Golden Visa Greece 2026
✦ Key Takeaways
- Three property thresholds apply in 2026: €800,000 in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with over 3,100 residents; €400,000 everywhere else in Greece; €250,000 only for conversions to residential use or listed buildings under restoration
- At the standard thresholds the investment must be in one property with at least 120 m² of main-use floor area — auxiliary spaces count toward the value, not the square metres
- In the conversion route, the change of use must be completed before the application; for listed buildings, full restoration is a condition of the first renewal
- For properties under the new regime, short-term rental is prohibited, with sanctions up to permit revocation and a €50,000 fine
- The permit requires no minimum-stay requirement and covers the spouse, unmarried children under 21, and the parents of both spouses
- Holding a Golden Visa does not automatically make you a Greek tax resident — that is assessed under separate criteria
Greece has operated its Golden Visa program since 2013. The rules changed substantially with Article 64 of Law 5100/2024 (Government Gazette A'49/05.04.2024), which amended Article 100 of Law 5038/2023 — the program's legal basis — while their application was detailed in Circular 9/25.09.2024, the clarifying Circular 1/21.04.2026 of the General Secretariat for Migration Policy, and Joint Ministerial Decision 214926/2025 (Government Gazette B'6014) on the required documents. This guide reflects the program as it stands today, based on those sources — along with the details that many other guides get wrong.
What is the Greek Golden Visa?
The Golden Visa is a residence-by-investment program: it grants non-EU/EEA nationals a renewable five-year residence permit — the B.5 permanent residence permit for investors — in exchange for a qualifying investment in Greece, most commonly in real estate. It does not require relocation: there is no minimum-stay obligation to keep it.
Why investors choose Greece
Greece remains attractive for a combination that fewer and fewer programs offer together: a genuine property route, no minimum-stay requirement, and a comparatively low entry point.
Holders can travel to the other Schengen states for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, under the applicable Schengen rules, and eligible family members can obtain separate residence permits without an additional qualifying investment. Because the investment can involve different property types — an apartment, an office, a warehouse, or a commercial space slated for conversion, depending on the category — investors with a commercial real estate background often find more flexibility here than in fund-only programs. Which property type actually makes investment sense per category is a separate discussion, which we cover in a companion guide.
Our take: the property route remains Greece's real competitive advantage. It combines a residence permit with ownership of a tangible asset, and offers distinct options depending on region, property type and investor profile.
Who qualifies
The main applicant must be an adult third-country national (non-EU/EEA/Swiss). Beyond that, eligibility is primarily a matter of properly documenting the investment:
- A completed investment at or above the applicable threshold, with the price paid through the legally prescribed banking channels
- A notarial certificate recording the parties, the property, the agreed price, the method of payment and the specific payment details
- A valid passport recognised for Schengen entry
- Health insurance covering Greece
There is no professional, educational or language requirement at the application stage — those only become relevant if you later pursue citizenship.
The three investment tiers, and where each applies
The 2026 structure sets three property thresholds based on location and investment type.
| Category | Minimum investment | Where it applies | Key rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | €800,000 | Attica region, Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos and Thira (Santorini) regional units, islands with over 3,100 residents | One property, minimum 120 m² of main-use floor area |
| Category 2 | €400,000 | Rest of Greece | One property, minimum 120 m² of main-use floor area |
| Category 3 | €250,000 | Anywhere in Greece — conversion to residential use or listed buildings only | One property, no size limit; specific completion terms per case |
Pay attention to how the square metres are counted: only main-use floor area counts toward the 120 m². Auxiliary spaces — storage rooms, parking spots — purchased in the same contract and located in the same building count toward the investment value, but not toward the surface area. The circular itself gives a telling example: a 118 m² residence in Attica worth €1,000,000, bought together with a 12 m² parking spot and an 8 m² storage room in the same contract, is rejected — the financial criterion is met, the 120 m² criterion is not.
