To qualify for the Greek Golden Visa program, investors must comply with specific legal requirements. The law defines the payment structure, the type of asset acquired, the minimum investment value, the duration, and other key conditions. Importantly, all eligible investments must be carried out in Greece to secure residency.
Your Golden Visa investment in Greece must meet specific criteria and the investment process requires certain specific steps.
Simply buying a property for €250,000 or placing a €500,000 term deposit is not enough to secure the Greek Golden Visa. The program requires investors to follow a strict step-by-step process to validate their investment. For real estate, only specific eligible properties qualify, and transactions must follow a government-regulated payment scheme. The same applies to financial products—such as term deposits and mutual funds—which must be pre-approved by the Greek Government in order to count towards the Golden Visa program.
The Greek Golden Visa process requires specialized legal advice due to its cross-border nature and the wide scope of Greek and European legislation it involves, including real estate law (for property investments), tax law, banking law, immigration law, international taxation, and private international law. In addition, applicants must also meet specific requirements under Greek tax legislation and the EU’s AML framework, making expert legal guidance essential to ensure compliance and a successful Golden Visa application.
You may invest in real estate with a minimum value of €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with populations over 3,100, or €400,000 in other regions, provided it involves a single property of at least 120 sqm. For listed historic buildings requiring restoration, the minimum remains €250,000 regardless of location or size. Similarly, a €250,000 minimum applies to properties converted from commercial to residential use.
There are no restrictions regarding the type or age of the property. However, for properties that meet the €400,000 and €800,000 minimum, the investment ought to be in a single property of at least 120 sqm.
You may invest in residential properties, commercial properties or land.
There is no requirement for investing in new developments either. You may buy
second-hand or old properties in the free market.
It is explicitly stated that it is possible to buy a leased property or to rent your
property and generate a stream of stable income.
The following property types are considered eligible investments for the Greek Golden Visa:
Full ownership of properties and plots of land, acquired either through purchase with minimum price €250,000, or through inheritance or parent-child transfer with a minimum objective value of €250,000.
Plots of land with the intention to build. In this case, the minimum investment criterion applies to the total investment value, i.e. the sum of the purchase price and the construction costs should be more than €250,000.
Long-term leases for hotel accommodation or furnished tourist residences in integrated tourist resorts (min. 10 years) or times-share leases of tourist accommodation with hotel units and regulated tourist facilities (1-60 years) for 400/800k, depending the location.
Previously acquired real estate. Real estate purchased before 2013, with a current objective value of more than €400,000 or 800,000 qualifies for the Golden Visa. However, real estate purchased after 2013 should meet the relevant Golden Visa Law requirements.
The Greek Golden Visa Law offers investors more flexible investment options, such as time deposits. According to the European Union’s regulations, €100,000 per deposit is guaranteed by the State, even in the unlike event of bankruptcy.
The following eligibility criteria should be met:
The Greek Golden Visa Law has expended its scope to include various types of financial investments. Requirements vary according to the particulars of each asset.
The potential investors can combine different financial options to reach the minimum investment amount.In many categories, the Golden Visa Law requires the investment to be done only in pre-approved schemes by the Ministry for Development.
Greek Government Bonds
Mutual Funds
Equity Investment
Equity Investment in a REIC
Closed-end Funds
Alternative Investment Funds
Publicly Traded Financial Instruments
Greek Government Bonds
Mutual Funds
Equity Investment
Equity Investment in a REIC
Closed-end Funds
Alternative Investment Funds
Publicly Traded Financial Instruments
