Turkish nationals held 5,107 active initial Golden Visa investor permits at the end of August 2026, or 19.1% of the total, according to Ministry of Migration and Asylum data published on 23 September 2026.
Chinese nationals remain the largest group, with 12,664 initial permits, or 47.4% of the 26,690 in force. Lebanon (1,169), Iran (1,010) and Israel (849) complete the top five.
Turkish holdings grow fastest
At the end of June 2026, Turkish investors held 4,543 initial permits, an 18.2% share, according to ministry figures. That means 564 more Turkish-held permits in two months, a rise of 12.4%.
Chinese holdings rose from 11,921 to 12,664 over the same period, up 6.2%. Their share slipped from 47.7% to 47.4%.
Among Western buyers, UK nationals held 840 initial permits in August, up from 826 in June. US nationals held 642, ranking eighth. Egypt (660), Armenia (279) and Serbia (224) also feature in the top ten.
Renewals tell a different story
Renewals reflect investors who entered the programme five or more years ago. Here, China dominates with 5,288 of 8,069 renewed permits, or 65.5%. Turkey holds 596 renewals (7.4%) and Russia 480 (5.9%).
The gap between the two tables shows how much the investor base has widened since the programme’s early years.
What it means for buyers
Golden Visa investors are third-country nationals, the group targeted by the government’s announced 15% transfer tax on home purchases. Reports differ on the start date: earlier reports gave 1 January 2027, while later ones, from 8 September, gave 1 July 2027. The measure has been announced but not yet legislated, and its treatment of the €250,000 conversion route remains unclear.
Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
What happens next
The ministry publishes nationality data monthly. Final wording of the transfer tax will be known when the bill goes to public consultation.
