Moving to Greece

Greece Digital Nomad Visa: Requirements, Income and Tax in 2026

The Greece digital nomad visa lets non-EU remote workers live in Greece if they earn at least €3,500 a month net from employers or clients outside Greece. You apply at a Greek consulate for a national visa of up to 12 months, then switch to a 2-year residence permit in Greece. You may not work for Greek employers. Tax relief is narrower than many guides suggest.

Last verified: 20 October 2026
€3,500
Minimum monthly net income for the main applicant
Law 5038/2023, Art. 68
12 months
Maximum validity of the national (type D) visa
Law 5038/2023, Art. 68(1)
2 years
Residence permit (type I.8) issued in Greece after the visa
Law 5038/2023, Art. 68(4)
€75 + €1,000
Visa fee, then residence permit fee (plus €16 card)
Art. 68 and Art. 171, Law 5038/2023

What is the Greece digital nomad visa?

It is a two-step route for remote workers from outside the EU. Article 68 of the Migration Code, Law 5038/2023, sets both steps.

  1. National visa (type D). Issued by a Greek consulate, valid for up to 12 months.
  2. Residence permit (type I.8). Issued in Greece by the Decentralised Administration (Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση), valid for 2 years.

The visa lets you enter and start living in Greece. The permit lets you stay longer. Both rest on the same conditions: remote work for employers or clients abroad, sufficient income and no work for the Greek market. EU and EEA citizens do not need this visa. They can live and work in Greece freely.

If you have no remote job and live on a pension or savings, look at the FIP visa instead. All options are compared on our Greece residence permits page.

Greece digital nomad visa requirements: who qualifies

You qualify if you are a third-country national who works remotely using digital tools for an employer or clients located outside Greece. Article 68(1) of Law 5038/2023 covers three groups:

  • Employees of a company established outside Greece, on an open-ended contract or a fixed-term contract that covers the visa period.
  • Freelancers with one or more clients abroad, on contracts that cover the visa period.
  • Business owners whose company is located outside Greece.

You must also sign a declaration that you will not provide work or services to any employer based in Greece. Family members who come with you may not work or carry out any economic activity in Greece, under Article 68(3).

Income requirement: €3,500 a month net

You need stable income of at least €3,500 a month. If you are an employee, the figure is net of the taxes paid in the country where you work, under Article 68(2) of Law 5038/2023. It rises by 20% for a spouse or partner and by 15% for each child.

HouseholdMinimum monthly income
Applicant alone€3,500
Applicant and spouse or partner€4,200
Applicant, spouse and 1 child€4,725
Applicant, spouse and 2 children€5,250

The family figures apply the percentages to the €3,500 base, which is how the law is commonly read. Proof is your employment or service contract, or bank statements. The amount has not changed since the visa was introduced by Law 4825/2021. For what this income buys, see our cost of living in Greece and cost of living in Athens pages.

How to apply, step by step

You must start at a Greek consulate. Since Law 5275/2026 of 6 February 2026, applicants can no longer enter Greece as visitors and apply for this permit from inside the country, according to Athens immigration law firm Siopi Law.

  1. Prepare documents (see below) and book with the Greek consulate for your place of residence.
  2. Apply for the national visa in person, by email or by registered post. Article 68(2) gives the consulate 10 days to reply.
  3. Travel to Greece and arrange housing, a tax number (AFM, ΑΦΜ) and a bank account. See our guide to the Greek tax number and bank account.
  4. Apply for the I.8 residence permit before the visa expires, at the Directorate of Aliens and Migration of the Decentralised Administration where you live.
  5. Give biometrics and collect the permit card.

Documents you need

Article 68(2) of Law 5038/2023 lists the specific documents. The general visa documents set by ministerial decision also apply.

  • Valid passport and passport photos.
  • Signed declaration that you will live in Greece to work remotely and will not work for a Greek employer.
  • Employment contract, service contracts or company records showing the employer or business is outside Greece, with its name, seat and activity.
  • Proof of income of €3,500 a month (contracts or bank statements).
  • Health insurance covering you in Greece. Article 8 of Law 5038/2023 makes insurance a general condition for every permit.
  • Proof of payment of the €75 visa fee.
  • For family members: marriage or partnership certificate and children’s birth certificates, apostilled and translated.

Consulates may ask for more, such as a criminal record certificate or proof of accommodation. Check the list of the consulate you apply to.

Fees, duration and renewal

Expect three official fees. They come from Article 68 and Article 171 of Law 5038/2023 and the Mitos procedures register.

ItemAmountValidity
National visa (type D)€75Up to 12 months
Residence permit (type I.8)€1,0002 years
Residence permit card€16With the permit

Consulates and visa centres may add service charges. Article 68 does not set out renewal of the 2-year permit itself. Law firms report that the permit is renewable while the conditions are still met. Article 163(8) sets 3-year renewals for I.8 permits generally. Confirm the renewal term with your Decentralised Administration.

Bringing your family

Your family can come with you on individual visas and permits that expire with yours. Article 68(3) of Law 5038/2023 covers:

  • your spouse or civil partner (σύμφωνο συμβίωσης);
  • unmarried children under 18, including adopted children;
  • unmarried children under 18 of your spouse or partner, where that parent has legal custody.

Each family member raises the income threshold (20% for a spouse, 15% per child). None may work in Greece. Children can attend Greek public schools or private international schools.

