Greece Golden Visa 2026: Investment Routes, Requirements & Process

Real estate is the most commonly used route, but the programme also accepts several non-property investment types. The table below sets out the current options, reported thresholds, key restrictions, and governing legal references. For a detailed look at the real estate route specifically, see Greece Golden Visa by Real Estate Investment.

Thresholds are set by law and may change. Verify current requirements before any investment or application decision.

The Greece Golden Visa real estate thresholds were restructured under Law 5038/2023 and Law 5100/2024. The practical summary for an investor evaluating the programme today:

• A tiered threshold system replaced the single EUR 250,000 threshold that applied before the reform.
• The EUR 800,000 threshold applies in designated high-demand areas: Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and Greek islands with more than 3,100 residents.
• The EUR 400,000 standard threshold covers all other areas.
• The EUR 250,000 entry point is now limited to specific property types: change-of-use conversions (commercial premises, offices, or hotels repurposed to residential use) and restoration of listed heritage buildings. These properties are available across Greece, including in Athens, but supply is limited. An investor entering at EUR 250,000 needs to work with an adviser who can identify qualifying stock — standard residential listings do not apply.
• New investments in applicable categories are subject to a minimum property area requirement.
• Short-term sublease restrictions apply to new investments in applicable categories (see the rental section below).

These changes reflect a Greek government objective to channel investment away from pressurised residential markets. General residential property in Athens or Thessaloniki now requires a minimum EUR 800,000 commitment.

Buying remotely and property management: Most Golden Visa real estate buyers purchase from abroad. The practical risks — developer reliability, completion timelines, property management after handover — are real, and the consequences of a poor property decision extend well beyond the permit itself. Engaging a local independent legal adviser (separate from the developer's recommended lawyer) and a property management firm before committing to purchase materially reduces that exposure. My Golden Visa works with investors through the property selection and due-diligence process; contact the team if you want to discuss specific options.

Long-term rental is permitted; Airbnb is restricted for new investments under the restructured 2024 rules.

Long-term rental: Properties acquired through the Golden Visa programme can generally be let on long-term residential leases. For investors who want the asset to produce income, the standard Greek residential market is the relevant context: rental demand in Athens, Thessaloniki, and major tourist areas is driven by an undersupplied domestic and expat market. Gross yield depends on property type, location, and management quality. A property manager or estate agent with a rental track record in the target area can give a realistic income picture before purchase — that is a conversation to have during due diligence, not after handover.

Short-term rental restrictions: New investments in applicable real estate categories under the restructured thresholds are subject to restrictions on short-term sublease. Properties in those categories may not be listed on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb during the qualifying investment period. This restriction is set in law. Confirm the short-term-rental status of any specific property and investment category with a qualified legal adviser before purchase.

The Greece Golden Visa is open to non-EU nationals who:

• Are 18 years of age or older.
• Have a clean criminal record.
• Demonstrate a legitimate source of funds for the qualifying investment.
• Hold private health insurance covering Greece (or arrange equivalent cover upon entry).
• Meet the qualifying investment threshold for their chosen route.

Russian and Belarusian nationals face additional eligibility considerations arising from current EU-level measures. Individuals in this position should seek legal advice before commencing any application process.

The Greece Golden Visa extends to the investor's eligible family members, who receive residence permits under the investor's application rather than as separate applicants.

Eligible family members include:

• The investor's spouse or registered partner (as recognised under applicable Greek law).
• The investor's unmarried children under 21 years of age.
• The investor's unmarried children between 21 and 24 who are enrolled in full-time higher education.
• The parents of the investor and the parents of the investor's spouse or registered partner.

Each family member's permit is linked to the investor's qualifying investment. Confirm the precise scope of family inclusion, and the documentary requirements for each category, with an authorised immigration adviser before submitting an application.

The Greece Golden Visa residence permit is issued for five years. It can be renewed for further five-year periods, provided:

• The qualifying investment is still held and maintained at the required level.
• All legal conditions for the permit remain satisfied.
• The renewal application is submitted within the applicable window.

There is no minimum number of days the investor must spend in Greece to maintain or renew the permit.

On resale: Selling or otherwise disposing of the qualifying property ends the basis on which the permit was issued. A disposal during an active permit period would mean the qualifying investment is no longer maintained — a condition of renewal. Investors who plan to sell at some point should structure any disposal around the renewal cycle and take legal advice on timing and implications. Some investors use the EUR 250,000 change-of-use route at entry and later transition to a different qualifying investment — but that strategy requires advance planning — take legal advice before doing anything.

Work Rights

The Greece Golden Visa does not grant the right to work in Greece. The permit does not authorise the holder to work as an employee, freelancer, self-employed professional, or sole trader, or to act as an executive manager of a Greek company.

Non-executive shareholder rights in a Greek company may be possible under specific legal structures, but this requires tailored legal advice.

Investors who want to work remotely for a non-Greek employer while physically residing in Greece must obtain a separate Digital Nomad Permit under Article 18 of the applicable immigration law — a distinct permit with its own application process. The precise boundary between remote work for a non-Greek business and activity that requires a separate permit is a legal question an immigration adviser should confirm for your specific situation before you make any arrangements.

