European residence
The Greek golden visa — a residence permit in the EU for €250,000 with 7–9% rental via Airbnb promotion.
Get free adviceWhy the Greek residency programme?
in Europe
of residency
Schengen area
to maintain the residency right
every 5 years
spouse, children and parents*
*Children under 21 and parents of both applicant and spouse can apply for residence
Here are the 8 simple steps to obtain a Greek residence permit
It takes 3 to 6 months for a residence permit to be issued.
You need to visit Greece three times during this time.
1. Choose property
You come to Greece to choose property. You will need a lawyer to check the property documents. It is better to choose a local specialist, as the documents are often drawn up in Greek.
Get free advice about the locations2. Sign a preliminary agreement
While the lawyer is verifying documents, you need to sign a preliminary purchase and sales agreement for the property not to be bought by someone else. A deposit has to be made of approximately 10% of the purchase price.
3. Receive a Tax Identification Number
You need to open an account with a Greek bank to pay bills and taxes on the purchased property. Before that, you need to obtain a Tax Identification Number: this simple procedure only takes a couple of hours at a local tax office.
4. Open a bank account and transfer money into it
When opening an account with a Greek bank, it is better to submit documents in person: the review is more likely to go smoothly in this case. Typically, opening a bank account takes 1 to 2 days.
Transfer the money from the bank account in your home country into the new Greek bank account. You will use it to pay for the purchase as well as taxes and utility bills.
5. Sign the agreement
When the verification procedure is complete, you can sign the purchase and sales agreement and transfer the money into the seller's account. In a month, the local authorities will register the transaction, and you will be able to apply for Greek residence permit.
Get free advice about the taxes6. Apply for residency
To apply for residency in Greece, you will have to submit a package of documents to the Directorate of Foreign Citizens and Immigration at the location of the property. Upon submitting all the documents, you will receive a submission receipt which enables you to stay in Greece until you get your residence permits. The documents take 1 to 2 months to be reviewed.
Get free advice about the procedure7. Submit fingerprints
When the Greek residence permit is approved, the investor and his or her family members have to return to Greece to have their fingerprints taken.
8. Obtain Greek residency
A couple of weeks after the fingerprinting, your European residence permits will be ready. You can receive them personally or via your lawyer.
Greek residence permit costs
Buying and registering the property:
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transfer tax: 3.09% of the property value
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registration tax: from 0.475% to 0.775% of the transaction value
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notary fee: 1.2% of the transaction value
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legal fee: 1.2% of the transaction value
Applying for visa:
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stamp duty: €500
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legal fees: €1,000 per principal applicant and €500 per family member
€267,700
Total cost of Greek Golden visa for a family of three buying property of at least €250,000 in value
Get free advice about taxes and feesRequired documents
For a tax number:
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passport and passport copy;
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marriage certificate (if a tax number is also issued to the applicant’s spouse).
For a bank account:
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a valid passport + a copy;
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proof of the applicant’s income, i.e. tax returns, documentary proof of inheritance, dividends, rental income or income from a property sale (translated into Greek or English);
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letter of employment (translated into Greek or English);
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a copy of any utility bill to prove the applicant’s address (translated into Greek or English);
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a certificate to prove the applicant has a registered telephone number (translated into Greek or English);
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the applicant’s bank account statements (translated into Greek or English).
For a visa:
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passport copy (notarised, with a notarised Greek translation and apostille);
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two colour photographs (4x6 cm, digital versions accepted);
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receipt confirming that the stamp duty has been paid (this can be done online);
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real estate purchase agreement;
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certificate confirming the filing of the real estate purchase agreement with the mortgage registry;
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insurance policy covering the cost of hospitalisation and medical care in Greece (in Greek).
For the principal applicant’s family members:
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passport copy of each family member (notarised, with a notarised Greek translation and apostille);
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insurance policy covering the cost of hospitalisation and medical care in Greece (in Greek);
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marriage certificate and birth certificate of any children (notarised, with a notarised Greek translation and apostille);
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two colour photographs of each family member (4x6 cm, digital versions accepted).
Residence-Greece will help you to get a residence permit in Greece via a property purchase. We will assist you in choosing a property, registering the transaction and collecting documents to obtain Greek residency.
When you submit a request, you agree to our terms and conditions