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Investor residence · GreeceGreeceEUSchengen

Golden visa Greece

From €3,50030–60 working days

Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.

Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case.

  • Eligibility review
  • Application file
  • Filing and follow-up
Minimum investment
€400,000Checked onsourcesecondary source
Processing time
Not publishedNo statutory deadline for investor files (excluded from the 90-day rule of Law 5275/2026); filing certificate gives lawful stay meanwhile.Checked on
Years to citizenship
7 yearsChecked onsourcesecondary source

For non-EU founders and investors who can hold Greek property, fund units, a bank deposit or company capital for the whole permit term, and who want spouse, children under 21 and both sets of parents on one file.

Check your eligibility

Since Law 5100/2024 the property threshold depends on the municipality, so the first thing we check is the address, not the price. Then we assemble the file and submit it to the Greek migration authority.

Updated

Programme open, rules changed

ChangedResidence permit for investors (Golden Visa, real estate and alternative routes)

Updated

What the last two laws changed

Law 5100/2024 raised real estate thresholds (applied to new applications from late 2024 after a transition) and banned short-term rental of qualifying property. Law 5275/2026 (in force 6 Feb 2026) ended backdating of the 5-year term. A separate announced increase of the property transfer tax to 15% for non-EU buyers (from 1 Jul 2027) is not yet law.

Greece to Quintuple Property Transfer Tax to 15% for Non-EU Buyers

The higher thresholds apply to new applications. Our reference publishes no separate rule for renewing a permit granted on the old €250,000 residential threshold, so we check that case against your permit before we file a renewal.

Other open routes

  • GreeceTech visa for startup employees (Elevate Greece, permit category Z.13A)
  • GreeceEU long-term resident status
  • GreeceNaturalisation
  • GreeceFamily reunification of third-country nationals

Dated list of changesCompare with other European golden visas

Greece golden visa in figures

GreeceEUSchengen

Minimum investment
€400,000Checked onsourcesecondary source
Processing time
Not publishedNo statutory deadline for investor files (excluded from the 90-day rule of Law 5275/2026); filing certificate gives lawful stay meanwhile.Checked on
Permit validity
5 yearsChecked onsourcesecondary source
Family included
YesChecked onsourcesecondary source
Years to citizenship
7 yearsChecked onsourcesecondary source
Sources behind each figure

How it works now

Greek golden visa requirements after 2024

A residential purchase needs €800,000 in Attica, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands of over 3,100 inhabitants, and €400,000 elsewhere. Both routes require a property of at least 120 sq m.

Which property counts for a new application

The €250,000 figure still quoted in older articles now covers only two cases: converting a commercial building to residential use, or restoring a listed building. A standard flat bought for €250,000 no longer qualifies, whatever the purchase date on the listing.

Size is a separate test from price. On the €800,000 and €400,000 routes the flat must have at least 120 sq m, so a property that clears the price can still fail on floor area; we take that figure from the title deed, not from the sales listing.

Routes without property, and what they suit

Three routes skip real estate: €350,000 in a qualifying Greek fund, a €500,000 fixed-term deposit with a Greek bank, or €500,000 of capital in a Greek company. The company route is the one most founders ask about, because the money works in their own business instead of sitting in a flat.

A startup route of €250,000 in companies registered with Elevate Greece, with a stake of no more than 33% and job-creation conditions, is reported by secondary sources. Its implementing details are not confirmed from the primary legal text, so we do not file on it until they are.

Greece has no founder-type startup visa. Its 2026 tech visa covers employees of registered startups, not the people who own them.

Card term since 6 February 2026

Law 5275/2026 ended backdating: the five years now run from the day the residence card is issued, not from the filing date. The permit renews for the same term while you keep the investment, and no minimum number of days in Greece is required to hold it.

Waiting for the decision

Investor files are excluded from the 90-day decision rule of Law 5275/2026, so there is no statutory deadline to quote. The filing certificate you receive on submission gives lawful stay in Greece while the file is pending.

Who the Greek golden visa does not suit

  • Buyers who plan to earn from short-term, Airbnb-type letting: golden visa property may be let long-term only, and sub-letting is also barred.
  • Anyone who needs to sell the asset within the permit term: renewal depends on holding the investment.
  • Founders who expect a passport from the investment: Greece has no citizenship-by-investment programme.
  • Buyers counting on the old €250,000 residential route for a standard flat.

Our part of the work

We check the address against the area threshold and the floor area against the 120 sq m rule, prepare the application for every family member and file it. Our part takes 30–60 working days; the authority’s part has no published deadline.

What you getEUSchengen

What the Greek investor permit gives the family

  • YesA Greek residence card, usable for travel across the Schengen areaChecked on
  • YesSpouse or partner, children under 21 and the parents of both spouses on the same applicationChecked onHellenic Law Firm
  • 5 yearsFive-year card, renewed for the same term while the investment is heldChecked onHellenic Law Firm
  • 7 yearsNaturalisation after 7 years of actual residence, through the general route rather than the investmentChecked onGlobal Citizen SolutionsRoute to Greek citizenship

Requirements

Who can apply for the Greek golden visa

The main applicant must be a non-EU national who has completed a qualifying investment; each family member is checked against the circle set by the programme.

