Published: 27.01.2026
In January 2026, the Greek government submitted a bill to parliament proposing tougher penalties for migrant smuggling, including possible life sentences. It also warned of the possible expulsion of migrants convicted of offenses and criminalization of assistance to irregular migrants by people with regular status.
This is a legislative proposal, so the measures should not be treated as fully effective until adoption and entry into force are confirmed. If enacted, the proposals would increase risks for smugglers, intermediaries, and people assisting those without regular status, but would not directly change standard legal residence procedures. For an ordinary visa or residence applicant, the relevance is indirect; it matters more to people in irregular migration situations and potential intermediaries. According to source [5], the proposal is mainly important for those operating outside official migration channels.