A new circular on immigration to Greece has raised strong concerns among the Albanian community,
as it is expected to directly affect the renewal of residence permits for thousands of people.
In a connection in a television studio, the immigration expert Etmond Guri said that,
the circular follows the legal changes of 2026 and aims to speed up procedures only for immigrants with regular documentation.
“The innovation lies in easing the procedures for safe categories, but it does not offer any solution for those who are without documents,” he emphasizes.
Guri points out that until 2025, Greek legislation had a more humane approach to immigrants, allowing applications for residence permits even for people who had been in the country for years. After this year, according to him, a visible tightening of policies has been noticed, especially for irregular immigration. In the months of July and August 2025, Greece adopted two new laws aimed at curbing illegal immigration. These measures provide that any person without regular documents, if stopped by the authorities, will first be sent to detention centers and then face penalties ranging from fines to 1-2 years in prison. Deportation is accompanied by a ban on entry to Greece and EU countries for a period of 5 to 10 years.
Another problematic element, according to experts, is the fact that even in cases where the decision is appealed, the deportation can be executed immediately, while the result of the appeal is reviewed afterwards.
The new circular particularly affects those immigrants who have lost their residence permit during the past year, while it does not foresee new opportunities for the recovery of status for other categories in difficulty, such as people with health problems or those who have lost their documentation for a long time.
There have been no shortage of reactions from the Albanian diaspora. Many organizations and individuals have raised the alarm about the high costs of litigation and the legal uncertainty that immigrants are experiencing.
Currently, about 500 thousand legal immigrants live in Greece, of which about 140 thousand are Albanians with residence permits. Meanwhile, it is estimated that 70-80 thousand Albanians have lost this status, a figure that remains worrying even though it is decreasing. Experts point out that the difficulties in obtaining documents and the most favorable alternatives in other countries of the European Union are affecting the gradual departure of Albanians from Greece.
Etmond Guri: is a new circular issued in continuation of the 2026 law that aims to facilitate some categories but does not say anything new for that category that do not have regular documents. The novelty of this circular is the fact that it requires that residence permits for safe categories be issued more quickly, as well as a series of reliefs dedicated only to those who have regular documents in Greece;
The law until 2025 has had a humane philosophy, after this year, the strictness of irregular immigration was noted in criminal laws, until many months ago it was possible to apply for a permit for people who had been in Greece for many years, the application for a residence permit for those who have fallen ill has been limited. There are many of the immigrants who have lost their residence permit, with the new changes this is not expected to happen. The circular includes only those persons who lost their residence permit last year.
The change in philosophy that this government in power is talking about has brought tightening of residence permit procedures.
In July and August 2025, 2 laws were approved that combat illegal immigration. If you do not have regular papers and you are caught by the authorities, they go to a camp and then you are sentenced to 1 or 2 years in prison or monetary value, you are infiltrated from Greece and EU countries for 5, 7 to 10 years, you do not have the right to obtain a residence permit, there are dozens of immigrants who have been penalized. Even though they are administrative decisions, the law is harsh and gives the police the right to deport the immigrant. Although he can appeal the decision, he is deported. Only in the appeal are the measures taken by him annulled.
There is a positive spirit from lawyers. The Albanian diaspora has reacted as there are thousands of Albanians who are suffering this process. They are in the court process and the high cost that they have to follow.
500 thousand legal immigrants, 140 thousand Albanians have a residence permit, 70-80 thousand Albanians who have lost their residence permit, a decreasing figure, the impossibility to equip themselves and who do not prefer Greece, many EU countries enable this
