Greek Nationality Law

Greek Nationality Law, January 2 (15), 1914
-
Law No. 120 concerning the Amendment of Article 23 of the Civil Code of
October 29 (November 10), 1856.

(Translation)
Sole Article. - Article 23 of Law 391 of the 29th October (10 November), 1856
is thus amended :-

“Greek nationality is lost –
“(a.) By naturalisation in a foreign country. For this there is required before-
hand Government permission accorded through the Ministry of the Interior, which
considers the circumstances of the case laid before it, but permission is never granted
if the applicant is liable to or has not duly performed his obligations, or if he
is being criminally prosecuted for an offence or crime.

“(b.) By acceptance of public service with a foreign Government without
permission from the King, if person concerned persists therein after an order has
been communicated to him from the Greek Government to withdraw such service
within a stated period.
“If the acceptance of such service carried with it the acquisition of the nationality
of the foreign State in accordance with the laws of that State, and in all other cases
in which a Greek subject intends to acquire foreign nationality at his own request by
virtue of a law of a foreign State, the provisions fixed in paragraph (a) concerning
naturalisation holds good.”

Athens, January 2 (15), 1914

Note.- According to information obtained by His Majesty’s Legation at Athens,
the interpretation to be placed upon this law is that a Greek subject does not lose his
Greek nationality by the mere fact of his having acquired a foreign nationality, but
that such loss only follows the acquisition of a foreign nationality after the express
permission of the Greek Government. A Greek subject, therefore, who acquires a
foreign nationality without such permission, retains his Greek nationality together with
all rights and obligations appertaining thereto.

Sourced from National Archives of Australia
Researcher
Peter McCarthy
Inverell NSW Australia
2006