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Residency by Investment in Greece
A Structured Route to European Residency Through Greece
Greek residency offers access to the Schengen Area and long-term residency rights within the European Union. For internationally focused individuals and families, it can form part of a broader planning strategy centred on mobility, regional access, and long-term optionality.
The Citizenship360 Guides · No. 02
The Greece Golden Visa: The Complete Guide
The reference you keep open while you act: every route from EUR 250,000 to EUR 800,000, the property market tier by tier, the whole decade of costs, the process, tax, and the honest road to citizenship. Written by our founder. Figures verified July 2026.
Why Greece’s Golden Visa?
Your Gateway to Europe, Freedom, and Security
- Residency in Just 90–120 Days
- Investment from €400,000
- Full Family Residency: Includes spouse, children under 21, and parents
- Visa-Free Travel Across 27 Schengen Countries
- No Residency Requirement: Maintain your visa without living in Greece
- Path to Citizenship After 7 Years
- Potential for Investment ROI Through Greek Real Estate
Greece Golden Visa investment routes and thresholds in 2026
The investor residence permit sits in Article 100 of Law 5038/2023, the Greek Migration Code, as replaced by Article 64 of Law 5100/2024. That amendment ended the single €250,000 national threshold and introduced the tiered structure below, together with a 120 square metre minimum and a single property rule. Law 5275/2026, published on 6 February 2026, restructured the Code again and added a start-up route. Government figures on this page are stated exactly and were verified on 10 September 2026.
Professional costs vary with the property, the family and the route, so we publish honest ranges rather than a headline number and quote precisely once we know what you are buying. Our complete Greece Golden Visa guide works through every route, the full ten-year cost of ownership, and the mistakes that cost applicants their filing date.
Property at €800,000: the prime zone
€800,000 is the minimum across all of Attica, which includes Athens, Piraeus and the Athens Riviera, in the regional unit of Thessaloniki, on Mykonos and Santorini, and on any island with a registered population above 3,100. The threshold is the net property price: transfer tax and professional fees sit on top of it, not inside it. Storage rooms and parking spaces can count towards the qualifying value in defined circumstances.
Property at €400,000: the rest of Greece
€400,000 covers the rest of the mainland and the smaller islands. Both property tiers carry the same conditions: a single property, main areas of at least 120 square metres, and purchase funds that have travelled through the banking system. Only spouses or civil partners may combine funds on one property. Any other co-ownership requires each owner to meet the full threshold independently, which is the condition most comparison pages leave out.
Conversions and listed buildings at €250,000
A commercial building converted to residential use qualifies at €250,000 anywhere in Greece, including central Athens, and the 120 square metre minimum does not apply. The change of use must be legally completed before you file, although the seller may be the party who completes it. Listed buildings restored under heritage rules carry the same €250,000 threshold, with a resale lock until the restoration is finished and a €150,000 fine for breaching it.
The capital routes, without property
€500,000 buys eligibility through a capital contribution to a Greek company, a Greek-investing REIC, or a closed-end investment company or fund; through Greek government bonds with at least three years of residual maturity held via a Greek bank; or through a fixed-term deposit of at least one year with automatic renewal. €350,000 applies to units in mutual funds or closed-end alternative investment funds investing exclusively in Greece. Listed Greek shares and bonds sit at €800,000.
The start-up route, new for 2026
Law 5275/2026 added a €250,000 route into shares or equity in a Greek start-up registered on the Elevate Greece platform. It requires at least two new jobs created within the first year and maintained for five, and the investor may hold no more than 33 per cent of the equity or voting rights. The implementing detail is still settling, so we treat this route as promising rather than proven, and we will say so plainly if it is not yet the right vehicle for you.
Government fees and taxes
Property transfer tax is 3.09 per cent of the higher of price or objective value on resales, and on nearly all new builds for as long as the suspension of 24 per cent VAT holds; that suspension runs to 31 December 2026 under Law 5246/2025. Government application fees are €2,000 for the main applicant and €150 for a spouse, with nothing payable for minor children, plus €16 per residence card. Notary, independent legal, land registry and agency costs together typically add 6 to 10 per cent of the purchase price.
The rules that disqualify applications
Short-term letting on platforms such as Airbnb is prohibited for property acquired under the programme, although long-term letting is allowed and is how most investors generate income. The qualifying asset must be retained for as long as you want the permit, so selling it to a third party ends your status. Funds must be traceable through the banking system, and the investment must be a single asset rather than an assembled portfolio. These are the four conditions applications most often fail on.
What the permit gives you, and what it does not
This is a five-year Greek residence permit, renewable for as long as the investment is held, with no minimum stay in Greece. It allows visa-free movement in the Schengen Area for 90 days in any 180. It does not permit salaried employment in Greece, for which a different permit category is needed, and it does not make you an EU citizen. Greek citizenship requires seven years of actual residence plus language and integration requirements, which is a different life rather than a paperwork step.
One investment, three generations
Greece has the broadest family rules in Europe. A single qualifying investment covers the spouse or registered partner, including same-sex partners, children under 21, and the parents of both the investor and the spouse, with no age limit and no dependency test. No other mainstream European programme includes both sets of parents unconditionally. Children lose status at 21, softened by an independent three-year permit to age 24, so families with teenagers should plan the sequence rather than assume it.
How It Works
We handle everything from property sourcing to paperwork so you can focus on your future.
