Where to Find Free NGO Services in Greece: The Official Listings
If you are an asylum seeker or a recognised refugee in Greece, a number of organisations offer services free of charge — legal aid, medical care, psychological support, shelter, meals, material aid and education. Finding them is not always obvious.
NGO Greece exists partly for this reason: our NGO directory catalogues organisations working across Greece, by sector, so you can see who does what and where. It is a good starting point, but it is not the only one. Below are the main official listings that map free services by area and by need — worth using alongside our catalogue.
UNHCR Help Greece
UNHCR’s Help Greece site has pages on applying for asylum, what happens after you apply, rights and obligations for both asylum seekers and recognised refugees, and access to healthcare, education and employment. It also lists helplines and refugee-led organisations. According to UNHCR, free legal aid is available in Athens, Thessaloniki, Samos, Chios, Kos and Leros; the site recommends calling first to check availability and working hours.
Refugee.Info
Refugee.Info lists both information and services by area. Content is available in English, Arabic, Urdu, French, Farsi, Somali and Ukrainian. The “Services” section shows public and NGO services in your part of Greece.
City guides and the lexicon
UNHCR, Refugee.Info and ACCMR publish city guides for Athens and Thessaloniki listing providers of free assistance. Note that the editions currently posted are from 2024, so it is worth confirming details directly. A multilingual mini-lexicon for basic communication is also available as a PDF.
One practical note
Under the current framework, organisations need to be listed on the Migration Ministry’s NGO Registry in order to carry out activities inside facilities managed by the Ministry. If you are unsure about an organisation, it is reasonable to ask whether it is registered.
Sources and further reading
- UNHCR Help Greece — help.unhcr.org/greece
- UNHCR Help Greece, Information Resources — seek-help/other-services
- UNHCR Help Greece, Free legal aid (Athens) — seek-help/free-legal-aid/athens
- Refugee.Info Greece — greece.refugee.info
- City Guide, Athens (2024 edition, PDF) — download
- City Guide, Thessaloniki (2024 edition, PDF) — download
