What Are Greece's Golden Visa Requirements?

Greece runs Europe's most budget-friendly Golden Visa program, but they've added complexity with location-based pricing tiers.

The two-tier system works like this: €250,000 minimum applies to most of mainland Greece, less-touristed islands, and secondary cities. €500,000 applies to Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and other high-demand areas. The government introduced this to prevent Golden Visa buyers from pricing locals out of major cities and popular islands.

So if you're flexible on location, €250K genuinely gets you EU residency. A solid house on Crete outside the main tourist zones. A village property in the Peloponnese. An apartment in a smaller mainland city. Real estate that you might actually want to own, not just the cheapest thing that qualifies.

The benefits package is excellent for the price. Your residence permit lasts 5 years. No minimum physical presence required - you could theoretically visit once per year and maintain status. Schengen Area access (26 countries). Family reunification covers your spouse, children under 21, and dependent parents. The permit renews indefinitely as long as you maintain the property investment.

Citizenship requires 7 years of residency plus passing a Greek language exam. That's longer than Portugal (5 years) and the language requirement is real - Greek isn't easy. But the low entry cost and flexible residency terms make Greece attractive anyway for people who don't prioritize citizenship speed.

The process: get your AFM (Greek tax number), complete the property purchase, apply at the immigration office, do your biometrics appointment, receive your residence card. Timeline is typically 2-4 months from property completion to visa in hand, faster than Portugal's current backlog.

Total costs beyond the property: government fees around €2,000, legal fees €3,000-5,000, property purchase closing costs 8-10%. You're all-in for maybe €280K minimum in qualifying areas.