Greece's Golden Visa in 2026: Tiered Thresholds, No Stay Requirement, No Shortcut to a Passport
Greece replaced its flat €250,000 property threshold with tiers set by location, added a minimum flat size, and banned short-term letting. The citizenship question is where expectations most often break.
Three price tiers, decided by postcode
Greece has operated a residence permit for investors since 2013, and for most of that period it was the cheapest property-linked route to residence in the European Union, at a flat €250,000 nationwide. That ended with Law 5100/2024, which applies to transactions from 1 September 2024 and replaced the single national threshold with tiers set by where the property sits. The effect was to raise the entry price sharply in precisely the places most buyers wanted, and to attach conditions that make the permit considerably harder to combine with a rental business. Permits issued under the older rules were not disturbed, but new applications are assessed on the current framework.
- €800,000 for property in the Attica region, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with populations above roughly 3,100.
- €400,000 for property anywhere else in Greece.
- Both of those tiers require a single property, with a main living area of at least 120 square metres — the sum can no longer be assembled from several cheaper flats.
- €250,000 where a building is converted from commercial to residential use, with the conversion completed before the application is filed, or where a listed building is restored. No minimum floor area applies to this tier.
- Non-property routes remain, broadly from around €350,000 for units in Greek-focused investment funds up to €500,000 or more for government bonds, term deposits and listed securities. These are amended more quietly than the property tiers, so confirm the current figure for any specific asset class before relying on it.
No stay requirement, and what that costs you later
The permit runs for five years and is renewable for further five-year terms for as long as the qualifying investment is held. Spouses, children up to a stated age and dependent parents can generally be included. There is no minimum stay whatsoever: a holder can spend the entire five years outside Greece without losing the permit, which is the single feature that most distinguishes it from an ordinary residence permit. One restriction bites hard in practice. Property acquired under the scheme may not be let on a short-term basis through holiday-rental platforms, and breaching that can cost the permit as well as a substantial administrative fine; converted commercial properties additionally cannot serve as a company's registered seat. Anyone who modelled the purchase on nightly lettings needs to redo the arithmetic before signing.
The citizenship position is where expectations most often break. Greek naturalisation requires seven years of lawful residence, but the operative word is residence: applicants are expected to have genuinely lived in Greece, with tax filings and days in the country examined, and to pass the naturalisation certification examination, which tests Greek at roughly B1 level alongside history, geography, culture and the institutions of the state. A permit that never asks you to arrive therefore accrues very little toward a passport for someone who never moves. That is not a flaw in the design so much as the design itself, but it does mean the Greek permit and a programme that leads to citizenship without relocation are different products, and they should be priced as different products.
Programme at a glance
Greece
Residence Permit for Investors
Main routes
- Property, high-demand areas — €800,000
- Property, rest of Greece — €400,000
- Commercial conversion or listed restoration — €250,000
- Greek-focused investment funds — from €350,000
- Government bonds or term deposit — €500,000
Biggest caveat: The permit requires no presence at all, but citizenship does — so an investor who never relocates gains residence rights and nothing more, however long the permit is held.
Details as understood in September 2026. These rules change frequently and differ by nationality — this is general information, not legal, immigration, or tax advice. Verify with the relevant government source and a licensed immigration lawyer before committing money. Compare all programmes →
A residence permit that never asks you to show up is a travel and property instrument, not a passport bought in instalments.
Risks and the limits of this guide
Greece has raised its thresholds twice in five years and applied the change within months of announcing it, so the current tiers are best treated as the rules of the moment rather than a settled bargain; residence-by-investment schemes across the EU also remain under political pressure, including in the wake of a 2025 Court of Justice ruling against Malta's sale of citizenship. The property itself is a real investment that can fall in value, is slow to sell, and carries acquisition taxes, legal fees and ongoing charges — and it can lose money whether or not the permit is ever granted. Everything here reflects the position as we understand it in September 2026 and changes frequently. This article is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice: eligibility, documentation, processing and tax outcomes differ by nationality and by individual circumstances, approval is never guaranteed, due diligence and background checks apply, and applications are refused. Consult a licensed immigration lawyer and confirm the current rules with the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum before committing money. Plain Investor does not sell, broker or advise on residence or citizenship programmes, takes no commission from any of them, and is not affiliated with any immigration advisory firm.
This article is educational and general in nature. It isn’t personalized investment, tax, or legal advice — always weigh your own circumstances, or talk to a licensed professional, before making financial decisions.