The €250,000 category is narrower than the marketing suggests. It covers two cases with different terms. First, a property whose main-use spaces change use to residential — the change of use must be completed before the application is filed, must have taken place on or after 05.04.2024, and can be carried out by either the buyer or the seller. For industrial buildings there is an additional condition: no industry may have operated on the site for the past five years. If the conversion produces multiple residences, they all fall under the same €250,000 category — and the original investor keeps their eligibility as long as they retain one of the resulting apartments, worth at least €250,000. Second, a listed building under restoration or reconstruction — here the application can be filed before completion, but full restoration is a condition of the first renewal of the permit. Many properties advertised as "€250k Golden Visa eligible" do not actually meet these conditions — confirm eligibility in writing with a lawyer before committing funds. We cover the conversion route in full, including the planning checks and technical requirements, in a dedicated guide.
The legislation also regulates more specific cases, such as the purchase of unbuilt property (with or without construction), and the acquisition or continuation of the investment through parental gift or inheritance, each under its own conditions. Because the rules differ from a standard purchase, individual legal review is essential. Non-property routes through financial investments also exist, with separate thresholds and holding terms per case.
How much the Golden Visa costs
The investment amount is only part of the budget. Beyond the price, you need to account for taxes, notarial and land registry fees, legal and technical due diligence, any brokerage fee, translations and certifications of documents, and the fees of the permit itself. The final percentage depends materially on the transaction — whether the property is subject to VAT or transfer tax, the fees agreed with your advisors, and the number of family members.
| Cost item | Indicative amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic application fee | €2,000 per investor applicant | Family members pay their own prescribed fees |
| Property transfer tax | 3.09% of the taxable value | Where VAT does not apply |
| Notary fees | Per the statutory scale | Mandatory for the purchase deed |
| Land registry fees | Percentage of the value | Registration of the deed |
| Legal fees | Freely agreed | Due diligence, power of attorney, application |
| Health insurance | Annual premium | Required for all applicants |
Family members file separate applications and pay the prescribed fees per category. For the full picture of purchase costs, see our guides on total costs for buyers and property transfer tax — the permit-specific fees above come on top of those.
💡 Tip: get a written estimate of the total cost from your lawyer before committing funds. Mapping all ancillary costs early reduces the risk of delays caused by under-budgeting.
Application process, step by step
Most of the process can be handled remotely through a power of attorney. Physical presence is required for submitting biometric data.
- Choose your investment and engage a lawyer. Confirming eligibility before any commitment reduces the risk of a purchase that ultimately cannot support the application.
- Obtain a Greek tax number (AFM) and organise the banking trail of the funds. The AFM is practically indispensable for the purchase; depending on the transaction and the bank, a Greek bank account may also be needed.
- Complete legal and technical due diligence. Title, encumbrances, building permits and planning compliance — and, in the €250,000 category, confirmation that the change of use or listed status is properly documented.
- Sign the contract before a notary, with the price paid through the prescribed banking channels and the deed registered. For the initial permit, if registration is still pending, proof of the registration request or a corresponding lawyer's certificate suffices — the final proof of registration is submitted at renewal.
- File the application electronically. A filing certificate is issued, evidencing the lawful pendency of the application until a decision is reached.
- Provide biometric data within the prescribed window — this step cannot be delegated.
- Receive your five-year residence permit, renewable for as long as the investment is maintained.
In practice, total processing time varies considerably by filing office and file completeness — there is no reliable uniform timeline for the whole country, and market estimates of a few to several months should be read as indicative.
Required documents
The permit-specific documents are set by Joint Ministerial Decision 214926/2025 (Government Gazette B'6014/11.11.2025). The core file for a property purchase includes:
- A valid entry visa or residence title, as prescribed
- A certificate from the notary who drew up the deed, recording the parties, the property, the price and the method of payment
- Proof of registration of the deed — or, for the initial permit, proof of the registration request or a lawyer's certificate
- A private health insurance policy
- The €2,000 electronic fee
- A copy of the investor's property statement (E9)
- For family members: apostilled or consular-legalised civil status certificates with official Greek translation
Each family member files their own application and receives a separate permit. Name mismatches between documents and gaps in certifications or translations can cause delays and requests to supplement the file.
