Greece Golden Visa Requirements 2026: €800,000 and €400,000 Zones, Costs and How to Apply

These rules come from Law 5100/2024, which rewrote the programme in April 2024, not from a 2026 reform; the live change this year is a bill that would raise transfer tax on homes bought by non-EU tax residents to 15% from July 2027. If you are already looking for advisers, the Corporate INTL directory lists lawyers and advisers in Greece, along with immigration and citizenship specialists and real estate lawyers.

Greece golden visa requirements: the short answer

The Greek golden visa is the permanent residence permit for investors, the type B.5 permit, granted under article 100 of the Migration Code (Law 5038/2023) to a non-EU national who owns qualifying Greek real estate outright.

Requirement	Rule
Who can apply	Non-EU nationals who entered Greece lawfully on any visa, or who file remotely and enter for biometrics
Minimum investment	€800,000 in high-demand areas, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 for conversions and listed buildings
Number of properties	One
Minimum size	120 sq m of main space for built property at €800,000 and €400,000
Payment	Full price paid before applying, through a bank in Greece
Use	No short-term letting or subletting
Permit	Five years, renewable; absences do not block renewal
Government fee	€2,000, plus €16 for the residence card

What changed in 2024, and when the thresholds took effect

The current thresholds took effect on 5 April 2024, when Law 5100/2024 was published in the Government Gazette (FEK A 49), with a transition for investors already committed to a purchase.

Article 64 of Law 5100/2024 replaced article 100 of the Migration Code, and article 69 brings the law into force on publication. Under the transitional rule in article 64(4), an investor could complete under the old regime until 31 December 2024 if, by 31 August 2024, they had paid a 10% deposit or the price, or signed a notarial preliminary contract or a private agreement of certified date with bank proof of the deposit. If that purchase fell through, they could switch to another property on the old terms until 30 April 2025.

That is why many sources say the new thresholds apply "from 31 August 2024": it was the deadline for keeping the old terms, not the date the law took effect. Permits granted under earlier rules stay valid and are renewed on the conditions that applied when they were granted (article 64(3)). For a new investor the transition has closed.

Greece golden visa minimum investment by zone

The Greece golden visa minimum investment depends on where the property sits, and the high-demand zone is wider than Athens and two famous islands.

Zone	Areas covered	Minimum value	Extra conditions
High-demand	Region of Attica, Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, Regional Units of Mykonos and Thira (Santorini), islands with more than 3,100 residents at the last census	€800,000	Single property; 120 sq m of main space if built or permitted
Rest of Greece	All other areas	€400,000	Single property; 120 sq m of main space if built or permitted
Change of use	Anywhere: non-residential property converted to housing	€250,000	Conversion completed before applying; no size minimum
Listed building	Anywhere: listed building to be restored or rebuilt	€250,000	Full restoration before first renewal; no size minimum

The island test turns on census population, not fame, so the larger inhabited islands are in the €800,000 band while a small island is in the €400,000 band. The value that counts is the acquisition value at purchase, and the same thresholds apply to the total rent under a qualifying long-term tourist lease.

The single-property, 120 sq m and co-ownership rules

The investment must be made in one property, so investors can no longer combine smaller flats to reach the threshold. Where the property is built, or has a building permit, its main spaces must measure at least 120 square metres. The IBA notes that storage and parking do not count towards the 120 square metres, although their value can count towards the price if bought under the same deed in the same building. The joint ministerial decision 214926/2025 (FEK B 6014, 11 November 2025) requires the notary's certificate to state the main-space area expressly.

Under article 100(1)(b), spouses or registered partners can co-own a qualifying property, but any other co-owner qualifies only if their own share reaches the full threshold. You can also hold the property through a company seated in Greece or another EU state, provided you own all of its shares. For a plot you build on, the November 2025 decision counts the land plus the construction cost, or the construction cost alone, backed by a building permit and paid contractor invoices.

The Greece golden visa 250,000 routes: conversions and listed buildings

The €250,000 threshold survives only for two kinds of property, each with conditions that must be met in the right order.

Conversion to residential use

Under article 100(2)(c), a property whose main spaces change to residential use qualifies at €250,000. The change must be completed before you apply, though the seller may carry it out, and the property may not be used as a company's seat or branch. Industrial buildings qualify only if no industry operated there for the last five years. The November 2025 decision requires an engineer's report certifying a change of use made from 5 April 2024, when article 64 took effect. A unit merely capable of conversion does not qualify.

Listed buildings

Under article 100(2)(d), a listed building bought for restoration or reconstruction also qualifies at €250,000. Full restoration is a condition of the first renewal, a transfer before restoration is finished is void, and failing to restore, or transferring in breach, carries a €150,000 administrative fine (with revocation in the transfer case). Budget the restoration, not just the purchase.

The short-term rental ban and other use restrictions

A golden visa property cannot be a holiday let. Article 100(7A) bans properties acquired for the grant or renewal of an investor permit from short-term letting in the sharing economy, in practice platforms such as Airbnb, and from subletting. A breach means revocation of the permit and a €50,000 fine on the owners.

