Divorce goes digital in Greece

In an effort to reduce bureaucracy in Greece, the government has begun moving more of its services online in order for citizens to save time and reduce red tape.

Greece’s Digital Governance Ministry announced it will launch new applications in the coming weeks that will digitize, among others, consensual divorce, christening certificates, property transfers and telepsychiatry services.

Filing for divorce online is not new in other parts of the world.  But for the first time in Greece, two consenting parties, through an attorney, will now be allowed to electronically dissolve their marriage within 10 days, saving time and paperwork.

On property transfers, notaries will have access to a digital real estate transfer file with the consent of the interested parties, from where they will draw all the required certificates from the state’s information systems.

Next week, another digital application will enable citizens to have access to the trial register in real-time.

Documents for the christening of a child and its name registry will be provided online.

As part of the efforts to transform medicine, free teleconsulting on mental health issues will be offered through a specific online platform.

Finally, setting up a sole proprietorship company will require only one step, cutting down on bureaucracy and supporting business people.

The move is part of Greece's initiative to go green and to reduce time and waste.

With information from ekathimerini.com