More than half of asylum seekers who claimed to be minors under Greece’s new verification system have been found to be adults, the country’s migration minister said on Tuesday, marking the first results of a stricter framework introduced this summer.
Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris announced that, out of 104 cases reviewed since the new procedures began in late August, 59 individuals were determined to be over 18. “The repercussions for those who filed a false statement are self-evident,” Plevris said.
The new system, jointly implemented by the migration and health ministries, requires age verification to be completed “once and on the same day” through three methods: a medical evaluation of physical development, a psychosocial assessment by a specialist, and an X-ray of the applicant’s left wrist to determine skeletal maturity. In cases where results differ, the X-ray prevails.
The testing is carried out only with the written consent of the applicant or their legal representative. However, refusal to participate is treated as evidence of adulthood, though it does not prevent the asylum claim from being reviewed. Officials say the changes are intended to reduce abuse of the system by adult migrants who claim to be minors in order to access preferential treatment and legal protections.
The new procedures form part of a wider tightening of Greece’s migration policy, launched earlier this year as the government seeks to curb illegal sea crossings and streamline asylum processing.
In July, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a temporary suspension of asylum applications for migrants arriving by boat from North Africa, citing national security concerns and increased arrivals on Crete and the nearby island of Gavdos. “The Greek government has decided to inform the European Commission that it is proceeding with the suspension of asylum application examinations for three months for those arriving in Greece from North Africa by sea,” Mitsotakis told parliament. He added that those entering the country illegally “will be arrested and detained.”
Two weeks later, the Coast Guard intercepted 247 migrants off Crete and Gavdos and transferred them to detention centers in Lavrio. One person reportedly died in hospital from injuries sustained during the crossing. Plevris said on X that the group “do not have the right to apply for asylum and they will not be taken to reception centers,” adding that deportation procedures had already begun.
In August, the government unveiled plans to fit rejected asylum applicants with electronic ankle bracelets to track their movements during the 30-day period before deportation, a measure the ministry says will ensure removals are carried out more efficiently.
Then, in October, the government announced cuts of nearly 30 percent to asylum-related spending, reducing annual funding from €400 million to €288 million. Rent subsidies for refugees will be phased out, direct cash payments halved, and funding redirected toward job training and Greek-language instruction.
“Those granted asylum in the future will no longer live on permanent subsidies, but will be integrated into society through work,” Plevris said, describing the reforms as both a deterrent to illegal migration and a shift toward self-sufficiency.
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