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Golden Visa Greece
The Greece Golden Visa is the residence route for families who want their European base to be something they can walk into. It remains the only programme among the four we advise on where a property purchase still qualifies, and it extends residence to three generations of a family under a single investment. Since 2024 the thresholds have been redrawn by region, and in February 2026 Law 5275/2026 added a start-up route and tightened how investments are documented. The programme is more selective than it was, and more rewarding for investors who prepare with care.
Vázquez & Barba structures your Greek residency alongside local counsel in Athens, reviewing the property, the title, the zoning and the permit file as one decision. We present a single vetted project at a time, to a select group of families ready to act, rather than a catalogue of listings.
Why families choose the Greece Golden Visa
- No minimum stay: the permit is maintained whether you spend a week in Greece or none at all.
- A five-year residence permit, renewable for successive five-year periods while the investment is held.
- Three generations on one file: spouse or partner, children under 21 and the parents of both spouses.
- Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area.
- A tangible asset in one of Europe’s most desired destinations, held in your family’s name.
- Access to Greek schools, universities and healthcare for your family.
- A path to Greek citizenship for those who, in time, choose to make Greece their home.
- Holding the permit does not, by itself, make you a Greek tax resident.
Greece Golden Visa investment options in 2026
The framework set by Law 5100/2024 links the investment threshold to where the property sits. The investment must be a single property, and the minimum amount cannot be reached by combining several smaller ones.
Real estate in high-demand areas: €800,000
A single residential property of at least 120 square metres in Attica, including Athens and the Riviera, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants. The choice of families who want a primary European home in the capital or on the islands that define Greece.
Real estate in the rest of Greece: €400,000
A single residential property of at least 120 square metres anywhere outside the high-demand areas: the Peloponnese, Crete outside its main hubs, Halkidiki, Corfu and much of mainland Greece. Often the most balanced route between capital commitment and quality of life.
Conversion or restoration: €250,000
The purchase of a building that is converted from commercial to residential use, with the conversion completed before the application, or the restoration of a listed building, anywhere in the country and with no minimum surface. The lowest real-estate threshold in the European Union, and the route behind the project we currently present to clients.
Innovative start-up: €250,000
Introduced by Law 5275/2026, an investment of €250,000 in a company registered on the Elevate Greece national start-up platform. Suited to entrepreneurs and technology investors who prefer to align residency with Greece’s growing innovation ecosystem rather than with property.
Other capital routes
Greek law also recognizes investments of €350,000 in Greek real-estate investment companies or alternative investment funds, and €500,000 in Greek government bonds, listed shares or term deposits with a Greek bank. We assess these routes case by case.
A vetted project, currently available
We do not broadcast listings. Our team identifies, audits and presents one qualified project at a time, reviewed for title, licensing, zoning and Golden Visa eligibility before it reaches a client. The current project qualifies under the €250,000 conversion route and is available to a limited number of families. Details are shared privately, after a first conversation.
Who can apply for the Golden Visa in Greece
Nationals of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who are at least 18 years old, hold a clean criminal record and health insurance valid in Greece, and make the qualifying investment with funds of documented, lawful origin.
Family members included
- Spouse or registered partner.
- Children under 21 of the investor and of the spouse.
- Parents of the investor and parents of the spouse.
Each family member receives an individual residence card valid for the same period as the investor’s.
How the Greece Golden Visa process works
Strategy and eligibility
We confirm eligibility, compare the four routes against your objectives and issue a written plan covering the investment, the family, the calendar and the tax position.
Greek tax number and bank account
We obtain your Greek tax number and open a Greek bank account in your name, both through power of attorney, with no travel required at this stage.
Due diligence and purchase
Our lawyers audit the title, the building permits, the land registry and any encumbrances before a deposit is paid. The purchase is signed before a notary and registered in the Hellenic Cadastre, with payment made by bank transfer from your account.
Application and biometrics
The application is filed with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. You and your family visit Greece once for biometrics and receive a filing certificate that confirms lawful residence while the application is processed.
Residence cards, renewals and the long term
The five-year residence cards are issued to each family member, with validity counted from the date of issue. We keep your renewal calendar and your compliance file, and we plan the next steps with you: renewal, long-term residence and, for families who settle in Greece, citizenship.
Greece Golden Visa costs and timeline
Beyond the investment, budget for the government fee of €2,000 for the main applicant and €150 for each adult family member, plus €16 per residence card. A property purchase also carries transfer tax of 3.09% of the taxable value, notary and land-registry fees, and legal fees for due diligence and the application. Processing time from filing to card is typically four to twelve months, depending on the region and the season.
Short-term rentals: what Greek law now prohibits
Properties acquired for a Golden Visa may not be let through short-term rental platforms. Breaches carry fines and the revocation of the permit. Long-term leases remain permitted, which allows the property to generate income while it secures your family’s residence.
Golden Visa and taxes: residency is not tax residency
Holding a Greek Golden Visa does not make you a Greek tax resident. Families who remain below 183 days a year keep their foreign income outside the Greek tax net, with Greek taxes applying to Greek-source income such as rent. Greece also offers an alternative taxation regime for new residents with significant foreign income, which our international tax team evaluates when a family decides to move its centre of life. Each family has its own mosaic of income and assets; the tax decision follows the design.
Permanent residence and Greek citizenship
The Golden Visa can be renewed indefinitely while the investment is held. Families who live in Greece may apply for long-term EU resident status after five years of actual residence. Citizenship by naturalization requires seven years of actual residence in Greece, Greek at B1 level and the naturalization examination on Greek history, culture and institutions.
Greece or Portugal: how the two compare
Greece is the programme for families who want the home itself to be the investment and no stay obligation at all. Portugal, our flagship programme, is the choice for families who prioritize a structured path to one of the world’s strongest passports with about a week a year of presence. Several of our clients hold both.
Frequently asked questions about the Greece Golden Visa
What is the minimum investment for the Greece Golden Visa in 2026?
€250,000, through the conversion of a commercial building to residential use, the restoration of a listed building, or an Elevate Greece start-up. A standard residential purchase requires €400,000 in most regions and €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands.
Do I need to live in Greece to keep the Golden Visa?
No. There is no minimum stay. The permit is maintained as long as the investment is held.
Can I rent out my Golden Visa property?
Yes, on a long-term lease. Short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb are prohibited for Golden Visa properties.
Can my parents be included?
Yes. The parents of the investor and the parents of the spouse can be included on the same application.
Can I work in Greece with a Golden Visa?
The permit does not grant the right to employment. It does allow you to hold shares, invest and serve as a non-executive director of a Greek company.
How long until Greek citizenship?
Seven years of actual residence in Greece, with Greek at B1 level and the naturalization examination. Holding the permit without living in Greece does not count towards citizenship.
Can I sell the property?
Yes. Selling to another non-EU buyer can transfer the Golden Visa eligibility to the buyer, while your own permit ends unless you reinvest. We plan this with you in advance.
Your Mediterranean chapter, planned with care
The families who work with Vázquez & Barba are not buying a property; they are building a European future for their children and their parents. Tell us about your family and your objectives, and we will tell you, in writing, whether Greece is the right route and what it will take.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Content reflects Law 5100/2024 and Law 5275/2026. For informational purposes only.
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