The Greek Golden Visa is a five year residence permit for people from outside the European Union who invest in property in Greece. Since Brexit, British citizens apply as non-EU citizens. This checklist sets out what the law asks of you: the investment, how you pay, the documents, the fees and the family members you can include. Each point comes from the law or an official government page, linked below. When you are ready to apply, our Golden Visa service page explains how we handle the application for you.
Who can apply for a Greek Golden Visa
Article 100 of the Greek Migration Code (Law 5038/2023), as replaced by Law 5100/2024, grants the permit to a third country national. That means anyone who is not a citizen of an EU country. British citizens have been third country nationals since Brexit.
British citizens who lived in Greece before Brexit may have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement instead. Our page on residency after Brexit covers them.
You must have entered Greece legally, on any type of visa or under a visa free arrangement, or already live here legally.
The investment you need
The minimum value depends on where the property is and what kind of property it is. These are the levels in Article 100, paragraph 2:
| Area or type | Minimum value | Extra conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Attica region, Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini (Thira), and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants at the last census | €800,000 | One property only. A built property, or one with a building permit, needs at least 120 m² of main space. |
| All other areas of Greece | €400,000 | One property only, with the same 120 m² rule. |
| Property whose main space changes to residential use, including an industrial building not used as a working factory for at least five years | €250,000 | One property only. The change of use must be finished before you apply. The seller can carry it out. |
| A listed building that you restore or rebuild | €250,000 | One property only. It must be fully restored before your first renewal, and a sale before then is void. |
Source: Law 5100/2024, Article 64, consolidated text on migration.gov.gr.
The value is the purchase value shown in the notarial deed. As our Golden Visa page explains, the €800,000 level applies in Kefalonia, unless the property qualifies for one of the two €250,000 routes.
Ways to hold the property
Besides owning the property in your own name, the law accepts these forms:
- Joint ownership. If you buy together, the permit is available when the co-owners are spouses or registered partners. Otherwise, each owner’s share must reach the minimum value on its own.
- Through a company. You can own the property through a legal entity based in Greece or another EU country, as long as you hold all of its shares.
- Long leases of tourist accommodation. A long term lease of hotel rooms or furnished tourist residences, or a timeshare lease, counts if the total rent reaches the same minimum value.
- Inheritance or a parental gift. If you are an adult, property you inherited or received from a parent counts if its objective value reaches the minimum.
How the price must be paid
The full price must be paid before you apply. If the deed keeps the title until the last payment, you need the registered deed that confirms full payment. The law allows three ways to pay:
- a crossed bank cheque into the seller’s account at a bank operating in Greece,
- a bank transfer, or
- a debit or credit card payment through a POS terminal of a payment provider operating in Greece, into the seller’s account there.
Cash is not on the list. Your spouse, or a relative by blood or marriage up to the second degree, can pay for you. The notary records the payment in the deed and gives you a certificate for the application. It also states whether the seller had already used the property for an investor permit.
Documents for the application
The official procedure pages on mitos.gov.gr list these documents, among others:
- a certified copy of every page of your valid passport, with any visa you entered on,
- the notary’s certificate described above,
- proof that the deed is registered with the Land Registry or Cadastre office, or a lawyer’s certificate. If registration is still pending, proof that it was applied for,
- a private health insurance contract,
- a copy of your property declaration (form E9), and
- one recent colour photograph, in print and in digital form.
Company owners and the €250,000 routes need extra documents. The full list is set by joint ministerial decision 214926/2025 (Government Gazette B 6014), and your lawyer will confirm what applies to your case.
Insurance needs care. A ministry circular of April 2026 says that if the policy is missing, the authority gives you 30 days to submit it and then rejects the application. A UK policy counts only if it expressly covers you in Greece, either by naming Greece or as worldwide cover.
Fees, timing and where you apply
Applications are made only online, through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum e-applications portal. The official procedure page lists these fees:
- €2,000 for the residence permit,
- €16 for printing the permit card,
- €50 only if you ask for a decision to be reviewed.
The law says the permit is issued within two months of a complete file. The procedure page estimates 50 to 60 days.
