How the Golden Visa Application Actually Works, According to the Ministry

Most Golden Visa guidance available online is written by agents, law firms, or consultancies — useful, but once removed from the source. Greece's Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) publish the underlying procedure directly, and it's worth reading the primary version, because the exact requirements differ meaningfully by investment route.

The application itself

Applications for a residence permit for investment purposes are submitted through the Ministry's electronic services. A third-country national who meets the eligibility conditions may apply through a proxy before ever entering Greece, provided the power of attorney is executed before a Greek consular authority, a competent foreign authority, or a notary abroad bearing the Hague Apostille.

What the notarial certificate must show

For standard real estate purchases, the notary who drew up the transfer deed must issue a certificate confirming the identities of the contracting parties, the property details, the agreed price, the payment method, and full settlement of the amount — along with confirmation of any resolutory condition and whether the seller previously used the property for their own investor residence permit application.

For listed (heritage) building investments, the notarial deed must additionally reference the Government Gazette number that formally designates the property's protected status. For timeshare investments, the certificate must reference the operating licence granted by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO), given the minimum five-year tourist accommodation agreement required.

What the permit does — and doesn't — grant

The Ministry is explicit on two points that are sometimes glossed over elsewhere: investor residence permits do not establish any right of access to employment in Greece, and — for standard real estate and change-of-use investments — reselling the property during the permit's period of validity results in the simultaneous revocation of the seller's own residence permit. Any applicant considering an exit strategy should factor this into the underlying investment plan from the outset, not treat it as a later administrative detail.

Why the primary source matters

Requirements have changed materially in recent years — most recently through Joint Ministerial Decision 214926/2025 — and secondary guides can lag behind the Ministry's own published procedure. For an investment of this scale, checking the current requirements against migration.gov.gr and mitos.gov.gr directly, alongside professional advice, is a reasonable step before signing anything.