Questions about residence in Greece.
Find clear answers to common questions about the Greek Golden Visa, other residence options, family, documents, renewals and living in Greece.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Golden Visa
What is the Greek Golden Visa?
The Greek Golden Visa is an investor residence framework for qualifying third-country nationals. The investor permit is a Greek residence permit, generally valid for five years and renewable while the applicable legal conditions continue. It is not EU citizenship or EU permanent-resident status.
Who can apply for the Greek Golden Visa?
The programme is open to non-EU/EEA nationals aged 18 or over who make a qualifying investment that meets the applicable conditions. Eligibility is assessed individually, and nationality alone does not change the legal conditions. Every application is subject to standard eligibility and due-diligence checks.
Which investment routes may qualify?
Qualifying routes include real estate, plus statutory business-investment and financial-investment categories with their own minimums and conditions. An amount alone does not create an automatic entitlement. Which route suits you depends on your circumstances and should be confirmed against the current rules.
Is €250,000 the minimum investment for every Golden Visa property?
No. The €250K route applies only to specific qualifying cases defined by the applicable legal framework. Other property investments may be subject to different thresholds, including €400K or €800K, depending on the location and type of qualifying investment. The exact conditions should be checked against the current rules before proceeding.
What is the difference between the €250K, €400K and €800K property routes?
€250,000 is a special statutory route for specific qualifying property categories. The standard property thresholds are €800,000 or €400,000, depending on the legally defined area of the property. The exact area and conditions should be checked against the current rules before you commit.
Can I apply without living in Greece full time?
Yes. The standard investor residence permit has no minimum-stay requirement, so you do not need to live in Greece full time, provided the qualifying investment and the other legal conditions continue to be met. Time spent outside Greece may matter for other purposes, such as tax residence or later naturalisation. This applies to the Golden Visa investor permit only, not to other routes or to citizenship.
Can my spouse and family members be included?
Yes. The Golden Visa framework allows certain family members to be included with the main investor, each receiving their own residence permit. Who qualifies, and under which conditions such as age limits, is set by current law and confirmed in your eligibility review.
Can I buy any property and qualify?
No. Value is only one part of eligibility. Geography, property characteristics, ownership structure, use restrictions and other statutory conditions may also be relevant, so eligibility is confirmed for the specific asset and transaction rather than assumed from the property type.
Can I apply remotely or do I need to be in Greece?
Official procedures allow specified investor residence applications to be submitted through a properly executed power of attorney, and consultation and document preparation can usually be coordinated remotely. Biometrics are provided in person in Greece, and bank account opening and identity verification remain subject to each institution’s requirements.
What are the main steps in the Golden Visa process?
In order: consultation and eligibility review, selecting the investment, obtaining a Greek tax number and bank account, signing the purchase or investment contract, submitting the application, biometrics, and residence card issuance. Timing and requirements vary by case.
What documents are typically required?
Typically a valid passport, proof of funds, a criminal record certificate, health insurance and proof of the qualifying investment, plus certified translations and apostilles where required. The exact list depends on your route and personal circumstances.
Are biometrics required?
Yes. Applicants, including family members who are applying, provide biometric data in person in Greece as part of the process. It is usually the main trip the process requires, on an appointment set by the authorities.
How does Golden Visa renewal work?
The permit must be renewed periodically, and renewal depends on the qualifying investment and the other legal conditions still being met. Renewal intervals, documents and fees are set by current rules and should be confirmed well before the due date.
Does the Golden Visa allow me to work in Greece?
The investor residence permit does not itself establish a right of access to employment. Anyone whose objective includes work or business activity should assess the relevant legal route and activity separately, based on the current rules.
Can the Golden Visa lead to citizenship?
A Golden Visa residence permit is not citizenship and does not automatically result in Greek citizenship. Citizenship is governed by separate legal requirements and should be assessed independently, based on the rules in force and your circumstances.
Family & Mobility
Which family members may be included?
Generally the spouse or partner, qualifying children and parents, subject to the conditions in current law. The precise definition of each category, and the supporting documents, are confirmed in your eligibility review.
Can dependent children be included?
Current investor-family rules cover qualifying unmarried children under the statutory under-21 framework, subject to the applicable family and custody conditions. Current law also provides an autonomous three-year residence permit when a qualifying child reaches 21, subject to statutory conditions.
Can parents be included?
The Golden Visa framework has provisions for the parents of the main investor and spouse, subject to the conditions in current law. Eligibility and the required documents should be confirmed in your eligibility review.
Can family members travel within the Schengen Area?
A residence permit allows short stays in the Schengen Area under the standard rules (90 days in any 180-day period). Schengen mobility is separate from Greek residence rights and from employment rights; the permit does not give unlimited EU residence or work rights.
Do family members need to live in Greece?
Whether the no-minimum-stay position for the investor permit also applies to each family member’s permit should be confirmed under the current rules. Please check the Knowledge Center or ask our team before assuming the same terms apply.
What happens to family residence rights at renewal?
