FAQ about the Gold Visa
The Greece Golden Visa Program is a residence-by-investment program launched in 2013 that enables non-EU nationals and their family members to obtain permanent residence permits in Greece. The residence permits may be renewed every five years.
Until September 2024 the minimum investment must be 250.000 euro.
( 500.000 euros property purchase only for :
NORTH,CENTRAL & SOUTH ATHENS (Piraeus is excluded), SANTORINI, MYKONOS, THESSALONIKI)
After September of 2024, the new Limits will be:
Tier 1 | 800,000 EUR: This is a real estate investment in the areas of Attica, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the islands, which have a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants. Ithaca, Skopelos, Skiathos, Tinos, Andros, Paros, Aegina, Naxos, Syros, Lefkada, Kos, Samos, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Lesvos, Corfu, Rhodes and Evia.
Tier 2 | 400,000 EUR: This tier covers all other regions of Greece and establishes a more attainable entry point of 400,000 EUR.
The requirement for both tiers: Investment is to be made in a single property of at least 120 square meters. The investor can no longer buy 2 or three smaller properties that in total will grand him the Golden Visa.
The Schengen Agreement signed on June 14, 1985, is a treaty that led most of the European countries towards the abolishment of their national borders, to build a Europe without borders known as the “Schengen Area”.
The Schengen Area operates very much like a single state for international travel purposes with external border controls for travelers entering and exiting the area, and common visas, but with no internal border controls.It currently consists of 26 European countries covering a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometers.
These countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
The residency permits in Greece for you and your family,is graded upon purchasing a property as an individual.
The property must have a value of 250.000 € or higher.
(For the following locations is set to 500.000 euros property purchase:NORTH, CENTRAL & SOUTH ATHENS (Piraeus is excluded), SANTORINI, MYKONOS, THESSALONIKI)
The above apply only until September of 2024.
From September 2024 :
Tier 1 | 800,000 EUR: This is a real estate investment in the areas of Attica, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the islands, which have a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants.
Tier 2 | 400,000 EUR: This tier covers all other regions of Greece and establishes a more attainable entry point of 400,000 EUR.
The requirement for both tiers: Investment is to be made in a single property of at least 120 square meters. The investor can no longer buy 2 or three smaller properties that in total will grand him the Golden Visa.
If the owner has acquired the property through a legal entity, the applicant must own 100% of the company shares.
Only spouses can share the investment and jointly own the property of total value 250.000 € (or 500.000 euros for the following locations:
NORTH, CENTRAL & SOUTH ATHENS (Piraeus is excluded)
SANTORINI
MYKONOS
THESSALONIKI). The right of residence is granted only if the amount invested by each co-owner is a minimum of 250.000 €. ( or 500.000 euros for the mentioned areas).
The above apply only until September of 2024.
From September 2024 :
Tier 1 | 800,000 EUR: This is a real estate investment in the areas of Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the islands, which have a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants.
Tier 2 | 400,000 EUR: This tier covers all other regions of Greece and establishes a more attainable entry point of 400,000 EUR.
The requirement for both tiers: Investment is to be made in a single property of at least 120 square meters. The investor can no longer buy 2 or three smaller properties that in total will grand him the Golden Visa.
Yes, they can. The property must have a Property Purchase Contract of 500.000 € and up and the ownership must be 50%-50%.
In general, for every 250.000€ invested a new Residency Permit can be obtained. (or 500.000 euros for the mentioned areas)
The above apply only until September of 2024.
From September 2024 :
Tier 1 | 800,000 EUR: This is a real estate investment in the areas of Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the islands, which have a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants.
Tier 2 | 400,000 EUR: This tier covers all other regions of Greece and establishes a more attainable entry point of 400,000 EUR.
The requirement for both tiers: Investment is to be made in a single property of at least 120 square meters. The investor can no longer buy 2 or three smaller properties that in total will grand him the Golden Visa.
You must visit the Greek consulate in your country and apply for a special-purpose VISA to Greece. You will have to prove your funds for the property purchase. This can be verified by your bank.
Essential paperwork needed for your Golden Visa application and opening of Greek bank account before the property acquisition include the official issuance & translation of the following documents in English:
– Proof of home permanent address.
– A mobile phone bill.
– Proof of profession and annual income.
– Proof of funds such as bank statements.
Passport holders coming form the following countries do not need a Visa in order to visit Greece :
Vatican City, San Marino, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, USA, Japan, Israel, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Barbados, Bahamas, Brunei, New Zealand, Nicaragua, South Korea, Honduras, Uruguay, Panama, Paraguay, Seychelles, Singapore, Chile.
If you are a citizen of a country that is not listed above then you need a “Type D—national visa” in order to enter Greece. Please contact the Greek Consulate of your country to obtain it.
