How much a Greece residence permit costs in 2026: state fees, charges by type, family costs

What makes up the cost of a Greece residence permit: four layers of expenses

To calculate how much a Greece residence permit costs, you need to stop looking at one big number and break the costs into layers. Most people see only the investment amount - 250, 400 or 800 thousand euros for the Golden Visa - and think that is the “price of the residence permit”. In reality it's only the basis for applying, and on top of it comes a separate estimate of mandatory payments to the state and to contractors.

Costs for a Greek residence permit fall into four layers:

• The basis (investment or income).For the Golden Visa it's buying real estate or investing capital; for the digital nomad and FIP residence permit it's not a payment to the state but a confirmed income level. This is the largest layer, but it's a refundable asset or one that stays with you.
• State duties and fees.The application-processing fee (e-paravolo), a fee per family member, a charge for issuing the plastic residence card. These are non-refundable payments to the state.
• Mandatory associated costs.Medical insurance, document translations, apostilles, the notary, the AFM tax number. Without them the application simply won't be accepted.
• Professional services.Legal support, a power of attorney, selecting the property. This is not legally mandatory, but in practice it's an almost unavoidable layer.

Further in the article we break down each layer by residence permit type. If you're specifically interested in the full estimate of the investment program, we keep a separate breakdown in the article onthe cost of the Greece Golden Visa. And an overview of all the routes is in the guide totypes of Greece residence permits.

The state fee for a Greece residence permit: e-paravolo and the card fee

The state fee is the charge for the migration service to review your application. In Greece it is paid through the electronic e-paravolo system (an electronic treasury fee) and depends on the type of residence permit. It's the first “fixed” cost that doesn't depend on the value of your property or the size of your income.

The key elements of the state fee in 2026:

• The review fee (e-paravolo).For the investor Golden Visa residence permit - roughly 2,000 euros for the main applicant. For the digital nomad and financially independent person residence permit - around 1,000 euros.
• The per-family-member fee.A separate fee is added for each adult family member included in the application - roughly 150 euros. Children under 18 are generally exempt from this fee.
• The residence card fee.On top of the state fee - about 16 euros for issuing the plastic card itself (the resident's electronic document) for each person, including children.

It's important not to confuse the state fee with the investment: even if you've invested 800 thousand euros in premium real estate, you still pay the 2,000-euro fee separately. And conversely - paying the fee doesn't replace the basis: without a confirmed investment or income the application won't go through. Current rates should always be checked on the official portalof Greece's Ministry of Migration and Asylum (migration.gov.gr).

The estimate by residence permit type: state fee and family costs (table)

Let's put the key points in one table - how much each type of Greece residence permit costs in terms of state fees, and how the amount changes when adding family. This is the skeleton of the estimate; specific amounts may differ at the time of application, so all figures are given approximately.

How to read the table using the example of a family of four (two adults + two children under 18) applying for the Golden Visa:

• Main applicant: about 2,000 euros in fees + 16 euros for the card.
• Spouse: about 150 euros + 16 euros for the card.
• Two children under 18: no fee, only 16 euros each for the card.
• Total in state fees:roughly 2,000 + 150 + 16 x 4 = about 2,214 euros for the whole family.

This is precisely the state part of the estimate. On top of it come insurance, translations and services - more on those below. And, of course, separately, the investment itself, which for the Golden Visa is from 250 to 800 thousand euros depending on the region and type of property.

Digital nomad residence permit: the visa fee plus the residence permit fee

The digital nomad residence permit is cheaper in state fees than the Golden Visa, because there's no investment here - the basis is confirmed remote income from about 3,500 euros a month. But the estimate is still two-tiered: first the visa, then the residence permit itself.

How the costs add up:

• National D visa.Since February 2026 the digital nomad status application is submitted not within Greece but through the consulate in the country of residence - first a D visa is issued. A consular fee is paid for it.
• The residence permit fee (e-paravolo).After entry, the residence permit itself is issued - roughly 1,000 euros for the main applicant.
• Family members.About 150 euros for each family member included, plus 16 euros for the card per person.
• Income for the family.The base 3,500 euros a month increases: roughly +20% when including a spouse and +15% for each child. It's not a payment, but a threshold that must be shown.
• Insurance.Private medical insurance with coverage in Greece is mandatory.

The digital nomad status is a good option to “try life in Greece” without large investments. But it's important to understand: this is a status for those who work remotely for foreign clients, and it doesn't lead to permanent residence as directly as the investment route. Details are in the guide onGreece's digital nomad visa.

