Greece Golden Visa
Greece’s Golden Visa remains Europe’s most accessible property-based residency route, with no minimum stay requirement at all, and qualifying investment levels that vary significantly by region. Blue Shore Advisors helps you understand which area and property fit your goals, and connects you with the trusted local lawyers who handle the application itself.
Key facts
For informational purposes only, not legal or financial advice. Consult with qualified legal and financial professionals regarding your specific situation.
The Programme
Introduced in 2013, Greece’s Golden Visa quickly became one of Europe’s most popular residency-by-investment routes, built around a straightforward proposition: buy qualifying property, and receive a renewable Greek, and Schengen-area, residence permit with no obligation to live there.
The programme looks different today than it did even a few years ago. What was once a flat €250,000 threshold nationwide is now tiered by area, with the most in-demand regions requiring significantly more capital. Reforms since 2023 also removed the option to combine several smaller properties into one qualifying investment, and banned short-term (Airbnb-style) rental of Golden Visa-linked property.
Note on citizenship: Because Greece sets no minimum stay requirement to hold the permit, most Golden Visa investors never come close to the 183-days-a-year physical presence Greek citizenship requires. The permit itself is genuinely low-commitment; citizenship, by contrast, means relocating in substance, not just on paper.
Prime areas — €800,000
Attica (Athens and the surrounding region), the municipality of Thessaloniki itself, and larger islands with a population over 3,100, including Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Tinos, Rhodes, Corfu, and Zakynthos.
Standard areas — €400,000
Everywhere else in Greece, including the Peloponnese, Evia, Corinth, Halkidiki, the areas surrounding Thessaloniki, and smaller islands such as Kea, Kythnos, Serifos, and Sifnos.
Change-of-use conversion — €250,000
A commercial or industrial building formally converted to residential use, available regardless of location.
Heritage restoration — €250,000
Restoration of a listed or historically protected building, available regardless of location.
Eligibility for the Greece Golden Visa
Eligibility is deliberately simple, which is a large part of the programme’s appeal, the real decision is which area and property to invest in, not whether an applicant qualifies.
Non-EU, non-EEA nationality. The programme is open exclusively to third-country nationals.
Aged 18 or over at the time of application.
A clean criminal record for the applicant and any included adult family members.
Mandatory private health insurance, held with a Greek-licensed provider, covering the applicant and all included family members.
A clearly documented, legitimate source of funds behind the qualifying investment.
The qualifying investment itself as set out above.
Benefits by Stage
Greece’s structure is simpler than some other European programmes: there is no separate “permanent residency” milestone along the way. The five-year permit renews indefinitely on its own terms, and citizenship, for those who choose to pursue it, sits on a materially different track that requires genuinely relocating.
Resident
- Right to live in Greece, with no minimum-stay requirement of any kind
- Visa-free travel throughout the Schengen Area for short stays
- Access to Greece’s healthcare system alongside mandatory private cover
- Spouse, unmarried children under 21, and parents of the applicant and spouse included on the same application
- No obligation to become a Greek tax resident or relocate in any way
- Permit renews indefinitely for as long as the qualifying investment is held
- No requirement to give up existing citizenship
- Property remains a normal, privately owned asset (short-term letting aside)
Citizenship
- Full Greek and EU citizenship, live, work, and study in any EU/EEA country or Switzerland, with no permit or renewal ever required
- A strong passport, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the large majority of countries globally
- Citizenship does not expire and carries no residency obligation to maintain it
- Can be passed on to children and future generations
- Right to vote in Greek national, local, and European Parliament elections
- Consular protection from any EU member state’s embassy worldwide, not just Greece’s
- Unrestricted right to work in any EU country without a work permit
- Greece permits dual nationality, so citizenship is added rather than requiring the original nationality to be renounced
About Greece
Greece’s appeal is the most obvious kind: it’s simply one of the most beautiful places in Europe to spend time, with a climate, coastline, and quality of life that need little introduction. Athens is a genuine world city with a growing international business and cultural scene, while the islands and coastal regions offer a completely different, slower pace, from the polish of Mykonos and Santorini to the quieter charm of the Peloponnese or the Ionian coast.
It’s also an easy country to feel at home in. English is widely spoken in Athens, Thessaloniki, and the main tourist regions, the cost of living remains lower than in most of Western Europe, and Greece’s EU membership means healthcare, travel, and legal standards are familiar to most international families. The food and wine culture is a genuine daily pleasure rather than an occasional indulgence, and the historical depth of the country, from ancient sites to Byzantine towns, gives it a texture that newer destinations simply don’t have.
For investors specifically, Greece’s real draw is flexibility: because there’s no obligation to live there, the property can be a genuine lifestyle asset, a holiday base, a family retreat, or eventually a full-time home, on whatever timeline suits the family, rather than a box that has to be ticked on a fixed schedule.
Take the Next Step Toward Your Global Future
All consultations are completely free, with no cost to explore your options, and everything you share with us is treated in confidence. If you decide to move forward, any fees are paid directly to the lawyers or program providers handling your application.