Applying from the UK through a lawyer
You do not have to be in Greece to apply. Before you enter Greece, a lawyer can file the application for you with a power of attorney. The power of attorney must be signed at a Greek consulate, or before a competent authority or notary abroad with the Hague Apostille.
If you are already in Greece, a notarial power of attorney is enough, or an authorisation certified at a citizen service centre (KEP) or through gov.gr.
A power of attorney can also cover the purchase itself. Our client testimonials describe property purchases in Kefalonia handled this way.
For the purchase itself, see how our property lawyer service in Greece works for buyers who stay in the UK.
Family members you can include
Article 95 of the Migration Code, as amended by Law 5275/2026, lets these family members receive their own permits, which expire on the same day as yours:
- your spouse, or the partner you have a registered partnership with,
- your unmarried children under 21, and your partner’s unmarried children under 21 who are in their custody,
- your parents and the parents of your spouse or partner (the law says direct ascendants), and
- adult children of either of you who lack legal capacity, live with you and are supported by you.
A child who turns 21 receives a separate three year permit.
A checklist before you sign
- Confirm the minimum for the area. In Kefalonia it is €800,000, unless the property is a conversion or a listed building.
- Check the size. Ask for the main space in square metres from the building permit, and make sure it reaches 120 m².
- Plan the payment. Decide who pays and from which account, using one of the three methods the law allows.
- Ask about the seller’s use. The notary’s certificate states whether the property was used for an earlier permit. Ask before you sign.
- Arrange insurance. Get private health cover that names Greece before you apply.
- Prepare a power of attorney. If you will not be in Greece, sign it at a Greek consulate or with an Apostille.
- Plan your use. The permit gives no right to work, and the property cannot be let short term through online platforms or sublet.
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements for a Greek Golden Visa?
You must be a non-EU citizen who entered Greece legally and own property worth at least the minimum for its area, paid in full through a Greek bank account. You also need health insurance covering Greece, your passport and the notary’s certificate, and you pay €2,016 in fees.
How much money do you need to get a Golden Visa in Greece?
The property must be worth at least €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants, or €400,000 elsewhere. A property converted to a home or a listed building you restore needs €250,000. On top of that you pay €2,016 in permit fees and the usual purchase costs.
Can I get residency in Greece if I buy a house?
Yes, if the house meets the Golden Visa rules: the minimum value for its area, one property, at least 120 m² of main space, and full payment before you apply. A cheaper home does not give residence on its own. Our residency after Brexit page explains the other permits open to British citizens.
Does a Golden Visa include family members?
Yes. Your spouse or registered partner, unmarried children under 21, the parents of you and your spouse, and adult children who lack legal capacity and live with you can each receive a permit. Their permits expire on the same day as yours, and children who turn 21 get their own three year permit.
Who is eligible for the Greek Golden Visa?
Citizens of countries outside the European Union, including British citizens since Brexit, who entered Greece legally or already live here legally and own a qualifying property or hold another investment the law accepts.
What are the benefits of obtaining permanent residency in Greece?
The investor permit lasts five years and is renewed for five more each time, as long as you keep the property. You do not have to live in Greece for a set time, and your close family can be included. It does not let you work in Greece.
Which is the cheapest Golden Visa in Europe?
We advise only on Greek law, so we cannot compare other countries. In Greece the lowest level is €250,000, for a property converted to residential use or a listed building you restore. For an ordinary home the minimum is €400,000, or €800,000 in Kefalonia and the other areas in the higher band.
Ask a lawyer to check your Golden Visa plan
Send us the details of the property you are considering. We will tell you which investment level applies, what the payment and documents need to look like, and how we can file the application for you. Our office is at 27 Lithostroto, Argostoli, and you can call us on +30 2671027630.
Book a consultationRelated pages
- Greece Golden Visas ProgrammeHow we handle your application
- Residency after BrexitPermits for British citizens in Greece
- TestimonialsClients who bought by power of attorney
- Contact usAsk about your Golden Visa
This guide is general information about the Greek Golden Visa, not legal advice for your case. The rules change, so confirm the position with a lawyer before you buy or apply.
