Financial Support Program for People with Visual Disabilities

1. Have been assessed by the competent health committee as having visual impairment with a disability rate of at least 80%.
2. Do not receive from any domestic or foreign body financial support for blindness equal to or greater than the cash allowance provided under Law 958/1979. If they receive a smaller amount, they are paid the difference.
3. Reside lawfully and permanently in Greece and, in addition to Greek citizens, are citizens of an EU or EEA Member State or a country covered by the European Convention ratified by Legislative Decree 4017/1959 (Government Gazette A’ 246);

are recognised refugees whose status is governed by the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Legislative Decree 3989/1959, Government Gazette A’ 201), as amended by the 1967 New York Protocol (Emergency Law 389/1968, Government Gazette A’ 125); or

are third-country nationals who are family members of a Greek or EU citizen; or d) are beneficiaries of international protection; or

hold a lawful residence permit for humanitarian reasons; or

are repatriated expatriates, whether or not they have been deprived of Greek citizenship, provided they meet the requirements of Law 958/1979.

Supporting documents:

•  Uninsured unemployed applicants: Uninsured unemployed applicants up to 68 years of age must also declare in the statutory declaration under Article 8 of Law 1599/1986 that they are uninsured and unemployed.
• Lawyers who demonstrably practise law, including trainee lawyers: certificate of registration with the Bar Association, or a statutory declaration stating that they practise as a lawyer, their registration number, Bar Association and registration period.
• Graduates of higher education institutions who practise their profession in accordance with their degree:

  Employees:

A certified copy of the degree and a certificate from the service or employer confirming that they work as professionals in the field of their degree and are insured, and/or an employment contract.

   Self-employed professionals:

A certified copy of the degree and a document proving insurance with the relevant insurance body, plus proof of commencement of business activity from the tax office (printout from TAXISnet).

• Directly insured unemployed persons:

A certificate from their insurance body confirming that it covers them only for healthcare, or another document proving that they stopped working.

• Pensioners: A certificate or decision from the pension body.

• Pensioners who are lawyers practising their profession:

Lawyers must provide a certificate of registration with the Bar Association of the competent Court of First Instance or a statutory declaration stating that they practise their profession, their registration number, Bar Association and registration period.

• Pensioners who are university or technological-sector graduates practising their profession in accordance with their degree:

Employees:

– A certified copy of the degree and a certificate from the service or employer confirming that they work as professionals in the field of their degree and are insured, and/or an employment contract.

Self-employed professionals:

– A certified copy of the degree, a document proving insurance with the relevant insurance body, and proof of commencement of business activity from the tax office (TAXISnet printout).

• Decision granting another financial support benefit due to disability

Status

a. Greek citizens. An identity card must be submitted.

b. Citizens of European Union (EU) Member States. An EU citizen registration certificate must be submitted.

c. Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and countries covered by the European Convention ratified by Legislative Decree 4017/1959 (Government Gazette A’ 246). A valid residence permit must be submitted.

d. Recognised refugees permanently residing in Greece whose status is governed by the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Legislative Decree 3989/1959, Government Gazette A’ 201), as amended by the 1967 New York Protocol (Emergency Law 389/1968, Government Gazette A’ 125). A recognised refugee residence permit must be submitted.

e. Third-country nationals who are family members of a Greek or EU citizen. A valid residence permit as a family member of a Greek or EU citizen must be submitted.

f. Third-country nationals who are beneficiaries of subsidiary protection. A residence permit for a beneficiary of subsidiary protection must be submitted.

g. Third-country nationals who have been granted residence status for humanitarian reasons. A residence permit for humanitarian reasons must be submitted.

  Legal framework

1. Legislative Decree 162/1973 (Government Gazette A’ 227) on measures to protect older people and people with chronic illnesses.
2. Article 4 of Law 4520/2018 (Government Gazette A’ 30/2018) on the transformation of the Agricultural Insurance Organisation into OPEKA and other provisions.
3. Article 22 of Law 2646/1998 (Government Gazette A’ 236) on the development of the National Social Care System and other provisions.
4. Article 6 of Law 3863/2010 (Government Gazette A’ 115/15-07-2010) on the new social security system and related provisions and employment relations.
5. Article 46 of Law 4025/2011 (Government Gazette A’ 228/02-11-2011) on the reorganisation of social solidarity bodies, rehabilitation centres, restructuring of the National Health System and other provisions.
6. Article 21(3) of Law 4251/2014 (Government Gazette A’ 80).
7. Article 23 of Law 4488/2017 (Government Gazette A’ 137).
8. Article 8 of Law 4331/2015 (Government Gazette A’ 69).
9. Law 4961/2022 (Government Gazette A’ 146/27-07-2022) on emerging information and communications technologies, strengthening digital governance and other provisions (Articles 102–112).
10. Article 69 of Law 4997/2022 (Government Gazette A’ 219/25-11-2022) on rationalising social security and pension legislation, supporting vulnerable social groups and other provisions.
11. Law 5043/2023 (Government Gazette A’ 91/13-04-2023) on local government organisations, companion animal welfare, public-sector staffing, Ministry of Interior provisions and other urgent provisions (Article 95).
12. Joint Ministerial Decision D12a/G.P.oik.68856/2202 (Government Gazette B’ 5855/28-12-2018) assigning OPEKA responsibility for cash welfare benefits for people with disabilities, housing assistance and benefits for expatriate refugees, and setting the administrative process, terms and conditions.
13. Joint Ministerial Decision D29/2013 (D29a/F.32/G.P.oik.10804/528/2013, Government Gazette B’ 1189) amending the financial support programme for people with disabilities.
14. Joint Ministerial Decision P3a/F.18/G.P.oik.63731/09-05-2008 (Government Gazette B’ 931) of the Ministers of Economy and Finance and Health and Social Solidarity on increasing welfare benefits paid to people with disabilities.
15. Law 958/1979 (Government Gazette A’ 191) replacing Articles 1, 2 and 5 of Law 1904/1951 on the protection and rehabilitation of blind people.
16. Joint Ministerial Decision 1480/1981 (Government Gazette B’ 457) setting the terms and conditions for the cash allowance for blind people under Law 958/1979.
17. Joint Ministerial Decision oik.1273/1986 (Government Gazette B’ 856) on documents required to process citizens’ cases with the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Social Security.
18. Joint Ministerial Decision D12a/G.P.oik.53204 (Government Gazette B’ 2886/2022) including blind graduates of Technological Educational Institutes (TEI) in the university-level scientists category.
19. Governor’s Decision No. 330 (Government Gazette B’ 4758/2022) aligning disability-related legal requirements for awarding cash welfare benefits to people with disabilities with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).