Physical Residence Requirement

There is no minimum-stay requirement to maintain or renew the Greece Golden Visa. Holders are not required to live in Greece to keep the permit active.

Investors who want to pursue naturalisation as a Greek citizen in the future must demonstrate continuous legal residence with physical presence of at least 183 days per year throughout the required seven-year period. That is a substantially higher bar than permit renewal — see the naturalisation section below.

The two programmes investors most often compare are Greece and Portugal. Both offer EU residence through investment; both cover family members; both allow Schengen Area travel. The structural differences are worth understanding before committing to either.

The Greece Golden Visa imposes no minimum time in the country to keep the permit active. An investor who spends no time in Greece can still renew the permit every five years, provided the investment is maintained. The Portugal Golden Visa requires a short minimum physical presence each year — the specific current requirement should be confirmed with a Portugal adviser, as the programme has been adjusted over time.

On investment thresholds, Greece's 2024 restructuring has raised the standard entry point significantly. An investor who arrived expecting a EUR 250,000 Athens residential entry will find that path no longer exists in that form — the EUR 800,000 tier now applies to Athens. The EUR 250,000 route survives only for change-of-use and listed-building properties that require active sourcing. Portugal's accessible investment routes have also been restructured, moving primarily toward fund-based investment rather than direct real estate.

Processing pace and application experience differ between the two programmes and depend on individual circumstances as much as the programmes themselves.

The right choice depends on the investor's priorities: the level of required physical presence, the preferred investment type and hold structure, family situation, and longer-term intentions around residency and eventual citizenship. For a direct comparison of Greece, Portugal, and other European options, see the Golden Visas Guide. My Golden Visa works across both programmes and can give a case-specific view of which fits your situation — contact the team to discuss.

The core documented benefits are residence, Schengen travel access, flexibility, and family coverage — each with a specific scope.

Greek residence allows the holder and eligible family members to live in an EU member state. Schengen Area access covers short stays across the zone under the standard 90-days-in-any-180-day-period rule; it is a useful travel benefit, but one that operates under Schengen rules that can change. The absence of a minimum stay requirement suits investors who maintain their primary life and business elsewhere and want Greek residence as a long-term option rather than a fixed base. Eligible family members are covered under the investor's permit without needing to join a separate programme.

Access to Greek public services — healthcare, education — applies to those who actually reside in Greece, subject to applicable rules.

Each of these benefits is documented in the official sources cited throughout this guide and remains subject to changes in applicable Greek, EU, or Schengen rules after the review date below. For the full picture of what the programme delivers, see Greece Golden Visa Benefits and the Greece Golden Visa changes overview.

A significant number of investor enquiries conflate three legally distinct statuses. The confusion is understandable — programmes are often marketed in ways that blur the lines. Keeping them separate helps investors set accurate expectations.

1. Greek Residence (Golden Visa)

A Greek residence permit obtained through qualifying investment. Renewable every five years. No minimum-stay requirement for renewal. Does not create tax residence. Does not create a right to work. Does not lead automatically to citizenship.

2. Greek Tax Residence

A separate legal status determined by Greek tax law. The primary test under Article 4 of the Income Tax Code is whether the individual spends more than 183 days in Greece in a given tax year. Meeting this threshold — or other criteria under Article 4 — makes the individual a Greek tax resident, obliged to declare and pay Greek tax on worldwide income. Holding a Golden Visa does not by itself create Greek tax residence, nor does it prevent it.

Greece also administers special tax regimes under Articles 5A, 5B, and 5C of the Income Tax Code, which may apply to individuals who become Greek tax residents under certain conditions. These regimes are complex, eligibility-dependent, and require advice from a qualified Greek tax adviser. They are not automatic benefits of the Golden Visa.

3. Greek Naturalisation (Citizenship)

A separate administrative process governed by Greek nationality law and administered by the Ministry of Interior. The Golden Visa does not include or guarantee a citizenship outcome. Investors who want to apply for Greek citizenship in the future must:

• Have maintained continuous legal residence in Greece for at least seven years.
• Have spent at least 183 days per year physically present in Greece throughout that period.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Greek language and integration into Greek society.
• Meet criminal-record, tax-compliance, and other eligibility conditions at the time of application.
• Pass a citizenship examination covering Greek history, culture, and language.

Naturalisation is assessed case by case. Meeting the residence threshold does not guarantee an approved application. Investors should not plan on citizenship as a defined outcome of holding the Golden Visa.

Greece is one of the more accessible EU residence-by-investment programmes in terms of permit structure, but the investment decision itself — which route, which property type, which area — is where most investors need qualified guidance. The EUR 250,000 converted-property path requires knowing where qualifying stock exists; the EUR 800,000 Athens tier demands a purchase that makes long-term financial sense beyond the permit alone; the choice between Greece and Portugal depends on your specific presence requirements, investment preference, and family situation.

My Golden Visa advises investors on the Greece Golden Visa programme and other EU residence options. If you want a clear view of which route fits your position — not the generic headline — contact the team.