Main applicant

Minimum investment€400,000Checked onsourcesecondary source

  • Non-EU national
  • Investment completed on one route: property, fund units, bank deposit or company capital
  • Residential property of at least 120 sq m, if the property route is used
  • Investment held for as long as the permit is to be renewed
Reasons files are refused

Family members on the same file

Family includedYesChecked onsourcesecondary source

  • Spouse or registered partner
  • Children under 21
  • Parents of the applicant and of the spouse

Floor area

On the €800,000 and €400,000 routes, a property under 120 sq m does not qualify whatever its price.

Time in Greece

No minimum stay is needed to keep the permit. Naturalisation, by contrast, counts actual residence.

Letting the property

A long-term lease is allowed. Listing the flat on a short-term rental platform breaches the programme rules.

Who this is not for

  • EU citizens, who already have free movement
  • Families whose eldest child turns 21 before filing and who expect that child on the investor file
  • Buyers whose property is below the threshold for its municipality

What we verify first

Two facts decide which threshold applies and whether the property counts: its municipality and its floor area. Both are cheap to check before purchase and impossible to change after it, so we confirm them in writing before you sign.

Cost

Greece golden visa cost by family size

Our fee starts at €3,500 for the whole family file; the government fee for investor permits is not published in our reference, so no total is shown.

Who appliesOur fee fromGovernment feeTotal
Single applicant€3,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.
Couple€3,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.
Couple with two children€3,500Not publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.
Who appliesOur fee fromGovernment feeTotal
Single applicantNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.
CoupleNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.
Couple with two childrenNot publishedNot publishedNot publishedNo total: the government fee for this permit is not in our reference.

Renewal falls due when the card term ends:5 yearsChecked onsecondary source

Government fees are paid separately at cost and are listed below with their source.

Government fees are paid to the Greek state at cost and are never part of our fee.

The €250,000 to €800,000 investment is an asset you keep, not a cost; property due diligence is quoted separately.Investment routes

Buying in Greece for residence?

Send the address and floor area before you sign; we reply in writing, usually within one business day.

From €3,50030–60 working days

Check your eligibility

Process

How long the Greek golden visa takes, step by step

Six steps. Our part takes 30–60 working days; the decision has no statutory deadline.

  1. 01We

    Threshold check

    We check the address against the area thresholds and the floor area against the 120 sq m rule, or the fund, deposit or company route.

    Written note on the route and threshold

  2. 02You

    Investment

    You complete the purchase or the fund, deposit or capital transfer.

    Contract or bank statement

  3. 03You

    Civil documents

    You order criminal record and civil status certificates; we tell you which need an apostille and a translation.

    Complete document set

  4. 04We

    Filing

    We prepare an application for each family member and file the set with the migration authority.

    Filing certificate with lawful stay

  5. 05You

    Biometrics

    Applicants attend the biometrics appointment in Greece in person.

    Fingerprints and photo taken

  6. 06Greek authority

    Decision

    The authority reviews the file and issues the cards; the five-year term starts on issue.

    Residence card per family member

    You receive

    • Filing certificate for each applicant
    • Copy of the full filed application
    • Residence card for each family member after the decision
Our part
30–60 working days
AuthorityGreek migration authority
Not publishedNo statutory deadline for investor files (excluded from the 90-day rule of Law 5275/2026); filing certificate gives lawful stay meanwhile.Checked on

Renewal

We file the renewal before the card expires, with proof that the investment is still held.

5 yearsChecked onsecondary source

Check your eligibilityDocuments you will need

Refusals

Why Greek golden visa applications are refused

Five problems, each checkable before money moves; the right column says how we close it.

Checked on

Why it failsHow it is closed before filingFigure it depends on
Property priced for the wrong area, for example €400,000 in AtticaWe map the address to its municipality and apply the €800,000 or €400,000 threshold before the reservation.€400,000Checked onsecondary sourceGreek Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide Under Laws 5100/2024 and 5275/2026
Property under 120 sq m on the €400,000 or €800,000 routeWe read the floor area from the title deed, not from the sales listing.€400,000Checked onsecondary sourceGreek Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide Under Laws 5100/2024 and 5275/2026
Standard flat bought on the old €250,000 thresholdWe confirm that the €250,000 route is a conversion or a listed-building restoration before you commit.€400,000Checked onsecondary sourceGreek Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide Under Laws 5100/2024 and 5275/2026
Child aged 21 or over, or a relative outside the family circleWe check ages on the filing date and suggest a separate permit route for anyone outside the circle.YesChecked onsecondary sourceGreek Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide Under Laws 5100/2024 and 5275/2026
Startup investment filed on an unconfirmed routeWe use the €500,000 company capital route until the €250,000 startup route is confirmed in the primary legal text.Not published

What can end the permit later

  • Selling the investment before renewal removes the basis for the next five-year term.5 yearsChecked onsecondary source
  • Short-term or sub-letting of the qualifying property breaches the programme rules.

Citizenship

From golden visa to Greek citizenship

The investor permit has no citizenship route of its own; general naturalisation asks for 7 years of lawful continuous residence.

