About the exam

The Πιστοποιητικό Επάρκειας Γνώσεων για Πολιτογράφηση (Π.Ε.Γ.Π., "Certificate of Sufficient Knowledge for Naturalisation", PEGP) is the exam you must pass before you can apply for Greek citizenship by naturalisation. It was introduced by Law 4735/2020 (Article 7 of the Greek Citizenship Code, Law 3284/2004) and is run by the General Secretariat for Citizenship of the Ministry of the Interior. One exam checks two things: your Greek language (a level comparable to B1) and your knowledge of Greek geography, history, culture and political institutions.

This app trains the knowledge part (the 20 "thematic units" questions). The language part is explained under Format; prepare for it with the official language materials in the question bank.

Eligibility

(As of 2026; Greek Citizenship Code, Articles 5, 5A and 7, consolidated text up to 17 September 2025)

Who can sit the exam: anyone who lives permanently and legally in Greece and wants to acquire Greek citizenship by naturalisation.

To be naturalised you must:

• Be an adult when you apply
• Have lived in Greece legally for 7 continuous years before applying
  • 3 continuous years are enough for EU citizens, spouses of Greek citizens who have a child together, parents with custody of a child of Greek nationality born in Greece, and stateless persons
  • No minimum period if you were born in Greece and have lived here continuously
  • 12 continuous years if your residence permit is not one of the permits listed in the law
• Hold a qualifying permit, for example: long-term resident, EU/EFTA citizen, family member of a Greek or EU citizen, parent of a Greek minor, recognised refugee or subsidiary protection, stateless person, second-generation permit, permit of indefinite or ten-year duration, investor or property-owner permit, or UK citizen under the Withdrawal Agreement
• Have no final conviction for an intentional offence in the last 10 years with a sentence of at least one year (at least six months for a list of serious crimes, whenever the conviction was), and not be subject to deportation
• Show economic and social integration (for the 7-year route, proof of economic integration for at least 5 years)
• Hold the PEGP, unless you are exempt
• Not be a public-order or national-security concern

Exempt from the PEGP:

• People who completed 9 grades of primary and secondary school, or 6 grades of secondary school, at a Greek school (or a school following the compulsory Greek curriculum)
• Graduates of a Greek-language degree, master's or doctorate at a Greek university
• Ethnic Greeks (ομογενείς), who follow a separate procedure

Oral exam instead of written: applicants over 62 (if they wish), people with a certified learning difficulty, and people with a certified disability of 67% or more take an oral exam before a three-member committee.

Format

• Held twice a year on paper, in Greek only, at exam centres across Greece. 2026 sessions: 26 April and 15 November.
• Part A (up to 150 minutes; you may leave after 50): the 20 knowledge questions, plus reading and writing in Greek (18 questions and a short text of 80–100 words)
  • Knowledge questions: 4 geography, 6 history, 4 culture, 6 political institutions
• 15-minute break
• Part B listening (up to 15 minutes): two recordings, each played twice, 10 questions
• Part C speaking (up to 15 minutes): one-to-one with examiners; introductory questions and communication tasks using photos

Scoring and pass mark:

• Knowledge: 2 points per question, maximum 40
• Language: maximum 60 = reading and writing 30 + listening 15 + speaking 15
• You pass with at least 70 of 100 points in total, provided you also have at least 40/60 in Greek and at least 20/40 in the knowledge part (10 of 20 questions right)

Where the questions come from:

• The questions are drawn at random on exam day from the official question bank (Τράπεζα Θεμάτων), which is published with answers. Knowledge part: 300 questions (geography 70, history 80, culture 70, political institutions 80). The order of the answer options may be changed.
• The bank mixes several question types: mostly multiple choice with 4 options (Α–Δ), but also true/false statements, fill-in-the-blank from a word list, matching, short written answers, questions about photos, and map questions (20 of the 70 geography questions ask you to mark places on a map). Answers are written in the exam booklet.
• Not stated officially: how partial answers on multi-part items (true/false sets, matching, map) are scored. The official guide only says each correct answer earns 2 points.

In this app:

• Practice exams have 20 multiple-choice questions, 4 options each. A pass is 10 correct, the minimum for the knowledge part. Because you also need 70/100 overall, aim for 15 or more.
• There is no separate official time for the knowledge part (it shares Part A's 150 minutes with reading and writing), so the app uses 30 minutes as a practice value.
• All questions are original practice questions on the topics of the official bank, in Greek with translations. They are not the official items.