Yes, there are extra purchase costs. There is a transfer tax. From January 1st, 2014 the transfer tax became 3%. You will also be charged for the notary (1%) and if you choose to have a Greek lawyer (not mandatory but we always recommend having a Greek lawyer, we can introduce you to one) another 1%. There is also a charge of the land registry if it is about a single house that ranges from 0,5-0,7%.
The amount charged for service fees depends on the value of the property and it goes down as the property value rises. Note that the minimum amount of €250.000 ( or 500.000€) refers to the price indicated on the contract and does not include taxes.
Yes. You are entitled to a European Residency permit irrespective of whether you own one or more properties, commercial or residential. However, their combined value must be equal to or greater than 250.000 €. (or 500.000 euros for the above-mentioned areas)
The above apply only until September of 2024.
From September 2024 :
Tier 1 | 800,000 EUR: This is a real estate investment in the areas of Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the islands, which have a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants.
Tier 2 | 400,000 EUR: This tier covers all other regions of Greece and establishes a more attainable entry point of 400,000 EUR.
The requirement for both tiers: Investment is to be made in a single property of at least 120 square meters. The investor can no longer buy 2 or three smaller properties that in total will grand him the Golden Visa.
Spouses who are over the age of 21, as well as unwed children under the age of 21. Family members are issued a residence permit of the same duration as the main applicant. Important to note that unmarried partners are not entitled to a residence permit.
Your Greek lawyer does. We will propose you the lawyers we cooperate with successfully for years.
The lawyer will take care of:
-The application process for the initial residence permit,
– the submission of any additional required documentation – and finally the collection of the receipt of the residence permit.
Greek Exclusive deals with all aspects of the purchase of the property.
As soon as your lawyer submits the residency application you will receive a confirmation receipt that serves as a one year provisional residency permit. You can reside legally in the country for the duration of the confirmation receipt (one year) and you are entitled to all the benefits of the final permit. In the mean time (around two months) you will receive the final residency permit certificate.
Of course not, but we have the experience and the means to do it fast and effectively.
The main document that is required is the proof of purchase for the property. Also, a health insurance that will cover your medical expenses if needed. You may obtain insurance coverage in Greece from a local company.
The Golden Visa for Greece is issued for five (5) years and can be renewed indefinitely as long as you maintain the investment (property) .
No. The years covered by the residence permit for real estate owners are not taken into account for the years required for obtaining citizenship by residents.
However, if you ultimately choose to live in Greece, then after seven years of continuous residence, you can also apply for Greek citizenship.
In this case, you must also be able to prove you have ties to the country and knowledge of the Greek language and culture, at least on a basic level.
Yes, The holders of the residence permit have access to public education, exactly as Greek citizens do.
Residence permit holders and their family members must have insurance that covers their healthcare and medical care expenses.
Yes, under the specific regulations of the Ministry of Transport, which apply to non EU citizens.
Yes, You can travel with your passport and the residency permit to all countries that are part of the European Union, as well as, to all countries that belong to the Schengen Area:Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Czech Republic and Finland.You may also travel to these Non-EU countries that belong to the Schengen Area:Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.Please note that after the residence permit has been issued, you may also travel to any Schengen country directly from your country. You do not need to go through Greece first.
You must apply for a tax registry number. As a property owner, you are required to have it. You must declare your property by filing the E9 form with the local tax office. You do this only once. Every property has a yearly tax called ENFIA that is calculated by the State according to the size and the location of the property.
We can suggest you the best management offices in the location of the property. You can discuss with them independently the services you need.
We cooperate with the best management offices and the best professionals for every need you may have, From bookings to total management to property renovation.
- Τhe visa to include your family members, like your spouse, (unmarried) children under 21 years of age, and dependent parents of either yourself or your spouse.
- You and your family members will enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone.
- There are no requirements to live in Greece for any duration in order to renew the residence permit.
- You can choose to rent out your property after purchase .
- You can apply for Greek citizenship after seven years of residence. Greece is an EU Member State, so you would have access to the EU free market and visa-free travel to more than a hundred countries.
- You can live, work, and invest in Greece.
- You have access to Greek education and healthcare
7 years after the Permanent Residence Permit is issued, you are eligible for Greek Citizenship, under certain circumstances. Your lawyer will be able to assist you.
No. If you send your power of attorney to a lawyer or someone you trust in Greece, your proxy can follow the process on your behalf but you have to visit Greece at least for once (‘entry stamp’ on the passport) within a reasonable period of time before the application for a residence permit is lodged. You also have the obligation to visit on appointment the Decentralized Authority, for the purpose of biometric data collection (digital facial images, two digital fingerprints, and signature).
3,09% Property Transfer Tax
-Lawyers Fee (usually around 1%)
– 2.200 euro the fee paid to the state at the time of submitting the application for EU Residency for 2 persons (Golden Visa)
– 200 euro for private insurance for 2 persons that is required (100 euro each)
– Notary (around 1%)
– Land registry