Greece’s Golden Visa is a residence permit for non-EU nationals who make a qualifying investment, most often in real estate. The investment decides eligibility; well-prepared documents decide how smoothly the application moves.
What the permit gives you
- Residence, not citizenship: a five-year permit that can be renewed while the investment is kept.
- No minimum stay: you do not have to live in Greece to keep the permit, although it does not by itself give the right to work.
- Family included: spouse or registered partner, children under 21 and the parents of both spouses can usually be covered.
Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland do not need a Golden Visa: they already have the right to live in Greece.
Property thresholds by area
Since the reform introduced by Law 5100/2024, the real-estate route works in three tiers:
- €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants;
- €400,000 in the rest of Greece;
- €250,000 for converting a commercial building to residential use or restoring a listed building.
In the first two tiers the amount must be invested in a single property of at least 120 m², and Golden Visa properties may not be let as short-term holiday rentals. Other routes — such as capital, securities or bank-deposit investments — have their own amounts and conditions.
How the process usually runs
- Obtain a Greek tax number (AFM) and open a Greek bank account.
- Appoint a Greek lawyer, usually with a power of attorney.
- Complete legal and technical due diligence on the property.
- Sign the purchase contract before a notary and pay through the banking system.
- Apply to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and give biometrics in Greece.
Documents that usually need translation
Documents issued abroad generally need an Apostille or legalisation and a Greek translation that the receiving authority accepts. Depending on your case, this often includes:
- birth and marriage certificates, or a certificate of family composition, for every family member included;
- powers of attorney signed abroad;
- health-insurance certificates;
- bank statements or proof of the transfer of funds;
- company documents, if the property is bought through a legal entity;
- court decisions on divorce or custody, where minors are involved.
Your lawyer confirms the final list. We review every page, seal and annex before translation and coordinate official translations through a route the authority accepts.
Avoid the most common delays
- Apostille first: have the Apostille added before translation, so that it is translated too.
- One spelling of every name: use the Latin spelling of the passport consistently across all documents and the AFM.
- Complete copies: send every page, reverse side and attachment.
- Fresh documents: some certificates are accepted only if recently issued — check the date before you translate.
- Plan the order: apostille, translation and filing take time; build them into your timeline.
This guide gives general information as publicly available in November 2026. Thresholds and procedures change; confirm the current rules with the competent authority and a Greek lawyer or accountant before acting. It is not legal or tax advice.