Greece digital nomad visa tax: the 183-day rule and the 50% relief

The visa does not set your tax status. Under Article 4 of the Income Tax Code (Law 4172/2013), you become a Greek tax resident if you stay more than 183 days in any 12-month period. A tax resident is taxed in Greece on worldwide income, subject to double tax treaties.

Many guides say digital nomads get a 50% income tax cut for 7 years. The law is narrower. Article 5C of the Income Tax Code exempts 50% of income for 7 tax years, but only if all of these apply:

  • you were not a Greek tax resident in 5 of the 6 years before the move;
  • you move from an EU or EEA country, or a country with a tax cooperation agreement with Greece;
  • you work in Greece for a Greek company or the Greek permanent establishment of a foreign company, or you run a business in Greece;
  • you commit to stay for at least 2 years.
An employee of a foreign company with no presence in Greece does not meet the third condition as written. The digital nomad rules also bar work for the Greek market. Whether a self-employed nomad can use Article 5C is not settled by any published ruling we could find. Get written advice from a Greek tax adviser before you rely on it.

Law 5222/2025 removed the job-creation condition for Article 5C applicants, KPMG Greece reported in August 2025. The other conditions remain.

Housing: can digital nomads rent or buy?

Yes. A digital nomad can rent or buy property in Greece. No price threshold applies, unlike the Golden Visa.

  • Renting is the usual first step. Long-term leases are common in Athens, Thessaloniki and the large islands. See rent in Athens data.
  • Buying follows the same process as for any foreign buyer: tax number, bank account, lawyer, notary and land registry. Non-EU buyers need an extra permit for property in designated border areas. See how to buy property in Greece as a foreigner.
  • Costs include transfer tax and fees. Use our buying cost calculator.

Note the draft bill on transfer tax for buyers who are not EU or EEA tax residents. It is a draft, not law. See our report on the July 2027 proposal. A digital nomad who has become a Greek tax resident would, on the draft wording, not be affected.

Path to long-term residence and citizenship

The digital nomad permit is not a fast track to settlement. The Ministry of Interior’s January 2026 list of permits that qualify for naturalisation after 7 years does not include the I.8 permit. Holders of other valid permits need 12 years.

Long-term resident status under Article 144 of Law 5038/2023 needs 5 years of continuous legal residence. Article 143(2) excludes people on a temporary residence status, and the law does not say whether the nomad permit is one. If settlement matters, ask the Decentralised Administration early and consider switching permit. Details on our citizenship page.

Greece remote work visa vs FIP and Golden Visa

The Greece remote work visa is the only one of the three that lets you keep working, but only for clients abroad.

Digital nomadFIPGolden Visa
Requirement€3,500 a month net from remote work€3,500 a month from passive incomeInvestment from €250,000
WorkRemote, for abroad onlyNoneNone
First permit12-month visa, then 2 years3 years5 years
Permit fee€1,000€1,000€2,000
Minimum stayNot fixed in the lawNot fixed in the lawNone

More in our moving to Greece hub.

Frequently asked questions

How much income do I need for the Greece digital nomad visa?

At least €3,500 a month, net of tax if you are employed, under Article 68 of Law 5038/2023. The amount rises by 20% for a spouse or partner and by 15% for each child, so a couple with one child needs about €4,725 a month. You prove it with contracts or bank statements.

Can I apply for the Greek digital nomad permit from inside Greece?

Not any more. Law 5275/2026, published on 6 February 2026, removed the option to enter Greece as a visitor and apply for the permit in the country, according to Athens immigration lawyers. You must first get the national (type D) visa from a Greek consulate, then apply for the residence permit in Greece before the visa expires.

Do digital nomads pay tax in Greece?

If you stay in Greece more than 183 days in any 12-month period, you normally become a Greek tax resident and pay Greek tax on worldwide income, subject to tax treaties. The visa itself does not make you resident or exempt. Your home country may also still tax you, so take advice in both countries.

Do digital nomads get the 50% tax break in Greece?

Not automatically. Article 5C of the Income Tax Code gives a 50% exemption for 7 years only to people employed by a Greek company or a Greek branch of a foreign company, or running a business in Greece. A remote employee of a foreign company with no Greek presence does not meet that condition as written. Get written tax advice first.

How long is the Greece digital nomad visa valid?

The national visa is valid for up to 12 months. Before it expires you can apply for a type I.8 residence permit, which Article 68(4) of Law 5038/2023 sets at 2 years. Law firms report the permit can be renewed while you still meet the conditions. Confirm the renewal term with your Decentralised Administration.

Can I work for a Greek company on a digital nomad visa?

No. You must sign a declaration that you will not provide work or services to any employer based in Greece. Your income must come from employers or clients outside Greece. Family members who join you may not work or carry out any economic activity in Greece. A Greek job needs a different, work-based permit.

Can I buy a house in Greece on a digital nomad visa?

Yes. Any foreigner can buy property in Greece, and the digital nomad permit has no investment threshold. You need a Greek tax number, a bank account and a lawyer, and non-EU buyers need a special permit in designated border areas. Buying does not change your permit type unless the property meets the Golden Visa thresholds.

Sources

This page explains published rules and data; it is not legal, tax or investment advice. Proposals and announcements are marked as such and are not law until published in the Government Gazette. Track changes in the regulation tracker.

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