How Greece Golden Visa Program Work?

This program offers a structured and legally regulated pathway for non-EU investors to obtain Greek residency through qualifying investments, without mandatory relocation.

In this guide, we break down the Greece Golden Visa process step by step from eligibility and investment options to application, approval, and renewal so you know exactly what to expect, how the system operates in practice, and where investors commonly make mistakes.

What the Greece Golden Visa Is

If you want to understand how Greece Golden Visa works, it’s simple at its core:

The Greece Golden Visa is officially known as a residence permit by investment offered by the Greek government to non-EU/EEA citizens who make a qualifying financial investment in Greece. It’s designed to grant legal residency rights to investors and their qualifying family members in exchange for capital flowing into the Greek economy.

Who It’s For

Non-EU / non-EEA individuals who want European residency.
Investors who can meet the financial investment thresholds set by Greek law.
Families of investors who want to join under the same application.

This program does not require you to live in Greece to keep your residency, though you must maintain your investment.

Here’s Exactly How the Process Works, Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

You qualify if you:

Are a non-EU / non-EEA citizen
Have a clean criminal record
Can prove a legal source of funds
Are you ready to make a qualifying investment in Greece

You can also check your eligibility for free to see if your profile qualifies for the program before taking any steps.

Step 2: Choose the Right Investment Route

Greece allows several official paths to qualify. The most common is real estate investment, but other options can also apply.

Real Estate (Most Popular)

Here is how the Greece Golden Visa Program Works via Real Estate route

Current official thresholds depend on property type and location:

€800,000+ in high-demand areas (like Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini).
€400,000+ in most other areas of Greece.
€250,000+ in limited cases — commercial property converted to residential, or restoration of listed buildings (must be completed before application).

Properties must be fully owned and at least one single property; subdividing the amount across several smaller assets generally won’t count.

Alternative (Non-Property) Investments

Here is how the Greece Golden Visa Program Works via Capital Investments

Other official options may include:

Investment funds with specified Greek holdings €350,000+.
Bank deposits or bonds from €500,000+.
Business or job-creating investments (subject to specific conditions).

Step 3: Obtain Greek Tax Number (AFM)

Before any investment:

You apply for a Greek Tax Identification Number (AFM)
Open a Greek bank account (directly or via legal representation)

Without AFM, nothing moves forward with property purchase, contracts, or visa filing.

Step 4: Complete the Investment

This includes:

Signing the purchase contract
Paying the full investment amount
Registering ownership with the Greek Land Registry

Partial payments or informal agreements do not count. The investment must be fully executed and legally recorded.

Step 5: Submit Golden Visa Application

Once the investment is secured:

File the Golden Visa application
Submit biometrics (fingerprints & photo)
Provide supporting documents (passport, insurance, clean record, proof of funds)

At this stage, you receive a temporary residence certificate, allowing you to stay legally while the application is processed.

Step 6: Approval & Residence Permit Issuance

Processing usually takes 2–6 months.

Once approved:

You receive a 5-year Greek residence permit
The permit is renewable indefinitely as long as the investment is maintained

No relocation. No minimum stay. No forced tax residency.

Step 7: Add Family Members (Optional)

Under one investment, you can include:

Spouse
Children (typically up to 21–24, depending on dependency)
Parents of both spouses

This is one of the strongest advantages of the Greece Golden Visa one investment, multi-generation coverage.

Step 8: Renewal or Long-Term Options

Renew every 5 years by proving continued ownership
After 7 years of legal residency, citizenship may be possible only if you actually live in Greece and meet language/cultural criteria

Get a Professional Greece Golden Visa Consultation

Understanding how the Greece Golden Visa works is only the first step. The real risk lies in choosing the wrong investment, wrong location, or outdated assumptions that can delay, weaken, or even invalidate your application.

A professional consultation helps you: