Golden Visa & Residency by Investment
Legal support for investors obtaining Greek residency through real estate or capital investment.
Residency by Investment in Greece
The Greek Golden Visa grants non-EU nationals a five-year renewable residence permit, with freedom of movement within the Schengen area and no minimum stay requirement in Greece.
The framework changed substantially under Article 64 of Law 5100/2024. The flat €250,000 threshold that had applied for a decade was replaced by location-based tiers: €800,000 across the whole of Attica, the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and any island with more than 3,100 inhabitants; €400,000 everywhere else. In both tiers the investment must be a single property with at least 120 m² of main living space, and aggregating two or more smaller units to reach the threshold is no longer permitted.
The €250,000 threshold survives nationwide for two routes only: converting a property from commercial to residential use, and restoring a listed building. Each property may be used at that rate once.
Beyond real estate there are capital routes — a fixed-term deposit with a Greek credit institution, units in investment funds or alternative investment schemes, bonds and shares, and investment in a start-up registered with Elevate Greece. Minimum amounts differ by instrument, and for some investors these routes are simpler than a property purchase.
The permit extends to a spouse, children under 21 (with scope for extension) and the dependent parents of both spouses. We handle the legal review of the investment, the preparation and filing of the application, and representation before the competent authorities, with the process capable of completion remotely under a power of attorney.
Why Choose Our Firm
The choice of property determines whether the application succeeds. A property that falls short of its zone’s threshold, that does not reach 120 m² of main living space, or that carries unresolved planning irregularities leads to refusal after the price has been paid — at which point the loss is difficult to reverse.
We confirm eligibility before capital is committed, not after. We work alongside notaries, civil engineers and accountants, coordinating the legal side of the transaction with its technical and tax dimensions, so that an investor knows the real cost and the real timetable from the outset rather than discovering them halfway through.
Our Approach
We start with the purpose of the investment: whether residency is the sole objective, whether the property is intended for personal use or for yield, and what the tax position is in your country of residence. The answers change which route we recommend.
Depending on the matter, our support includes:
- placing the property in the correct zone and confirming the applicable threshold;
- title, encumbrance and planning-legality due diligence;
- obtaining a Greek tax number and opening a bank account;
- drafting the power of attorney for remote completion;
- attending the notarial deed and registering the title;
- filing the application, arranging biometrics and monitoring it through to issue;
- adding family members and handling renewals.
We also flag the restriction that catches most investors by surprise: a property supporting a Golden Visa cannot be let short-term through sharing-economy platforms. Long-term letting remains available, and we check the intended use before purchase so that the yield you are modelling is legally achievable.
Core areas of expertise
Eligibility Review
Placing the property in the €800,000, €400,000 or €250,000 tier and confirming its floor area and permitted use before any capital is committed.
Property Due Diligence
Verification of title, encumbrances, mortgages, seizures and adverse claims at the Land Registry and the Cadastre.
Investment Structuring
Advice across the available routes — real estate, fixed-term deposit, fund units, bonds and the registered start-up pathway — and which suits your objectives.
Application & Biometrics
Preparation and filing of the application file, scheduling of the biometrics appointment and follow-up through to issue of the permit.
Family Members
Inclusion of a spouse, children and dependent parents, with the supporting documentation each category requires.
Renewal & Long-Term Status
Renewal of the five-year permit, the requirement to maintain the investment, and the route towards long-term residence or naturalisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum investment today?
It depends on where the property is. Across the whole of Attica, the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants the threshold is €800,000. Elsewhere in Greece it is €400,000. Both require a single property with at least 120 m² of main living space.
The €250,000 figure is no longer a general rule. It applies only to a commercial-to-residential conversion or the restoration of a listed building, in which case there is no minimum floor area. Guides still quoting €250,000 as the national entry point are out of date.
Can I combine two smaller properties to reach the threshold?
No. Aggregating the value of two or more properties was abolished by Law 5100/2024. The investment must be made in a single property.
This is among the most common misunderstandings we encounter, because the practice was widespread before 2024 and is still described in older material circulating online.
Can I let the property on a short-term basis?
No. A property supporting an investor residence permit may not be let short-term through sharing-economy platforms, and doing so puts the permit itself at risk.
Long-term letting remains permitted. Because this materially affects the return on an Athens or island property, we establish the intended use before you commit rather than after.
Do I need to be in Greece for the process?
Most of it can be completed remotely under a special power of attorney, properly certified and apostilled where required — obtaining the tax number, opening the bank account and signing the purchase deed.
Attendance in person is required for the biometrics appointment. Once the permit is issued there is no minimum stay requirement, which is one of the programme’s principal attractions.