  1. Permit validity5 yearsChecked onsourcesecondary source
  2. Years to permanent residence5 yearsChecked onsource
  3. Years to citizenship7 yearsChecked onsourcesecondary source
  • Seven years of lawful continuous residence in Greece, counted as actual residence
  • Greek language at B1 level and the civics exam (PEGP)
  • Clean criminal record
  • Sufficient income
  • EU long-term resident status is available earlier, after five years of uninterrupted legal residence
  • Greece has no citizenship-by-investment programme: holding the investment alone never leads to a passport.
Citizenship rules:Greek Citizenship: Requirements and How to Qualify in 2026

Changes

Is the Greek golden visa still available? Changes by date

Updated

Residence permit for investors (Golden Visa, real estate and alternative routes)Changed

DateChangeScopeSource
ReformGovernment announced a rise of property transfer tax for non-EU individual buyers from 3% to 15% from 1 Jul 2027 (announcement only, no bill yet).For your file:An announcement only, with no bill yet: a non-EU buyer completing after 1 July 2027 could pay 15% transfer tax instead of 3%. We note the completion date in every property file.All of GreeceIMI Daily
TransitionEnd of the MiCA transitional regime at the latest; unauthorised crypto-asset service providers may no longer operate.All of GreeceEuropean Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
ReformLaw 5275/2026 in force: single permit reform, EU Blue Card validity 3 years, tech visa for startup employees, digital nomads must apply for a type D visa before entry, golden visa 5-year term runs from card issuance.For your file:Your five-year card term starts on the day the card is issued, not on the day we file.All of GreeceHellenic Law Firm
ReformHCMC Decision 8/1059 sets the MiCA CASP authorisation procedure under Law 5193/2025.All of GreeceTsamichas Law Firm
ReformNew small-business VAT exemption scheme (EUR 10,000 domestic threshold) applied from 1 Jan 2025.All of GreeceEuropean Commission
ReformLaw 5100/2024: golden visa property thresholds raised to EUR 800,000 / 400,000 (EUR 250,000 kept only for conversions and restorations); short-term rental of golden visa property banned; Pillar Two minimum tax transposed.For your file:A standard flat for €250,000 no longer qualifies; check the area threshold and short-term letting ban before buying.All of GreecePwC Worldwide Tax Summaries

Check your eligibilityHow we track changes

Documents

Documents for the Greek golden visa

Who issues each document and whether it needs an apostille and a Greek translation.

Checked on

DocumentIssued byApostilleGreek translationWho handles it
Main applicant
Valid passportYour country of citizenshipNoNoYou provide
Criminal record certificatePolice or justice ministry of your country of residenceYesYesYou provide
Proof of investment: purchase contract, fund statement, deposit or capital certificateGreek notary, fund manager or bankNoNoWe prepare
Health insurance cover valid in GreeceInsurerNoNoYou provide
Application forms for every family memberMigration authority templateNoNoWe prepare
Spouse, children and parents
Marriage or partnership certificateCivil registryYesYesYou provide
Birth certificates of children under 21Civil registryYesYesYou provide
Birth certificate linking each parent to the applicant or spouseCivil registryYesYesYou provide

Tell us your citizenship and family members; we send the document list for your case.Get a quote

Request

Check your Greek golden visa case

Tell us the route, the property area if you have one, and who is on the file. The answer comes in writing with our fee and the document list.

Privacy Policy

Your details are used only to answer this request and are not shared.

We usually reply within one business day.

Legal disclaimer

The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.

Legal disclaimer

Questions

Greece golden visa: questions

The figure first, then the condition behind it.

Status

Is the Greece golden visa still open in 2026?

Yes, with higher thresholds. Law 5100/2024 raised the residential figures to €800,000 and €400,000 by area from September 2024, and Law 5275/2026 changed when the five-year term starts. Programmes elsewhere in Europe have closed; Greece has not.

Cost

How much does the Greek golden visa cost besides the investment?

Our fee starts at €3,500 for the family file and our part takes 30–60 working days. Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case. Government fees and property due diligence are separate.

Rules

Can I get a Greek golden visa for €250,000?

Only for a commercial-to-residential conversion or a listed-building restoration. A standard flat at that price stopped qualifying for new applications.

Do I have to live in Greece to keep the permit?

No minimum stay applies to the permit itself. Citizenship is different: naturalisation counts 7 years of actual, lawful residence, plus a B1 Greek language and civics exam, so a permit held from abroad does not add up to a passport.

Sources

Where the figures come from

Each threshold and term above links back to one of these documents, with the date we last checked it.

3Sources
DocumentPublisherKindChecked
Secondary sources
Greek Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide Under Laws 5100/2024 and 5275/2026Hellenic Law FirmSecondary sourcessecondary sourceChecked on
Greek Citizenship: Requirements and How to Qualify in 2026Global Citizen SolutionsSecondary sourcessecondary sourceChecked on
Greek Startup Golden Visa 2026goldenvisas.grSecondary sourcessecondary sourceChecked on
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Golden Visa Greece: 2026 Thresholds and Filing | Clearfile