🇬🇷 Greece · Golden / Investor visa
Greece Golden / Investor visa approval odds
Greece's Golden Visa grants a 5-year renewable EU residence permit for investment, with no minimum-stay requirement. Since the 2024 reform, real-estate minimums are tiered: €800,000 in high-demand areas (Attica/Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands), €400,000 elsewhere — each a single property of at least 120 m² — or €250,000 only for converting a commercial building to residential, or restoring a listed building. Approval depends on a compliant, fully-paid investment and a clean source of funds, so most complete files succeed.
Last reviewed July 2026 per our editorial standards. Source: Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum (migration.gov.gr) .
a golden (investor) visa to Greece is decided mainly on whether your qualifying investment is genuine and your funds are lawfully sourced. Public statistics point to an approximate base approval of around 92% for this route for a typical applicant — but your own profile can move that figure a lot in either direction.
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Key requirements
- Non-EU/EEA national, 18+, with a clean criminal record and valid health insurance
- A qualifying investment: €800k / €400k real estate (single property ≥ 120 m²), €250k for conversion/restoration projects, or non-real-estate routes (€500k deposit, bonds or shares; €350k Greece-focused fund)
- The full amount genuinely paid and maintained while the permit is relied on
- Funds transferred from abroad with a documented lawful source
- An in-person visit to Greece for biometrics
- Golden-visa property cannot be used for short-term (Airbnb-type) rentals
Money & funds
Real estate: €800,000 in high-demand areas (Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, islands over 3,100 people) or €400,000 elsewhere — each a single property of at least 120 m² — or €250,000 only for commercial-to-residential conversions or listed-building restorations. Non-real-estate options include a €500,000 bank deposit, bonds or shares, or €350,000 in a Greece-focused fund.
Typical timeline
Roughly 4–9 months for a clean, complete file in 2026 (backlogs have eased). The 5-year permit runs from when the residence card is issued and is renewable as long as you keep the investment.
Common refusal reasons
- Source-of-funds or KYC failure — the single most common reason
- Property below the tier that applies to its region (e.g. €400k on an Athens property that needs €800k)
- Mortgaged or partly-paid property where the effective paid amount falls below the legal minimum
- Criminal-record or security concerns
- Missing/expired health insurance, incomplete documentation, or property failing the 120 m² single-unit rule
What actually moves the needle
A qualifying investment at the required threshold
This is the heart of golden decisions for Greece. Make it concrete and documented rather than assumed.
A fully documented, lawful source of funds
Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.
A clean criminal and security record
Officers weigh this alongside everything else — gather clear evidence before you apply.
Avoid the common pitfall
The most frequent reason this route fails is an investment below the threshold, or funds you cannot fully document. Address it directly and you remove the biggest doubt.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Greek Golden Visa still have a €250,000 option in 2026?
Yes, but only for two cases: converting a commercial building into residential use, or restoring a listed/heritage building. Standard homes now need €400,000 (most of Greece) or €800,000 (Athens/Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands).
Does the Greek Golden Visa give Schengen access?
Yes. Greece is in the Schengen Area, so the residence card lets you travel visa-free across Schengen for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It is residency, not citizenship.
Is there a minimum-stay requirement?
No. You do not have to live in Greece to keep or renew the permit — you only need to keep the qualifying investment in place.
Can I rent out my Golden Visa property on Airbnb?
No. Since the 2024 reform, properties used to qualify are barred from short-term/holiday rentals; breaching this can revoke the permit and carries a €50,000 fine. Long-term leasing is generally allowed.
Can the property be mortgaged?
In practice the full qualifying amount must genuinely be paid in, so applications are refused where a mortgage or undocumented transfers drop the effective investment below the legal minimum. Clean title and fully-traceable funds are expected.