Family members’ permits depend on the main investor’s qualifying status, so changes to the investment can affect them. Renewal conditions and documents for each family member are set by current rules and should be confirmed in advance.
Process & Documents
How do I start the process?
Start with an eligibility review: your route, family members and documents are confirmed before any investment is made. You can check your eligibility online or speak with our team to arrange a consultation.
What documents will I need?
Typically a valid passport, proof of funds, a criminal record certificate, health insurance and proof of the qualifying investment, plus certified translations and apostilles where required. Your document checklist is confirmed during the eligibility review.
Do foreign documents need legalization or apostille?
Often yes. Documents issued abroad generally need to be apostilled or legalised so that Greek authorities accept them, depending on the issuing country. The exact requirement for each document is confirmed during document preparation.
Will I need translations?
Documents not in Greek generally need certified translations. Which documents and what form of certification are required depends on the document and the authority, and is confirmed in your checklist.
When are biometrics completed?
Biometrics are completed in person after the application has been submitted, on an appointment set by the authorities. The visit is coordinated with you in advance.
How long does the process take?
No single timeline applies to every case, and no universal end-to-end figure should be promised. Timing varies with the route, the transaction, document readiness, biometrics and authority processing, and any official processing figure applies only to the stage it describes.
What government or professional fees may apply?
Fees depend on the route, the investment and the professionals involved, and government fees are set by current rules. A written breakdown should be confirmed before you commit, and no figure should be assumed from older sources.
Other Residence Options
What if the Golden Visa is not the right route for me?
Greece has other residence routes, such as the Digital Nomad and Financially Independent Person routes, with different requirements and rights. Our Residence Permits guide compares the main options, and our team can help you work out which fits your situation.
What is the Digital Nomad residence route?
It is designed for qualifying third-country nationals who work remotely using information and communications technology for employers or clients located outside Greece, under the statutory conditions. It is not a general Greek employment permit. Income and documentation requirements are route-specific and should be confirmed from current official sources.
Who may qualify as a Financially Independent Person?
The FIP route is a distinct residence route for applicants who can show sufficient stable resources under its own legal requirements; it is separate from the Digital Nomad and Golden Visa routes. Exact current income and documentation requirements should be confirmed from current official sources rather than copied from another route.
How do the main residence options differ?
Routes differ in what qualifies you (an investment, remote-work income or independent means), the documents required, and the rights and obligations attached. Our comparison sets out the main options; the exact conditions of each must be confirmed against the current rules.
Can I switch between residence routes?
Whether and how you can move from one route to another depends on the permit type, your circumstances and current law. We do not give a general answer here; ask for a case review before assuming a switch is possible.
Which route is suitable if I do not want to make a qualifying investment?
Routes that do not require a qualifying investment, such as the Digital Nomad or FIP routes, may be worth assessing depending on your income and circumstances. Their requirements are route-specific, so read the relevant guide before deciding.
Renewal & Long-Term Residence
How often must a residence permit be renewed?
Renewal intervals depend on the permit type and current rules. Check the validity period on your permit and confirm the official requirements and procedure well before the due date.
What conditions must continue to be met at renewal?
In general, the qualifying investment and the other legal conditions that applied to the original permit must still be met, and the required documents provided again. The exact conditions are set by current rules for your route.
What happens if I sell or change the qualifying investment?
The residence permit depends on maintaining a qualifying investment and the other legal conditions, so a sale or change should be planned with legal advice before it happens.
Does residence automatically lead to citizenship?
No. Naturalisation is a separate legal process under the Greek Citizenship Code, with its own lawful-residence and other statutory requirements. A Golden Visa does not automatically convert into citizenship after a fixed period, and no timeline can be promised.
What is the difference between residence, permanent residence and citizenship?
The Golden Visa is a Greek investor residence permit, generally valid for five years and renewable while the conditions continue; it is not EU permanent-resident status. Other EU statuses and citizenship have separate legal requirements. Whether and when you may qualify for either depends on current law and your circumstances.
Living in Greece
Do I need to move to Greece permanently?
Not necessarily. Whether you must be present in Greece depends on your route: the Golden Visa investor permit has no minimum-stay requirement, but other routes may have different conditions. Time spent abroad may also matter for tax residence.
Where do Golden Visa holders commonly choose to live?
It varies with lifestyle, family and work. Common choices include Athens, the Athens Riviera, Thessaloniki and the islands. Our Life in Greece guide describes the main areas from a residence perspective.
Can my children attend school in Greece?
Residence in Greece generally opens the way to Greek and international schools, but each school sets its own admission requirements and availability. Check with the schools you are considering.
What should I know before relocating to Greece?
Plan the practicalities: housing, a tax number, banking, healthcare, schooling and the tax-residency consequences of where you spend your time. Tax residency is separate from residence-permit status and should be assessed with a qualified adviser.
Where can I find more practical information about living in Greece?
See our Life in Greece guide and the Living in Greece section of the Knowledge Center for practical guidance on relocating and day-to-day life.
General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, thresholds and procedures change and depend on individual circumstances; check the current official rules before acting.
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