Eligibility & suitability
Who can qualify
- Third-country applicants acquiring and maintaining a property that satisfies an available investment category.
- Qualifying family members under the applicable reunification provisions.
Restrictions & unsuitable cases
- Buyers assuming any €250,000 property qualifies.
- Applicants intending unrestricted local employment on the investor permit.
- Conversion buyers filing before the required change of use is complete.
Application process & timeline
The sequence below separates application preparation, official decision stages and continuing obligations. A statutory deadline or published target is not an estimate of end-to-end delivery.
01Identify the property category and regionBefore reservation; legal/technical diligence variable.
Confirm the threshold, single-property requirements and any conversion or listed-building exception. Inspect title and planning records independently.
Documents & evidence
- Property details
- Title and planning records
- Category assessment
- Using an old nationwide €250,000 headline
02Arrange funds and professional representationBefore completion.
Prepare tax identification, lawful funds and any power of attorney. Confirm transaction taxes, fees and legalisation requirements separately from the investment price.
Documents & evidence
- Funds trail
- Power of attorney
- Identity records
- Budgeting only the advertised purchase amount
03Complete the purchase and any qualifying worksBefore application where conversion completion is required.
Complete the notarial transaction and prescribed payment evidence. Conversion must be complete before filing; listed-property restoration has its own first-renewal deadline. Obtain the category-specific engineer’s and notary’s documentation.
Documents & evidence
- Notarial deed/certificate
- Payment records
- Engineer report
- Filing while conversion works remain incomplete
04Submit through the migration e-servicesRegistry conversion deadline: 50 days; actual whole-project duration varies.
File the required property, entry/status and insurance evidence and pay applicable charges. Confirm whether representation before entry is available in the particular case.
Documents & evidence
- Application
- Passport/status
- Insurance
- Property file
- Confusing a procedural decision deadline with total delivery time
05Complete biometrics and residence documentationAs instructed after filing; appointments and production vary.
Attend required identity procedures and verify each family member’s file. Keep the certificate or filing evidence supporting lawful status.
Documents & evidence
- Biometric appointment
- Passports
- Family records
- Assuming principal approval resolves all dependent documents
06Maintain ownership and renewFive-year permit cycle; continuing conditions apply throughout.
Retain the qualifying investment and comply with use restrictions. For listed property, complete the required restoration or reconstruction before first renewal; obtain advice before any resale. Prepare full registration evidence for renewal.
Documents & evidence
- Ownership/registration
- Insurance
- Renewal file
- Selling the qualifying asset without reviewing revocation consequences
Document checklist
Track your preparation in this browser. Final requirements depend on the route and filing authority.
Compare the property investment categories
These are qualifying acquisition thresholds, not total project budgets. A developer’s price or description does not establish the property’s legal category. The government circular distinguishes conversion completion before filing from listed-building restoration before the first renewal. Obtain the category-specific legal and technical evidence before committing.
| Property category | Minimum acquisition value | Conditions that change the decision |
|---|---|---|
| Standard property in higher-threshold areas | €800,000 | Attica, Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above 3,100 residents. One property; 120 m² of main spaces for built property or property with a building permit. |
| Standard property elsewhere | €400,000 | One qualifying property; the same 120 m² condition for built property or property with a building permit. |
| Qualifying conversion to residential use | €250,000 | One property; qualifying change completed from 5 April 2024 and before application. No 120 m² minimum. Industrial premises need additional evidence of five years without an operating industrial business. |
| Qualifying listed building | €250,000 | One qualifying property with official listed status; no 120 m² minimum. Full restoration or reconstruction is required for first renewal. Transfer before completion is invalid. |
Budget beyond the investment price
The registry publishes a 50-day deadline for the conversion procedure and a 50–60-day estimate for listed-property issuance. Neither includes your complete property search, diligence, works, document preparation and appointment journey. Obtain an initial budget and a recurring ownership budget, including insurance and the obligations that continue through the five-year permit cycle.
| Budget item | Amount or pricing basis | What to establish before proceeding |
|---|---|---|
| Principal residence application | €2,000 | Listed in the current conversion and listed-property registry procedures. Family applications must be costed separately. |
| Principal residence card issuance | €16 | Separate electronic permit charge in those registry procedures. |
| Property transaction | Quoted for the actual property | Obtain applicable tax, notary, land-registration, independent legal and technical costs. |
| Construction or conversion | Independent scope and quotation | Include professional certification, permits, contingencies and maintenance; assess who carries completion risk. |
| Family and document preparation | Household-specific quotation | Translations, authentication, insurance, dependent filings and travel are additional. |
| Our professional work | Written scope and quote | Specify route assessment, tax planning and implementation coordination, plus any separately engaged local professionals. |
Investigate the asset before the residence application
Have qualified local counsel verify the applicable category, ownership, permitted use, planning documents and title. For a conversion, establish what changed, when, who completed it and which evidence proves compliance. The seller’s intention to convert is different from a completed qualifying conversion.
Obtain a full transaction budget: price, applicable taxes, registry and notarial charges, legal work, insurance, application costs and property upkeep. Evaluate liquidity, rental restrictions and market value independently of the permit. Immigration eligibility does not establish that the price represents a good investment.
Application sequence and evidence
Confirm the applicant’s entry and filing position, complete the qualifying transaction and payment documentation, then submit through the current residence process. Keep passport and civil records, proof of insurance, the notarial and registry evidence, bank transfers and family files consistent. Biometrics and the residence card may be separate steps after filing.
No all-in delivery estimate is given here. Document corrections, asset due diligence and authority appointments are real dependencies. Confirm how evidence of a pending application affects lawful stay and travel rather than assuming it functions exactly like an issued card.
Keep the investment, residence and tax projects distinct
Renewal depends on maintaining the qualifying position and meeting current requirements. Obtain a clear absence and maintenance checklist and review any intended disposal, lease or change of use before acting. Minimal presence for investment residence should not be equated with naturalisation.
A tax-residence transfer and Article 5A election require their own eligibility and filings. We can compare the residence route with the household’s tax, banking and long-term citizenship objectives and coordinate appropriate local implementation.
The investment decision should stand on its own
Compare the full acquisition cost with the property’s independent market value, expected net rent, repair costs and exit liquidity. A lower immigration threshold may involve renovation, conversion risk or a premium paid to a specialist seller. Have an independent professional assess the asset and separate any referral fee from the legal eligibility analysis.
Immigration presence rules do not determine Greek tax residence or create Article 5A eligibility. A family actually moving to Greece needs a personal-tax analysis; a family holding residence while living elsewhere must still comply with its home country’s rules. Citizenship requires its own residence and integration path. The golden visa should be evaluated as a residence right attached to a continuing qualifying investment.
Sources & research notes6 references
Sources supporting this guide. Research draft awaiting editorial review.
- Greek government housing portal: increased golden-visa property thresholds
- Greek National Registry: golden visa through qualifying change of use
- AADE: November 2025 tax incentive guide
- en.mitos.gov.gr — official guidance
- Ministry of Migration circular 9/2024: property categories and restoration rules
- Greek National Registry: listed-property golden visa, updated September 2026