For Pakistanis in Greece

Legal help in Pakistan for Pakistanis living in Greece.

Property, inheritance, family and child adoption matters in Pakistan, run from Lahore while you stay in Athens, Piraeus or Thessaloniki.

Short answer. Pakistanis living in Greece can instruct a Lahore firm on property, inheritance, family and child adoption matters in Pakistan without travelling. The power of attorney is signed through NADRA’s online system or at the Embassy of Pakistan, Athens — but not by local notary and apostille, because Greece objected to Pakistan’s accession to the Apostille Convention and it does not operate between the two countries.

Reviewed by Khalil Ahmad Bhullah, Founding Partner · Last reviewed 22 September 2026 · Pakistani law only

Time differenceLahore is 2–3 hours ahead
Documents from GreeceApostille not in force — mission route
Pakistani missionsAthens
Online power of attorneyYes, for CNIC, NICOP and POC holders
Matters

What Pakistanis in Greece bring us.

Greece objected in January 2023

The Apostille Convention does not operate between Greece and Pakistan. A Greek notary plus apostille will not do; sign at the Embassy in Athens or use NADRA’s online power of attorney.

Working abroad, property at home

Many clients in Greece have property in Pakistan held or managed by family while they work. Most disputes we see start with a general power of attorney given years ago. Replace it with a special one limited to one property and one act.

Property occupied or sold behind your back

Relatives, qabza groups, tenants in default, forged transfers. Special courts for overseas Pakistanis, the Illegal Dispossession Act and civil suits.

Power of attorney from Greece

Drafted narrowly for one property or one case, signed by the route that works from Greece. Revocation if one is being misused.

Inheritance and succession

NADRA succession certificates with biometric verification from Greece through the Pak ID app, inheritance mutation, and court cases when a share is withheld.

Divorce, khula and custody

Talaq notice, khula, maintenance and custody in Pakistan, with a straight note on how Greece treats Pakistani family orders.

Attestation

Documents from Greece.

The single most expensive mistake overseas clients make is paying for the wrong signing route.

A

No apostille between Greece and Pakistan

Greece lodged an objection to Pakistan’s accession to the Apostille Convention, so a local notary plus apostille is not an accepted route. Execute the power of attorney at the Embassy of Pakistan, Athens, or use NADRA’s online system and choose that mission.

B

NADRA’s online power of attorney

CNIC, NICOP and POC holders can apply at poa.nadra.gov.pk: upload the document, give biometrics for yourself and two witnesses, pay online, and take an online interview with the Pakistani mission you select. Foreign nationals with no Pakistani identity document must attend the mission.

C

Documents issued in Greece for use in Pakistan

A death certificate or court document from Greece needed in Pakistan goes through legalisation via the Pakistani mission, not an apostille. Ask the mission which local pre-certification it requires first.

Children

Child guardianship and adoption.

A

Pakistan has guardianship, not adoption

Pakistani Family Courts appoint guardians under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890; they do not make adoption orders. We file and argue the guardianship petition in Pakistan. Read the full guide.

B

Ask Greece first

Whether a child under a Pakistani guardianship order can join you, and whether you can later adopt, is decided by the Greek adoption authorities. Get that answer before a petition is filed in Pakistan; starting in the wrong order can damage the application at home.

Time zones

Working with Lahore from Greece.

  • In Athens, a 10:00 AM Lahore hearing is 7:00 AM outside daylight saving and 8:00 AM during it. Our office day, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM in Lahore, runs 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM (7:00 AM to 4:00 PM in daylight saving). Pakistan does not change its clocks, so the gap moves when yours do.
  • WhatsApp is read Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pakistan time. A message sent after hours is answered the next business morning in Lahore.
FAQ

Questions from Pakistanis in Greece.

Does a power of attorney signed in Greece need an apostille for Pakistan?

Greece lodged an objection to Pakistan’s accession to the Apostille Convention, so a local notary plus apostille is not an accepted route. Execute the power of attorney at the Embassy of Pakistan, Athens, or use NADRA’s online system and choose that mission.

What time can I talk to a lawyer in Lahore from Athens?

In Athens, a 10:00 AM Lahore hearing is 7:00 AM outside daylight saving and 8:00 AM during it. Our office day, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM in Lahore, runs 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM (7:00 AM to 4:00 PM in daylight saving). Pakistan does not change its clocks, so the gap moves when yours do. We book calls in the overlap.

Can you recover my property in Pakistan while I stay in Greece?

Usually, yes. With a power of attorney signed from Greece, we file in Punjab’s special court for overseas Pakistanis’ property, under the Illegal Dispossession Act, 2005, or by civil suit, depending on the facts, and appear at the hearings. A court can require your attendance or evidence by video link at a particular stage.

Will Greece recognise a Pakistani divorce or guardianship order?

That is decided under the law of Greece, not Pakistani law. For a child, ask the Greek adoption authorities before anything is filed in Pakistan. For a divorce, take local family-law advice. We make the Pakistani process correct and properly documented so it has the best chance of being accepted.

Discuss Your Matter

Living in Greece? Tell us the district in Pakistan and send the papers.