Long-term letting remains lawful under article 100(7), and there is no obligation to let at all. The IBA notes that the restriction does not reach properties bought under the earlier regime or completed within the transition. If you sell during the permit to another non-EU national, the buyer can obtain a permit and yours is revoked (article 100(8)).

Other ways to qualify: leases, bonds, deposits and shares

Article 100(1)(d) also accepts a long-term lease of hotel accommodation or furnished tourist residences in a complex tourist accommodation, or a timeshare of at least five years, at the same zone thresholds.

Financial investments sit under a separate permit, type B.4, in article 99 of the Migration Code (Law 5038/2023). As published in 2023, the options include:

• €500,000 capital contribution to a company in Greece for listed shares or bonds, or to a Greek real estate investment company or venture capital vehicle investing only in Greece.
• €500,000 in Greek government bonds with at least three years to maturity.
• €500,000 term deposit with a Greek bank for at least a year, with standing renewal.
• €800,000 in listed shares or bonds traded in Greece.
• €350,000 in a qualifying mutual fund or alternative investment fund investing in Greece.

These routes carry their own holding and certification rules, so confirm the current text with a Greek adviser before moving funds.

Family members, renewals and no minimum stay

Under article 95(2) of the Migration Code, an investor can be accompanied by a spouse or registered partner, unmarried children under 21 (including a spouse's children where that spouse has custody) and the parents of both spouses. Their permits expire with the investor's, and a child who turns 21 can obtain an independent three-year permit.

The permit is renewable for further five-year periods while you own the property and meet the other conditions, and article 100(4) and article 95(1) both state that absences from Greece do not block renewal. Two limits matter. Article 100(9) says permits under the article do not give access to any form of employment. And the permit does not make you a Greek tax resident by itself, as our explainer on residence vs domicile discusses for UK readers.

How to apply for the Greece golden visa: step by step

The order matters, because the full price must be paid and the deed signed before you file.

1. Get a Greek tax number (AFM) from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), needed to buy and to pay transfer tax.
2. Open a Greek bank account. Article 100(5) requires the price to be paid in full by crossed bank cheque or transfer into the seller's account at a bank operating in Greece, or by card through a POS terminal of a Greek payment provider. A spouse or relatives up to the second degree may pay.
3. Run due diligence on title, encumbrances, planning, the zone, the island's population, the 120 sq m and, for €250,000 purchases, the conversion or listing papers.
4. Pay transfer tax and sign the deed. Buyer and seller file a joint declaration, and the tax is paid within three working days, before the notarial contract.
5. Register the deed at the land registry or cadastral office. For a first application the November 2025 decision accepts proof that registration was applied for, or a lawyer's certificate.
6. Assemble the file: the notary's certificate on parties, price, payment and size, proof of registration, private health insurance, your E9 property declaration and the €2,000 electronic fee.
7. Apply to the one-stop service of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum or the relevant Decentralised Administration. You can enter on any valid visa or visa-free, or file remotely and then travel for biometrics. A national visa, if needed, costs €180.
8. Receive the decision. Article 100(10) says the permit is issued within two months of the authority receiving the complete file.

Every detail of the payment, including any third-party payer, must be declared before the notary and written into the contract, so bank records must match the deed. Foreign certificates generally need an apostille and a certified Greek translation.

Greece golden visa cost: tax, fees and the 15% transfer tax bill

Beyond the price, the Greece golden visa cost is driven by transfer tax, government fees and professional fees.

Item	Official amount or rule
Property transfer tax	3% of taxable value plus a 3% municipal surcharge on the tax: 3.09%, paid by the buyer
€400,000 property	€12,360 transfer tax
€800,000 property	€24,720 transfer tax
Permit fee	€2,000 electronic fee
Residence card	€16
National visa, if needed	€180
Notary, lawyer, registry	Charged separately; ask for written estimates
Proposed from 1 July 2027	15% on homes bought by non-EU/EEA tax residents (bill, not yet law)

The rates come from the AADE guidance on property transfer tax, which also limits the first-home exemption to Greek, EU and EEA citizens and certain other groups. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum lists the €2,000 fee and the €16 card charge.

The 15% transfer tax bill

Article 16 of the government's tax bill, submitted to the Hellenic Parliament on 3 November 2026, would set transfer tax at 15% of the taxable value where an individual tax resident outside the EU and EEA buys a home, unless they qualify for the first-home exemption. It would apply to final contracts signed from 1 July 2027. As of 11 November 2026 the bill was ready for plenary debate, so it is not yet law and may change.

The test is tax residence, not nationality, and it targets homes. On an €800,000 home the basic tax would rise from €24,000 to €120,000 before the surcharge. The same bill would extend the suspension of VAT on new buildings to 31 December 2027. Off-plan buyers should ask whether the final contract can realistically be signed before July 2027.

From golden visa to Greek citizenship

The golden visa does not lead to citizenship automatically, but its years can count if you genuinely make your life in Greece. Article 5(1)(d) of the Greek Citizenship Code requires seven continuous years of lawful residence before applying, and the investor permit is among the titles listed for the seven-year route; other titles generally need twelve years.

