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Greece residency by investment means the Golden Visa: a 5-year renewable permit for buying property worth €250,000 to €800,000, or for financial investments from €250,000. It has no minimum stay but no right to work. People who want to live in Greece without investing usually choose the financially independent person (FIP) permit or the digital nomad permit. Both need €3,500 a month in income.
Last verified: 20 October 2026The financially independent person permit: €3,500 a month in income from outside Greece, no work, 3-year renewable permit.
Read more →Residence permitsA 12-month visa and a 2-year permit for remote workers earning €3,500 a month net from outside Greece.
Read more →Residence permitsWhy Greece has no citizenship by investment and how naturalisation works after 7 years of residence.
Read more →The right permit depends on two questions: will you live in Greece, and how will you support yourself? All the routes below are for third-country (non-EU) nationals and are set out in the Migration Code, Law 5038/2023.
None of these permits gives citizenship. That takes years of residence, a Greek exam and real integration, as our Greece Golden Visa citizenship page explains.
The table compares the main routes as of October 2026. Figures come from Law 5038/2023, its fee schedule (Article 171) and Joint Ministerial Decision 225679/2024.
| Permit | Main requirement | Right to work | Stay requirement | Duration | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa, property (Art. 100) | Property worth €250,000, €400,000 or €800,000 | No | None | 5 years, renewable | €2,000 + €16 card |
| Golden Visa, financial (Art. 100A) | €250,000 to €800,000 in shares, bonds, deposits, funds or start-ups | No | None | 5 years, renewable (start-ups: 1 year, then 2-year renewals) | €2,000 + €16 card |
| FIP (Art. 163(8), type I.8) | €3,500 a month income, from outside Greece | No work or business of any kind | Not fixed in the law; long absences risk renewal and continuity | 3 years, renewable | €1,000 + €16 card |
| Digital nomad (Art. 68) | €3,500 a month net, remote work for non-Greek employers or clients | Only remote work for foreign employers or clients | Not fixed in the law | Visa up to 12 months, then a 2-year I.8 permit | €75 visa; €1,000 + €16 permit |
| Work permit (Art. 27 and others) | Job offer from a Greek employer | Yes, for that job | You live and work in Greece | Varies by type | Varies by type |
| EU/EEA citizen | Registration after 3 months | Yes | None | Indefinite | Registration only |
Most Golden Visa applicants buy property. Article 100 of Law 5038/2023, as replaced by Law 5100/2024, sets three thresholds for a single property.
| Location or type | Minimum price | Extra condition |
|---|---|---|
| Attica Region, Thessaloniki Regional Unit, Mykonos and Thira (Santorini) Regional Units, and every island with more than 3,100 residents | €800,000 | Single property, at least 120 m² main area |
| Rest of Greece | €400,000 | Single property, at least 120 m² main area |
| Commercial-to-residential conversion or listed building restoration, anywhere | €250,000 | Conversion completed before the application; restoration finished before first renewal |
Large islands such as Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Naxos and Paros fall in the €800,000 zone. The full price must be paid before you apply, through a bank transfer or bank cheque recorded by the notary. Golden Visa property cannot be let on short-term rental platforms, under Article 100(7A), with fines of €50,000 and €150,000. Ministry Circular 1 of 21 April 2026 confirms that long-term leases remain allowed.
Mitos estimated processing at 50 to 60 days for a complete file in 2026, but regional backlogs are longer. See our Golden Visa backlog by region, the costs of buying property in Greece and how to buy as a foreigner.
Article 100A of Law 5038/2023 offers Golden Visa routes through capital markets, deposits and businesses. The thresholds below follow the table published by Greek tax law firm TaxLaw (Iason Skouzos), updated February 2026.
| Investment | Minimum | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Greek start-up in the National Register of Start-ups | €250,000 | Stake up to 33%; at least 2 jobs created |
| Mutual fund units | €350,000 | Fund assets of at least €10 million |
| Alternative investment fund investing only in Greece | €350,000 | Fund assets of at least €3 million |
| Capital increase in a listed Greek company (not a real estate investment company) | €500,000 | Through a Greek bank or investment firm |
| Real estate investment company (REIC) capital increase | €500,000 | Investing only in Greece |
| Greek government bonds | €500,000 | At least 3 years to maturity |
| Fixed-term deposit in a Greek bank | €500,000 | At least 1 year, with standing renewal order |
| Listed shares, corporate or government bonds | €800,000 | Held in a dedicated Greek bank account |
These routes avoid property risk but tie up capital in Greek assets for as long as you hold the permit. The Golden Visa itself does not allow you to work. Ministry Circular 1/2026 confirms holders may be shareholders or non-executive board members.