What's allowed — and prohibited — after you buy
Owning a Golden Visa property comes with important restrictions on how the property may be used.
For properties under the new regime of Law 5100/2024, short-term letting and subletting within the sharing economy — platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com — is prohibited. Violations carry sanctions up to revocation of the residence permit and an administrative fine of €50,000. The prohibition does not apply in the same way to investments completed under the previous or the transitional provisions — if you hold an older permit, the status of your own property needs separate legal confirmation. Long-term leasing is permitted in every case and does not affect the permit; for the tax side, see our guide on rental income tax in Greece.
Specifically, properties in the €250,000 change-of-use category may not be used as a company's registered office or branch.
Family reunification
One investment covers the main applicant, the spouse or registered partner, unmarried children under 21, and the parents of both spouses.
Two points clarified by Circular 1/21.04.2026 are worth knowing before you apply. First, where the property is co-owned in undivided shares by spouses or registered partners, the right of residence is granted to both through one investment — but the investor permit is issued to one of them, while the other receives a residence permit as a family member, since each investor permit must correspond to one investment. Second, if the investor dies, the surviving spouse can convert their permit into an investor permit only by acquiring the property in full; if part of it passes to other family members, a new qualifying investment is required if the heirs wish to join the program.
Children who turn 21 are entitled to a self-standing residence permit of a specific duration, under the detailed terms of the applicable legislation per age bracket.
Renewing the Golden Visa
The permit renews every five years for as long as the investment remains in the investor's ownership. For listed buildings, an additional condition of the first renewal is the completed full restoration or reconstruction of the building, documented by an engineer's technical report — regardless of the cause of any deterioration or collapse. For change-of-use properties under the new regime, renewal also requires a statutory declaration that the use remains residential, that the property does not operate as a business seat, and that it has not been let short-term.
Renewal also requires proof of continued ownership, valid health insurance, and updated documents for all members included on the permit.
Golden Visa and tax residency: a common misunderstanding
Holding a Greek residence permit does not automatically make you a Greek tax resident. Tax residency is assessed separately — primarily on the basis of presence exceeding 183 days, combined with the other criteria of the Greek Income Tax Code, such as habitual abode and centre of vital interests, and the applicable double taxation treaties. Non-residents are taxed only on Greek-source income — chiefly rental income, if the property is let long-term.
This distinction confuses more investors than almost anything else in the program. We cover it in full — along with the practical obligations of a foreign owner, from the AFM to the E9 — in a dedicated guide to the Golden Visa and Greek tax residency.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming any €250,000 property qualifies. The category covers only conversions to residential use and listed buildings, with specific completion terms — confirm eligibility in writing before committing funds.
- Overlooking the main-use floor-area requirement. The 120 m² counts main-use spaces only — a 118 m² residence with a storage room and parking is rejected, regardless of how high its purchase price is.
- Planning to Airbnb the property. For new-regime properties short-term rental is prohibited; if rental income matters to your plan, structure a long-term lease instead.
- Not completing the change of use before applying. In the conversion category, an application without a completed change of use is rejected — the time required for planning approvals and completion must be built into your schedule.
- Selling the property before completing the new investment. The order of steps determines whether the permit is retained or revoked.
- Skipping the planning and building compliance check. Unauthorised works and pending regularisations block the transaction — and, by extension, the application.
- Conflating residency with tax residency. The Golden Visa does not automatically create Greek tax obligations — but spending more than 183 days a year in Greece can.
- Filing incomplete family documentation. Gaps in apostilles, certifications and translations can cause delays and requests to supplement the file.
Conclusion
The Greek Golden Visa remains one of the more flexible residence-by-investment routes in Europe: a genuine property option, no minimum-stay requirement, and broad family coverage, now operating under a clearer framework following the implementing circulars of 2024 and 2026. The details that catch investors out — the narrow €250,000 category with its differing completion terms, the main-use floor-area limit, the short-term rental ban under the new regime, and the separation between residency and tax residency — are exactly the points worth confirming before you commit funds, not after.