AI tells a foreigner in Greece that a passport (EU) or residence permit (non-EU) alone is enough to open a bank account, sign a lease, or get a phone contract
ID: banking/afm-tax-number-required
Version Compatibility
| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| any | active | — | — | — |
Root Cause
Greece requires a separate 9-digit tax registration number (AFM, Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) issued by the tax authority AADE before a bank account, lease, or mobile contract can be finalized. Any natural person, EU or non-EU, resident or not, can apply; a passport or residence permit is one of the documents used to request the AFM, not a substitute for it. Applications are submitted online but identity must still be verified by a myAADElive video call or an in-person visit to a tax office (ΔΟΥ) - it is not a purely remote process. Asylum seekers without a full residence permit can still be assigned an AFM in person through Asylum Service offices.
genericWorkarounds
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90% success Apply for the AFM through AADE's online portal, then complete identity verification either via the myAADElive video call or in person at a ΔΟΥ (tax office) with the required documents
The application itself is submitted electronically, but Greek law requires identity verification by video call or an in-person visit before the AFM is issued - it is not a fully remote, no-visit process.
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75% success Asylum seekers without a residence permit should request AFM assignment directly through the Asylum Service during a registration or renewal appointment, or check assigned status at asylum.migration.gov.gr/afm
Sources: https://migration.gov.gr/en/apodosi-afm-stoys-aitoyntes-diethni-prostasia/
Dead Ends
Common approaches that don't work:
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Assume a passport (EU citizens) or residence permit (non-EU citizens) alone lets you open a bank account, sign a lease, or get a SIM/mobile contract in Greece
80% fail
AADE's official procedure (catalogued on Greece's National Registry of Administrative Procedures) requires an AFM - a separate 9-digit tax registration number - before these transactions can complete; the passport or residence permit is only one of the documents submitted to apply for the AFM, not a stand-in for it.
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Tell a non-EU/third-country national without a residence permit that they cannot get an AFM at all
50% fail
Any natural person, regardless of nationality or residency status, can obtain an AFM. Since a process formalized in March 2021, asylum seekers holding a valid International Protection Applicant's card can be assigned an AFM in person through Asylum Service offices, hosting facilities, or Reception/Identification Centers, without first holding a full residence permit.