Free legal help for asylum-seekers in Greece (2026): where to turn

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October 1, 2026October 1, 2026
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Asylum in Greece is a complicated legal process, and since 12 June 2026 it runs under the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which UNHCR says brings new procedural demands and makes early legal advice more important than ever. At the same time, free legal help has shrunk sharply because of funding cuts. This guide explains what free help still exists, who to contact and what to prepare.

Key points

All the services listed here are free. Never pay anyone who promises a faster or guaranteed asylum decision.
If your application is rejected at first instance, you are entitled to a free lawyer for the appeal through the state legal aid scheme.
NGO capacity is limited. Contact an organisation as early as you can, and well before any deadline written on your documents.
Services change often. Always check with the organisation before travelling to an office.

Latest situation (October 2026)

Two recent developments affect anyone seeking asylum or legal help right now:

Problems registering new asylum applications. The Greek Council for Refugees reported in July 2026 that after the EU Pact took effect on 12 June, the Asylum Service largely stopped registering applications. People who arrived after that date, or whose registration was due after it, could not enter the asylum procedure, and some were held in reception facilities or faced prosecution for irregular stay. If you are in this situation, contact a legal aid organisation straight away and keep any document that shows you tried to apply.
The new state “free legal counselling” scheme is disputed. A Joint Ministerial Decision published on 30 June 2026 sets out free legal counselling under the Pact, but it links lawyers’ pay to whether the person leaves Greece voluntarily and allows ministry staff to attend sessions. The Greek National Commission for Human Rights asked for these provisions to be withdrawn, and the Plenary of Greek Bar Associations said it would not take part unless the decision is amended. Reports in July said the Ministry was reconsidering it. Until this is resolved, independent NGO lawyers remain the safest source of confidential advice.

We will update this section as the situation changes.

1. Free state legal aid for appeals

Under EU and Greek law, if your asylum application is rejected at first instance, you have the right to free legal aid to challenge that decision. The lawyers come from a legal aid register kept by the Asylum Service. Ask for a lawyer as soon as you receive a negative decision: appeal deadlines are short and run from the day you are notified, so check the date on your decision straight away.

2. UNHCR’s legal assistance programme (with GCR and METAdrasi)

UNHCR runs Greece’s main NGO-delivered legal aid programme together with two partners, the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) and METAdrasi. According to UNHCR’s June 2026 factsheet, the programme offers:

counselling on the asylum procedure, including your rights and obligations, and help with lodging an application;
interpretation where needed;
legal representation for people in the most vulnerable situations, such as detainees, children, survivors of violence against women and children, and family reunification cases;
strategic court cases at national, regional and international level that aim to fix problems affecting many asylum-seekers.

Where it works

The factsheet lists in-person services in Athens and in the Closed Controlled Access Centres on Samos, Kos and Chios, plus remote support. However, the same document reports that coverage in northern Greece was withdrawn by the end of 2025, that island services ended in April 2026, and that specialised help for family reunification, statelessness and detainees stopped in the second half of 2025, with only limited resources left for targeted cases. In practice, contact GCR or METAdrasi first to confirm what is available where you are.

Why it is harder to get help now

UNHCR says the programme helped more than 4,700 refugees and asylum-seekers in 2024. After funding cuts of more than 50%, that fell to 2,050 people in 2025, and the programme expects to reach about 400 people in 2026. UNHCR puts the programme’s prioritised needs for 2026 at $640,000 and says a further $1.4 million would let it restore family reunification support, expand coverage and offer free legal help to detainees, reaching around 2,000 more people.

3. How to contact the main organisations

Greek Council for Refugees (GCR): the GCR Helpline page explains how to reach the organisation, with instructions in Greek, English, Kurmanji, Arabic, Dari, Sorani and Pashto, and a free legal aid leaflet in English, French, Arabic and Farsi. Email: gcr1@gcr.gr.
METAdrasi: its legal aid department supports asylum-seekers with registration, interviews and Dublin family reunification, working with trained interpreters. General contact: info@metadrasi.org, +30 214 100 8700.
Refugee.Info: greece.refugee.info has up-to-date information and a map of NGO and public services across Greece in several languages. You can message the team through Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
UNHCR Help Greece: help.unhcr.org/greece covers the asylum procedure, your rights, helplines and city guides for Athens and Thessaloniki.

4. Other organisations offering free legal help

Several independent organisations also provide free legal advice or representation. Availability varies by location and over time, so check their websites first.

Equal Legal Aid: a women-led non-profit based in northern Greece, with specific experience supporting survivors of gender-based violence through the asylum procedure.
Equal Rights Beyond Borders: free legal aid and representation throughout the asylum procedure, including appeals, detention cases and Dublin family reunification with relatives in other EU countries.
HIAS Greece: legal information sessions, consultation and representation for asylum-seekers and refugees, alongside mental health support.
Refugee Legal Support: free, confidential legal advice for people who want to claim asylum, have claimed asylum or have been granted protection in Greece, including family reunification.
Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid: legal aid and representation combined with case management and mental health support, based in Athens with a presence on Lesvos.
Safe Passage International – Greece: legal and social support for refugee children who want to join family members elsewhere in the EU or the UK.
Defence for Children International – Greece: legal counselling and representation for children and young people on the move, including family reunification.

5. What to prepare before you contact a lawyer

your asylum-seeker card or registration documents and your case number;
any decision or letter you have received, and the date you received it;
the date of your interview, if you have one;
any documents or evidence that support your claim;
for family reunification: names, locations and documents of your family members;
the language you are most comfortable speaking, so an interpreter can be arranged.

6. Protect yourself from fraud

UNHCR and its partners never charge for their services. If someone asks you for money in exchange for help with your asylum case, report it through UNHCR Greece’s fraud reporting page.

Information checked on 1 October 2026. Funding and services change quickly; please confirm details with each organisation. This article is general information, not legal advice.

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