Greece Finds Over Half of Asylum Seekers Claiming to Be Minors Are Adults
12th November 2025
Greece’s new age verification system found that the majority of asylum seekers are lying about their age, claiming to be minors, Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris said on Tuesday, November 12th.
Plevris stated that out of 104 cases reviewed since late August, 59 individuals were determined to be over 18. “The repercussions for those who filed a false statement are self-evident,” he said.
The new, stricter verification process requires age determination to be completed “once and on the same day” using three methods: a medical evaluation of physical development, a psychosocial assessment, and an X-ray of the applicant’s left wrist to assess skeletal maturity. Officials say the system is designed to prevent adults from posing as minors to gain preferential legal protections.