Article 5A then requires adequate Greek, knowledge of Greek history, culture and institutions, and integration into economic and social life, with Greece as the continuous centre of your life. The test looks at work or economic activity, tax and social security compliance and social ties, so an investor who visits a few weeks a year should not plan on a Greek passport. Long-term EU resident status is a separate application with its own conditions.

Greece and the other golden visa routes

Greece is one of the few EU states still granting residence for a property purchase. Spain closed its route in April 2025, as our report on the end of the Spain golden visa explained, and Latvia stopped property-based residence from 15 September 2026, covered in our piece on Latvia's property route. For a side-by-side view, see Global Law Experts' comparison of the Portugal, Greece and Spain golden visa routes, which sets Greece's real estate tiers against Portugal's fund route and Spain's closure.

Policy is still moving. The IBA's September 2026 review reports that Greece's National Housing Strategy, approved in July 2026, proposes a future category for a portfolio of homes committed to long-term letting. It needs legislation first, so no purchase should assume properties can be combined.

Related guide	What it covers
How to get a UAE golden visa	Steps, fees and family sponsorship
How to buy property in Portugal as a foreigner	Each step of a Portuguese purchase
How to apply for a Spain digital nomad visa	Spain's remote-work residence route
Can foreigners buy property abroad?	Ownership rules in ten countries

When to instruct a local lawyer in Greece

Most golden visa problems trace back to the property rather than the form. Consider instructing a Greek lawyer:

• Before reserving a property, to confirm the zone, the island's population, the 120 sq m and clean title.
• On any €250,000 purchase, to check that the conversion was completed and certified, or that restoration of a listed building is realistic.
• When co-owning or buying through a company, because both have strict share rules.
• When timing matters, such as an off-plan purchase that may complete after the proposed 15% rate starts.

Before the first call, prepare passports for each family member, the listing or reservation agreement, proof of the source of funds and how you plan to use the property, and ask for an estimate separating tax, notary and registry costs and legal fees.

Corporate INTL runs a directory of lawyers and advisers in more than 150 jurisdictions. You can browse advisers in Greece, immigration and citizenship lawyers or real estate and property lawyers, or use the form below and we will put you in touch with a member. For the tax side of a move, the directory also lists tax advisers.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Greece golden visa requirements in 2026?

One property worth at least €800,000 in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini or an island of more than 3,100 residents, or €400,000 elsewhere, with 120 sq m of main space if built, paid in full through a Greek bank, plus private health insurance and a €2,000 fee.

Can you still get a Greece golden visa for €250,000?

Only for a non-residential property converted to housing before you apply, or a listed building bought for restoration. Ordinary homes need €400,000 or €800,000 depending on the zone.

When did the €800,000 threshold start?

Law 5100/2024 took effect on 5 April 2024. Investors who had paid a 10% deposit or signed a preliminary contract by 31 August 2024 could complete on the old terms until 31 December 2024.

Can I rent out my golden visa property in Greece?

Yes, on a long-term lease. Short-term letting such as Airbnb, and subletting, are banned, with revocation of the permit and a €50,000 fine for a breach.

Who can be included in a Greek golden visa application?

Your spouse or registered partner, unmarried children under 21 and the parents of both spouses. Their permits end with yours; a child turning 21 can get an independent three-year permit.

Do I have to live in Greece to keep the golden visa?

No. Absences do not prevent renewal. Living in Greece matters only if you later want citizenship, which requires seven continuous years of lawful residence and genuine integration.

Can I work in Greece with a golden visa?

Not on the strength of the permit. Article 100(9) of the Migration Code says it gives no access to any form of employment, so working needs a different authorisation.

How much does the Greece golden visa cost on top of the property?

Transfer tax of 3.09%, the €2,000 permit fee, €16 per card, notary, lawyer and registry fees, and health insurance. A pending bill would raise transfer tax to 15% for non-EU tax residents from 1 July 2027.

How long does it take to get a Greek golden visa?

The law says the permit is issued within two months of a complete file reaching the authority. Buying, registering and preparing documents usually takes longer than the decision.

Sources

1. Law 5100/2024, Government Gazette FEK A 49, 5 April 2024 (article 64), National Printing House
2. Law 5038/2023, Migration Code, Government Gazette FEK A 81, 1 April 2023
3. Joint Ministerial Decision 214926/2025, Government Gazette FEK B 6014, 11 November 2025
4. Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Golden Visa
5. Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), Property transfer tax
6. Hellenic Parliament, tax bill submitted 3 November 2026
7. Ministry of Interior, Greek Citizenship Code
8. International Bar Association, The Greek Golden Visa after the 2024 to 2026 overhaul
9. Global Law Experts, Portugal vs Greece vs Spain Golden Visa Compared

About this article

This guide was researched and written by The Corporate INTL Newsroom, which covers cross-border legal, regulatory and business developments for lawyers, professional advisers and financiers in over 150 jurisdictions. Every threshold, date and fee has been checked against the Greek Government Gazette, the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, AADE and the Hellenic Parliament record. It is general information, not legal or tax advice; take advice from a qualified Greek lawyer before committing funds. Last reviewed 12 November 2026. For more analysis like this, visit the Corporate INTL newsroom or subscribe to Corporate INTL.