Documents
AMKA — the Greek social security number
The second of the two numbers Greece runs on. The AMKA gets you healthcare and lets an employer put you on payroll. You cannot get one without an AFM, and for non-EU nationals you cannot get one without a residence permit either.
Last verified 12 September 2026 · 1 day ago · checked by spec-import Every figure on this page was checked against its source on this date.
What it is
AMKA is your social security registration number: AMKA length Eleven digits. Required for healthcare and employment.11 — source and verification date
What you need to bring
- Passport or national ID card
- Your AFM
- Proof of a Greek address: a lease agreement, a utility bill such as electricity or water, a hospitality declaration, or an E9 property declaration if you own property
- Non-EU nationals only: your residence permit, or equivalent proof of legal status
- For a non-Greek child born in Greece: a birth certificate translated into Greek
The EU and non-EU difference
This is the one asymmetry worth knowing. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need to present a residence permit to obtain an AMKA. Non-EU nationals do, which means the immigration process has to be finished first. For someone arriving from outside the EU, the real sequence is: entry visa, residence permit, AFM, lease, AMKA.
Where to go, and when
KEP offices are materially faster than individual ministry offices for standard services, and no appointment is generally needed. Opening hours are reported as roughly 08:00 to 14:00. Go in the morning and take everything on the list — arriving with one document missing costs you a whole second morning.
What it gets you
Access to ESY, the national health system, once you register with EFKA.
You can choose a family doctor and book specialists directly — no GP referral is needed,
though popular specialists have long waits. At an EOPYY-contracted doctor you pay a copayment of Copayment at an EOPYY-contracted doctor Prescription subsidy Depends on the medication.€5 to €15 — source and verification date
75% to 100% — source and verification date
Worth knowing separately: emergency treatment at public hospitals is Emergency treatment at public hospitals Frequently not known by visitors.Free to everyone, regardless of nationality or insurance status — source and verification date
Put it in your phone
Install the gov.gr Wallet app. It stores the digital ID, the AMKA card, the European Health Insurance Card and the driving licence, and many pharmacies and doctors accept the digital AMKA directly from the app. It removes a surprising amount of friction from ordinary appointments.
After the AMKA
Register with EFKA for healthcare access and choose a family doctor. Read how healthcare in Greece actually works, and follow the first 60 days checklist for the rest of the sequence.
Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between a KEP and an e-EFKA office?
A KEP is a Citizens Service Centre — a general-purpose public administration counter that handles a wide range of services, including AMKA registration, certified copies and attestations. An e-EFKA office is the social security fund itself. A KEM is a Centre for Migrant Integration. Any of the three can issue an AMKA, and KEPs are materially faster than individual ministry offices for standard services.
Do I need an appointment?
Generally no. Opening hours are reported as roughly 08:00 to 14:00, so arrive in the morning and expect to queue. Bring everything on the document list — a second visit costs you another morning.
Do EU citizens need a residence permit for this?
No. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need to present a residence permit to obtain an AMKA. Non-EU nationals must already hold a temporary residence permit or equivalent, which means completing the immigration process first.
What counts as proof of a Greek address?
A lease agreement, a utility bill in your name such as electricity or water, a hospitality declaration from the person housing you, or an E9 property declaration if you own property in Greece. The lease is the most common, which is part of why the AFM has to come first — you need it to sign one.
My child was born in Greece but is not Greek. What do we need?
A birth certificate translated into Greek, alongside the usual documents. Translation requirements are strict here and an untranslated certificate will be refused.
Does the AMKA give me free healthcare?
It gives you access to the public system, ESY, once you are registered with EFKA. Emergency treatment at public hospitals is reported as free to everyone regardless of status, insured or not. Routine care through an EOPYY-contracted doctor carries a small copayment, and prescriptions are substantially subsidised.
Can I be paid without an AMKA?
No. An employer cannot register you for social security without it, which means they cannot lawfully put you on payroll. If a job offer is waiting on paperwork, this is usually the paperwork.