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Greece Golden Visa Programme

The Greece Golden Visa gives qualifying non-EU investors and eligible family members a renewable five-year residence permit. The programme is best known for its property route, but the required amount now depends on the property’s location and category. It remains attractive to families that want Greek residence without a full-time relocation requirement.

Programme summary

Main advantages

  • A renewable five-year residence permit from the first approval.
  • No minimum stay is required to maintain the investor residence permit.
  • Eligible parents as well as a spouse or partner and children can be included.
  • A valid permit supports short-stay travel across the Schengen Area.
  • Property investors can hold a tangible asset in Greece, subject to legal, tax and property-market risk.

Important limitations

  • The €250,000 property threshold is limited to qualifying change-of-use or listed-building restoration projects; it is not the general property threshold. A separate €250,000 start-up investment route also exists.
  • The €800,000 threshold applies in high-demand locations, including Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above the statutory population threshold; the standard threshold elsewhere is generally €400,000.
  • Qualifying Golden Visa property may not be used for short-term rental or subletting. Breaches can affect the permit and may attract penalties.
  • The investor permit does not grant access to salaried employment in Greece. Business ownership and passive income should be structured with Greek legal and tax advice.
  • A Golden Visa does not automatically lead to citizenship. Naturalisation requires actual residence, integration and all general legal conditions.
  • Property transfer taxes, notary, land-registry, legal, agent and residence-permit fees are additional to the investment amount.

Simple application process

  1. Select the route. Confirm eligibility and choose a property or other investment category that meets the current threshold and use restrictions.
  2. Set up in Greece. Obtain a Greek tax number, appoint the necessary professional representatives and arrange compliant banking and payment steps.
  3. Complete due diligence. Have a Greek lawyer check title, encumbrances, planning status, property use, seller records and the Golden Visa eligibility of the transaction.
  4. Complete and register the investment. Sign the required notarial documents, pay the transaction costs and register the acquisition or other qualifying investment.
  5. Apply and complete biometrics. File the residence application with insurance and supporting evidence, attend biometrics and maintain the qualifying investment for renewal.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Do I have to live in Greece to keep the Golden Visa?

    No minimum physical stay is required to maintain or renew the investor permit. However, days spent outside Greece do not build the actual residence normally needed for citizenship.

  2. Which property threshold applies?

    The general threshold is €800,000 in specified high-demand areas and €400,000 elsewhere. A €250,000 property route remains for qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restoration projects.

  3. Can my parents be included?

    Yes. The programme generally permits the parents of both the main applicant and the spouse, with no requirement to prove financial dependency, in addition to the spouse or qualifying partner and unmarried children under 21.

  4. Can I work in Greece with this permit?

    The Golden Visa investor permit does not provide access to salaried employment. An investor may be able to own a business or receive passive income, but professional advice is required.

  5. Can I rent out the Golden Visa property?

    Long-term letting may be possible, subject to the property and tax rules. Short-term rental and subletting of qualifying Golden Visa property are prohibited under the current framework.