Power of Attorney for Greece from the U.S.: How to Handle Greek Inheritance Remotely

Most American heirs never set foot in Greece during the entire inheritance process. The tax filings, the notarial acceptance deed, the land registry registration — all of it can be handled by a Greek attorney operating under a properly executed Power of Attorney (Plirexousio). But "properly executed" carries specific requirements in Greek law, and a document that doesn't meet them will be rejected at the notary's office, sending you back to square one.

Two Ways to Execute the Plirexousio

Option 1: Greek Consulate in the United States. You can sign the power of attorney before a Greek consular officer at the nearest Greek Consulate or Consulate General. The consular officer acts as a notary under Greek law, so the document does not follow the U.S.-notary Apostille route. Confirm any translation and supporting-document requirements with the consulate.

Contact the consulate in advance to schedule an appointment and confirm what documents you need to bring (typically your passport, a copy of the Greek death certificate, and the property details), as well as the current notarial-services fee.

Option 2: U.S. Notary Public with Apostille. If a Greek Consulate isn't accessible, the power of attorney can be drafted by a Greek lawyer, signed before a local U.S. notary public, and then authenticated with a state-issued Apostille from the Secretary of State's office in the state where the notary operates. The apostilled document is then shipped to Greece and translated into Greek by a certified translator before your attorney can use it.

This route takes longer — Apostille processing time depends on the issuing state, and the additional translation and shipping steps add cost. But it works when geography makes a consulate visit impractical.

What the Plirexousio Must Cover

A generic power of attorney won't work. Greek notaries and the tax authority (AADE) require specific authorizations for each action the attorney will perform. Your power of attorney should explicitly authorize your Greek representative to:

• Obtain a Greek Tax Identification Number (AFM) on your behalf
• File the inheritance tax return through the myAADE digital portal
• Accept or renounce the inheritance before a notary
• Sign the notarial deed of acceptance (Apodohi Klironomias)
• Register the deed with the Land Registry (Ypothikofylakeio) or the Hellenic Cadastre (Ktimatologio)
• Access and close bank accounts held by the deceased
• Represent you before Greek courts if a will is being probated or a renunciation filed
• Act as your Tax Representative (Forologikos Antiprosopos) for ongoing property tax (ENFIA) purposes, or appoint one

If your power of attorney is missing any of these specific authorizations, the notary or registry office will reject the action — and you'll need to execute a supplementary or corrected document from the United States, losing weeks.

Choosing Your Greek Attorney

The person you authorize should be a licensed Greek attorney (Dikigoros) who is an active member of a regional Greek Law Association. For cross-border inheritance matters, look for attorneys with experience handling non-resident heirs — they'll know which tax office handles foreign residents, how to navigate the electronic filing portals, and how to coordinate the translation and authentication chain.

Your Greek attorney will typically charge a flat fee or a percentage of the estate value for managing the full inheritance process. Get the fee structure in writing before executing the power of attorney.

Important Limitations

A Greek power of attorney doesn't give your representative unlimited authority. It must be specific to the actions listed, and Greek notaries will refuse to proceed with any action not explicitly covered by the document. It also doesn't override the requirement for other heirs' participation — if there are multiple heirs, confirm each person's required appearance or authorization with the notary.

Ask the drafting lawyer how long the power of attorney remains effective and how it can be revoked. If the inheritance process stretches over several years (common with complex estates), confirm that the authorization still covers the listed actions.

For a full breakdown of the Greek inheritance process — from the 12-month tax filing deadline through the notarial acceptance — and how the power of attorney fits into each step, the American Dies in Greece — Family Emergency Guide maps out the complete workflow.