and every single one of my documents had mistakes in them!!
From simple ones like 2014 was written 2914 to numbering things and going from article 7 to (a non-existent) article 10, to names being all wrong etc.

Corrections are free but take at least two business days and if you live far it IS a trek and as I've mentioned, the queues are LONG and slow.

The bummer is that there are so many private translation agencies and lawyers doing this kind of work, but the US Embassy in Athens will only accept a Foreign Ministry of Affairs translation!!
Arm yourself with patience, smile broadly and sweetly at them, try to get your documents and apostilles straight and GOOD LUCK!!! You will need it!!!!