Greece will revoke Golden Visa permits obtained through disguised price cuts, or held while the property is sublet for short stays, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said on 15 October 2026. It is an announcement: no legal act or start date has been published.
What the minister said
Speaking at a property conference in Athens, Plevris said permits linked to Golden Visa properties advertised for under €250,000 will be revoked, however the lower price is reached. His example was a home sold for €250,000 where the buyer then gets €100,000 back through a lease.
He also said that where an investor uses sublets to run short-term rentals despite the ban, the residence permit will be removed. What matters, he said, is whether the home is available for long-term use.
He gave no figures on how many permits could be affected and did not say how cases would be detected.
The rules already in force
Most of what the minister described is already in the law. According to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s circular on Law 5100/2024:
- the minimum is €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini (Thira) and islands with more than 3,100 residents, and €400,000 elsewhere;
- the €250,000 minimum applies only to converting a commercial building into a home or restoring a listed building;
- the investment must be in one property of at least 120 m², except under the two €250,000 routes;
- Golden Visa property cannot be let short term or sublet; breaches can lead to revocation or non-renewal of the permit and administrative fines.
Plevris also said Chinese investors remain the largest group of Golden Visa holders, followed by Turkish investors. Our breakdown by nationality has the August figures.
He said abolishing the programme would not by itself add homes to the market, and called for incentives to steer investment beyond central Athens.
What it means for buyers
The change is in enforcement rather than in the thresholds. Deals priced at the €250,000 floor with side arrangements, such as a lease that returns part of the price, are the stated target. So are Golden Visa homes that reach the short-term market through a sublet. Our guide to short-term rental rules explains the existing ban. Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
What happens next
The minister did not say whether a new law, a ministerial decision or closer checks under the current rules will deliver the revocations. We will report the legal text when it is published.
Sources
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum: Golden Visa circular on Article 64 of Law 5100/2024
- Remarks by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris at a property conference in Athens, 15 October 2026