01
Download the Greece Golden Visa Guide
02
Book Your Free Consultation
03
Choose Your Investment Path (Property, Bonds, or Funds)
04
Submit Your Application & Get Approved (90–120 Days)
05
Secure Residency & Access Europe
Embark on Your Journey to European Residency Today
- Secure EU Residency for You & Your Family
- Visa-Free Travel Across 27 Schengen Countries
- Fast-Track Process — Approval in as Little as 90 Days
- Trusted by High-Net-Worth Individuals in 20+ Countries
50+
Countries Offering Citizenship & Residency Pathways
180+
Visa-Free Destinations with Top-Tier Passports
90+
Average Approval Rate for Professionally Guided Applications
60+
Percentage of HNW individuals that consider obtaining a second passport
Why Choose Citizenship360?
Secure Your Residency with a Global Financial Strategy
- Integrated Tax & Estate Planning for cross-border needs.
- Personalised Financial Strategies for long-term security.
- Seamless Introduction to Titan Wealth International financial advisers.
- Your Citizenship360 Adviser can join the meeting to ensure cohesive planning.
Invest Smart, Secure Residency, Build Your Future
- Access Prime Greek Properties aligned with Golden Visa requirements.
- Expert-Led Property Sourcing to maximise ROI and meet personal preferences.
- Seamless Introduction to real estate advisers, with your Citizenship360 Adviser present.
Make an Enquiry
For enquiries of any kind please click the button below and a member of the team will be in touch.
FAQ’s
Yes, you can apply from anywhere by signing a Power of Attorney. Citizenship360 manages the entire process for you, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.
No, you must retain ownership of your investment property to maintain your Golden Visa status. Selling the property would jeopardise your permit, but we can advise on long-term strategies tailored to your goals.
In many cases, residency for children under 21 can be extended until age 24. Alternatively, they may secure their own Golden Visa through an independent investment. We’ll help you decide the best approach.
The process now typically takes between 3 and 8 months due to decentralised processing centres, although many applications are approved within 3 to 6 months.
No, there is no requirement to reside in Greece to maintain your Golden Visa. This flexibility is ideal for global citizens, and we can tailor your plan to fit your lifestyle.
You can let your property on a long-term basis to generate income; however, short-term lettings such as Airbnb are prohibited. We can assist with developing a compliant rental strategy.
Greece’s economy has been on a steady recovery with rising property values. Citizenship360 guides you towards secure investments in stable regions to safeguard your capital.
Yes, dependent parents of both the investor and their spouse can be included in the application. We ensure all necessary documentation is handled smoothly.
It depends on where and what you buy. Property costs €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents, and €400,000 elsewhere in Greece. Commercial-to-residential conversions and restored listed buildings qualify at €250,000 anywhere. Capital routes run from €350,000 for qualifying Greek fund units to €500,000 for deposits, bonds and company contributions, and €800,000 for listed shares and bonds. A start-up route at €250,000 was added by Law 5275/2026.
Yes, but only through specific routes. Article 64 of Law 5100/2024 ended the general €250,000 property threshold. The figure survives for a commercial building converted to residential use, for a listed building restored under heritage rules, and, since Law 5275/2026, for a qualifying Greek start-up investment. Any page still advertising €250,000 for an ordinary apartment is out of date.
Property bought at the €800,000 or €400,000 thresholds must be a single property with main areas of at least 120 square metres. The rule was introduced by the 2024 amendment to exclude small units aimed at short-term rental. It does not apply to the €250,000 conversion and listed-building routes.
Only spouses or civil partners may combine funds on a single qualifying property. In any other co-ownership arrangement, each owner must meet the full threshold independently. This catches out siblings, business partners and parent-and-adult-child pairs more often than any other rule.
The government application fee is €2,000 for the main applicant and €150 for a spouse, with no fee for minor children, plus €16 for each residence card. Property transfer tax is 3.09 per cent of the higher of price or objective value. Notary, independent legal, land registry and agency costs vary with the transaction and typically add 6 to 10 per cent of the price in total. We quote professional fees only once we know the property and the family, and never as a headline figure.
Not as an employee. The investor permit does not authorise salaried employment in Greece; that requires a different permit category. It does not restrict you from owning or directing a Greek company, and it places no limit on work you do outside Greece.
Not directly, and not quickly. The permit is residence, not citizenship. Greek naturalisation requires seven years of actual residence in Greece, plus language and integration requirements. Holding the permit while living elsewhere builds no time towards citizenship. Anyone selling a Greek property as a route to an EU passport is misdescribing the programme.
One qualifying investment covers the spouse or registered partner, including same-sex partners, children under 21, and the parents of both the investor and the spouse, with no age limit and no dependency test. This three-generation reach is the broadest in Europe. Children lose status at 21 and may take an independent three-year permit to age 24, after which they need their own basis to stay.
Greece is a property programme with a residence permit attached; Portugal is now a fund programme with a citizenship timeline attached. Greece asks €250,000 to €800,000 and no minimum stay, but its citizenship route requires seven years of real residence. Portugal asks €500,000 into qualifying funds, no longer allows property, and requires roughly seven days a year while running a longer naturalisation clock under its May 2026 rules. See our Portugal Golden Visa page for the current thresholds.
The permit is issued for five years and is renewed for further five-year terms for as long as the qualifying investment is held in full. There is no minimum stay in Greece for renewal. Selling the qualifying asset, or dropping below the threshold, ends the entitlement for the investor and every dependant on the same application.