Child Support In Greece

Child benefit or support is one of the Greek people’s most significant social benefits. Regardless of your wealth status or financial situation, the government wants to ensure every child gets the basic necessities fulfilled. This child support programme is for the nationals of Greece and, in some cases, for the people living there permanently for 12 years. The rule varies for nationals who do not belong to Greece, which we will be considering in detail. The Organization of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA) is the government representative body to distribute these funds.

What Is Child Support In Greece?

ΕΠΙΔΟΜΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΟΥ or Child benefit in Greece is attainable to a dependent child aged up to 18 years. This age limit is extendable to one more year if the child is enrolled in secondary school and six years if the child is enrolled in higher education. The beneficiaries are required to show proof of permanent residence in Greece for five years.  

How Much Is Child Support In Greece?

The government of Greece is giving 2000 euros as a childbirth allowance (ΒΟΉΘΗΜΑ ΤΟΚΕΤΟΎ) for every child born in Greece if you are legally and permanently living in Greece. The National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) is the relevant organization to distribute these funds, and these funds are distributed in two equal instalments. According to a rough estimate, the government will distribute 200 million euros for this in the current year. Even you will get free maternity care if you are employed, or in case of no job, you are given mandatory tax payments. Maternity care allowances are payable to the mother 56 days before childbirth and 56 days after childbirth. Families living permanently for two years in mountainous and disadvantaged regions with family income below 4700 euros annually are also eligible for this support. Benefits given to these families with annual family income up to 3000 euros are granted 600 euros per year. 

Families with an annual income of 3001 to 4700 euros are given 300 euros per year. 

Who Can Claim Child Support In Greece

Child support can be provided to the permanent residents of Greece if they fulfil the criteria set by the government. Third-country (non-EU) nationals can also be entitled to a birth allowance if they can prove 12 years of permanent stay in Greece. You must be a taxpayer to be eligible for this child support programme. Child support is paid equivalent to the family’s income, which falls under three income categories. 

The first category is if your income is up to 6000 euros annually, the second income bracket is 6,001-10,000 euros annually, and the third bracket falls in 10,001-15,000 euros annual income. The amount paid for every new child decrease as your daily income increases substantially. 

How To Apply For Child Care In Greece

If you think you are fulfilling all the eligibility criteria, then you have to fill out application form A21 and should submit the complete form with supporting documents to the Organization of Welfare Benefits and Social Solidarity (OPEKA). For the first income category with first and second dependents, each is 70 euros per month, and for the third dependent, its 140 euros per month. For the second income category with the first and second dependent, each is 42 euros per month, and for the third dependent, its 84 euros per month. For the third income category, it’s 28 euros per month for the first and second dependent children, whereas it’s 56 euros per month for the third child. Women’s average age for giving birth has also risen from 28.8 to 30.3 years. 

How Long Does It Take To Get Child Support?

Two factors influencing child support are the family income category and the number of dependent children. So, it will be required to submit an electronic application every year, through IDIKA and OPECA websites, after submitting the father’s income tax application or the mother’s taxisnet personal code. If tax returns are clear and up to date, you are all set to go… it does not take a long time for processing, and the government bodies will distribute these social security benefits in 6 bimonthly instalments. This Allowance is given to all beneficiaries every two months through an active bank account or a credit on the last working day of the month.  

How To Apply For Child Support For Additional Children

In order to apply for child support for every additional child, you need to submit an A21 form along with the supporting documents. Once you open the A21 application, some fields are already filled; your taxisnet code will automatically retrieve your data from AMKA and fill it in there. Your annual income is also automatically calculated and pre-filled in the application. You even don’t need to resend the application every month; in fact, the Allowance is automatically calculated once you have submitted your tax return. So, if you are going by by-laws, everything is hassle-free. The child benefit allowance is given to 900,000 family units and caters to over 1.5 million children in Greece. The total amount distributed under this head is 1,050,000,000 euros.

Is Child Support Taxable In Greece?

Child benefit or child support is exempted in Greece from tax. Child benefit is exempted from any deductions or jerk by the government or any other third party. This benefit is distributed bimonthly unless specified by the administrative authority. This benefit is not added to the income.  

Tax-Free Allowance For Children

While applying for a child benefit programme in Greece, tax authorities already know your tax number, and your income is already deducted for the tax; now, your child benefit allowance is tax-free. This amount varies from 28 euros to 70 euros for the first and the second born, depending upon your income level. It varies from 56 euros to 140 euros again for every additional child, depending on your income level. 

How To Cancel Child Support

So, if you leave Greece for good, you must cancel your child benefit allowance. To opt out of your child benefit allowance, you must either fill out an online form or contact the described organization through a phone call or by post.  

Final Thoughts

Child support in Greece is among the social benefits of Greek organizations that work under government supervision. The above guide helps you if you are going to apply for a child support programme. If you think there are some points you need to get to know further, you can check out the OPECA website.