AFM costs and processing time

What an AFM actually involves before you look at timing

The AFM (Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) is Greece's tax identification number, issued by AADE. Before weighing how long it takes, it helps to know what the registration consists of, because that is what the timeline is measured against: a correctly scoped power of attorney where the applicant is abroad, an identity confirmation, a clean set of identity and address documents, and — for any foreign paperwork — certified Greek translations. When those elements are ready and internally consistent, the tax-office step itself is quick. Most of the elapsed time in a real case is spent getting the file complete, not waiting on AADE. ELLYTIC acts as an Independent Concierge that prepares and submits the file; we do not give legal or tax advice.

The realistic timeline — and what drives it

Through ELLYTIC's bundles, an AFM is typically issued within three business days once a complete file is in AADE's hands. The clock that matters most, though, starts earlier — when your documents arrive. Two things dominate how fast you reach a complete file: the certified translations of any foreign documents (delivered in one business day) and the scheduling of the identity-confirmation video call, which has to fit both your availability and the process window. A file that arrives with a passport in date, a matching proof of address, and consistent name spellings moves straight through. A file missing a translation or carrying a name mismatch loops back and adds days. For exact scope and what each service includes, see the pricing on the relevant money page rather than any figure quoted in prose.

Why translations sit on the critical path

Certified translations are the single element most likely to set the overall timeline, because AADE will not act on a foreign document until it arrives as a certified Greek translation. ELLYTIC's translations are produced by sworn translators and carry a qualified electronic signature (QES), accepted by every Greek authority with no further stamp, and are delivered in one business day. The hidden delay is apostille: where a foreign public document must first carry the Σφραγίδα της Χάγης, that stamp has to be obtained in the issuing country before translation — so we flag it at the very start of a case, not at submission, to keep it off the critical path.

The mistakes that add days to a simple case

Timelines slip for small, repeatable reasons: sending documents in batches instead of as one complete set, an expired passport scan, a proof of address in a slightly different name, or discovering an apostille requirement only at submission. Each of these turns a three-day registration into a multi-week exchange, because AADE reviews the file as a whole and one gap resets it. The reliable way to keep the timeline short is to get every element right and submitted together, which is exactly what the concierge process is built to enforce.

Which ELLYTIC service fits your situation

If you only need the tax number itself, the Starter Bundle covers the AFM registration end to end. If you also want a Greek bank account opened and your onboarding coordinated, the Full Service Bundle adds banking to the same file. When the task is purely document-driven — a certificate, a court decision or a power of attorney — you can order certified translations on their own. Each path leads to a clear, fixed-scope service you can compare and start whenever you are ready.

Frequently asked questions