The FIP permit is for people who live on income from outside Greece. Joint Ministerial Decision 225679/2024 sets the minimum at €3,500 a month, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child.
Read the full Greece FIP visa guide.
The digital nomad route suits people who work remotely for employers or clients outside Greece. Article 68 of Law 5038/2023 requires €3,500 a month net, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child.
Read the full Greece digital nomad visa guide.
Greece has no separate retirement visa. Retirees normally use the FIP permit, or the Golden Visa if they also buy property worth the threshold.
More in our retire in Greece guide and the free retirement tax PDF.
EU and EEA citizens do not need a residence permit. Under EU Directive 2004/38/EC, they may live in Greece and work freely, and register with the authorities if they stay longer than three months.
Non-EU nationals who want a job in Greece need a work-based permit. The usual route is an invitation by a Greek employer for a specific job under Article 27 of Law 5038/2023. Other categories cover highly qualified staff (EU Blue Card), intra-company transfers and seasonal work. These permits allow work only within their terms. Golden Visa, FIP and digital nomad holders who find a Greek job must change permit category. Circular 1/2026 confirms the investor permit is then partly revoked.
Every route can lead to long-term residence, but only if you actually live in Greece. EU long-term resident status under Article 144 needs 5 years of continuous legal residence, no absence over 6 consecutive months and no more than 10 months in total.
| Permit | Counts for long-term residence | Citizenship track (Ministry of Interior, January 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa | Not excluded by name; continuity and income tests apply | On the qualifying list: 7 years |
| FIP (I.8) | Yes, if continuity and income tests are met | Not on the list: 12 years, unless you first switch to long-term residence |
| Digital nomad (I.8) | Not settled; the law excludes temporary statuses | Not on the list: 12 years, unless you switch |
| Long-term resident (M.1) | Already held | On the qualifying list: 7 years |
Details on the exam, fees and integration tests are on our citizenship page.
A residence permit does not decide your tax residence. Under the Income Tax Code (Law 4172/2013), you become a Greek tax resident if you stay in Greece more than 183 days in any 12-month period or make Greece the centre of your life.
| Regime | Who it suits | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 5A non-dom | Wealthy movers | €100,000 flat tax a year on foreign income for up to 15 years. Needs a €500,000 Greek investment, waived for holders of an investor permit under the older Law 4251/2014 |
| Art. 5B pensioners | FIP retirees with a foreign pension | 7% on all foreign income for 15 years |
| Art. 5C new residents | People who take a job or start a business in Greece | 50% exemption on Greek employment or business income for 7 years |
Golden Visa owners who do not live in Greece usually remain non-resident and pay Greek tax only on Greek income such as rent. See rental income tax for owners abroad and ENFIA for non-residents.
Most buyers abroad fall into one of three profiles.
Rules change often. Check our regulation tracker before you commit, and start with the moving to Greece hub.
Without investing, the FIP permit and the digital nomad permit need proof of €3,500 a month in income, under Joint Ministerial Decision 225679/2024 and Article 68 of Law 5038/2023. The permit fee is €1,000 plus €16 for the card. The lowest Golden Visa investment is €250,000, for a commercial-to-residential conversion, a listed building or a registered Greek start-up.
No. Article 100(9) of Law 5038/2023 states that Golden Visa permits give no right to any form of employment. Holders may own shares and sit on a board as non-executive members, according to the April 2026 ministry circular. To take a job in Greece you must change to a work-based permit.
As long as you like. Article 100(4) of Law 5038/2023 says absences from Greece do not prevent renewal of the permit. This is the main difference from other permits. Long absences do, however, rule out EU long-term residence and make naturalisation unrealistic, because both require continuous residence.
Yes. A valid Greek residence permit lets you move within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, under the Schengen rules. It does not give the right to live or work in another EU country. For that, you need that country’s own permit.
Yes. The Golden Visa can cover the investor’s spouse or partner, children up to 21 and the parents of both spouses. Each family member gets a separate permit with the same expiry date. The Decentralised Administration of Attica lists a fee of €150 per adult family member plus €16 for the card, with minors exempt.
There is no permit with that name. Retirees usually apply for the financially independent person (FIP) permit, which needs €3,500 a month in income from outside Greece and forbids work. Pensioners who move their tax residence can also choose the 7% flat tax on foreign income for 15 years under Article 5B of the Income Tax Code.
The Golden Visa and the long-term resident permit are on the Ministry of Interior’s qualifying list, so 7 years of continuous legal residence is the minimum. FIP and digital nomad permits are not on the list, which means 12 years unless you switch to long-term residence. In every case you must live in Greece, pass the PEGP exam and show integration.