Test fee and naturalisation fee

(As of 2026; subject to change)

• Exam fee: €150 per attempt (paid as an e-paravolo when you apply)
• Naturalisation application fee: €550; €200 if you resubmit an application; €100 for EU citizens, recognised refugees, stateless persons and ethnic Greeks
• These are separate: the exam fee does not cover the naturalisation fee.

How to register

1. Register in the National Contact Registry (Εθνικό Μητρώο Επικοινωνίας) on gov.gr, so your contact and address details are filled in automatically.
2. During the application window, apply online on the PEGP platform (exetaseis-ithageneia.ypes.gr) or through gov.gr, signing in with your TAXISnet credentials. For the 15 November 2026 exam the window was 15 July – 10 September 2026; it is now closed.
3. Upload the €150 e-paravolo, the personal-details page of your passport, your valid residence permit (or the receipt for its renewal) and a passport-style photo. If you will be examined orally, also upload your disability (KEPA) or learning-difficulty certificate.
4. About 10 days before the exam you receive an SMS. Log in again and print your candidate card (Δελτίο Εξεταζόμενου).
5. On exam day arrive between 7:00 and 8:00 with the printed card, your passport (or other travel document) and your residence permit, plus a blue or black pen. Phones must be handed in, and correction fluid is not allowed.

Retake policy

• The law lets you sit the exam again if you fail; it sets no limit on attempts.
• Each new attempt costs another €150.
• If you missed the exam because of force majeure, report it on the platform within 15 days (for serious health reasons, before the next application deadline). If the reasons are accepted, you do not pay the fee for your next attempt.

After passing

1. Results come about a month after the exam (the 26 April 2026 results were announced on 27 May 2026; 59.35% passed).
2. The General Secretariat for Citizenship issues your PEGP. There is no time limit for using it.
3. Apply for naturalisation at the Regional Citizenship Directorate (Περιφερειακή Διεύθυνση Ιθαγένειας) for your area, in person or by post, with the €550 fee and the required documents (passport, residence permit, PEGP, birth certificate with apostille and official translation, tax statements for the required years, AMKA number, proof of integration).
4. The authority checks your criminal record, deportation status and public-order grounds. If your economic or social integration is in doubt, you are invited to an interview before a three-member panel.
5. If approved, the decision is published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ). You must take the oath within one year of publication or the decision is revoked. You become Greek when you take the oath, and your unmarried minor children living in Greece become Greek automatically.

The official register of procedures (mitos.gov.gr) lists a processing deadline of one year.

Official resources

• PEGP exam platform (announcements, exam guides, question bank): exetaseis-ithageneia.ypes.gr
• Official question bank (Τράπεζα Θεμάτων), section "Γενική κατηγορία": exetaseis-ithageneia.ypes.gr/#topics
• Greek Citizenship Code (consolidated text): ypes.gr
• Naturalisation procedure, conditions, documents and fees: mitos.gov.gr
• General Secretariat for Citizenship: ypes.gr/g-g-ithageneias

Things to watch out for

• The question bank is updated twice a year and whenever the scientific committee decides; questions are replaced or reworded. Always study the latest version (the geography file was updated on 30 September 2026 for the November 2026 exam).
• You must pass every threshold: 20/40 in knowledge, 40/60 in Greek and 70/100 in total. A high knowledge score helps you reach 70.
• The real exam is not only multiple choice. Practise writing place names, people and terms in Greek, and finding cities, islands, rivers and lakes on a map, using the official bank.
• Some official multiple-choice questions have more than one correct answer; the question says so.
• If your residence permit is not on the list in the law, you need 12 years of residence, not 7.
• Citizenship starts only with the oath, which must be taken within one year of the decision's publication.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the test in English? No. The PEGP is in Greek only, because it also tests your Greek. You can use this app's interface in your own language while you study.

What if I fail? Apply again for a later session (exams are held twice a year) and pay the €150 fee again. There is no limit on attempts.

Do I have to give up my current nationality? The Greek Citizenship Code does not list giving up your previous nationality as a condition or required document. Whether you can keep it depends on the law of your other country.

Is the official question bank enough to prepare? For the knowledge part, all exam questions are drawn from the official bank, so study it directly. This app's questions are original practice questions on the same topics, translated into your language.