Residence permit for financially independent persons (FIP): how much it costs

FIP (Financially Independent Person) is a residence permit for those living on passive or foreign income: a pension, dividends, interest, rental income. In state fees it's close to the digital nomad residence permit, but is designed for a different applicant profile - not someone working remotely, but a financially self-sufficient person who doesn't plan to work in Greece.

The FIP estimate in 2026:

• State fee (e-paravolo)- roughly 1,000 euros for the main applicant, plus about 16 euros for the plastic resident card.
• Family fee- around 150 euros per family member plus 16 euros for the card.
• Proof of income- the minimum threshold is roughly 3,500 euros a month (about 126 thousand euros over a three-year period), increasing by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child.
• Medical insurance- mandatory, as for the other residence permit types.

An important update: the validity period of the residence permit for financially independent persons has been increased from two to three years, renewable every three years. But there's a nuance regarding presence: keeping FIP requires spending a significant part of the year in Greece (roughly from 183 days), unlike the Golden Visa, which requires almost no minimum presence. This affects lifestyle, not the estimate, and should be factored in in advance. It's convenient to compare FIP with other routes in the guide totypes of Greece residence permits.

Medical insurance: a mandatory cost for all residence permit types

Private medical insurance with coverage in Greece is a mandatory condition for almost any type of residence permit. Without an insurer's certificate stating the coverage area and minimum amounts, the application won't be accepted. This is a recurring, annual cost that many forget to budget for.

Cost benchmarks in 2026:

• Basic plans- roughly from 80-150 euros a year per person for a young, healthy applicant.
• Rising with age.The rate increases by age group; for older applicants (75+) the cost can reach 1,000 euros a year and higher.
• Comprehensive plans.Policies with access to private clinics, English-speaking doctors, dental and optical coverage - roughly 30-50 euros a month.

For a family, insurance is calculated per person separately, so for a family of four it's already a noticeable sum per year. When planning the estimate, budget insurance not as a one-time but as an annual payment for the whole validity period of the residence permit. It's better to select a specific policy to match the migration service's requirements, so the coverage definitely passes review.

Translations, apostilles and the notary: the hidden layer of expenses

The most underrated block of the estimate is working with documents. To apply for any type of Greece residence permit, foreign documents (birth and marriage certificates, police clearance certificates, income statements) need to be translated into Greek and legalized. Individually these amounts are small, but for a family they add up noticeably.

What this layer includes:

• Apostille.Affixed in the country that issued the document; roughly 20-100 euros per document depending on the country and urgency.
• Sworn/certified translation into Greek.Charged per page; the cost depends on the volume and the original language.
• Notarial certification.For certain documents and deals - roughly 10-50 euros per document.
• Courier and consular costswhen applying through the consulate (relevant for the digital nomad route since February 2026).

The larger the family and the more jurisdictions the documents come from, the higher this layer. For a family with children and income from several countries, translation and legalization costs easily add up to several hundred euros. A practical tip: gather the full list of documents in advance and legalize them as a batch, not one by one - it's cheaper and faster.

Costs of a Greece residence permit for a family: how to calculate

The main question families ask: how much more expensive will the residence permit be if arranged not for one person but for everyone? The good news is that in terms of state fees, a family barely weighs down the estimate - the main fee is paid once for the primary applicant, and only small additional fees apply to relatives.

The logic for calculating family costs:

• The state fee is paid once- for the main applicant (2,000 euros for the Golden Visa, about 1,000 for other types). The family doesn't double it.
• For each adult family member- about 150 euros additional fee plus 16 euros for the card.
• Children under 18- generally exempt from the per-family-member fee; only the card is paid (16 euros).
• Insurance - for everyone.This is where a family really increases the budget: everyone needs a policy, every year.
• Translations - for everyone.Certificates, statements and income proofs are duplicated for the number of family members.

Who can be included: for the Golden Visa this is the spouse, children under 21 (in some cases up to 24 while studying and dependent), the parents of both spouses. Family composition directly affects the insurance and translation estimate, so it's these lines, not the state fee, that determine the final difference between “for one person” and “for the family”.

Sample estimate: a family of four on the Golden Visa

Let's show the estimate with a conditional but realistic example: a family of four (two adults, two children under 18) arranges the Golden Visa by buying real estate for 400 thousand euros in a standard region. All figures are approximate, without accounting for a specific deal.

What the example shows: state fees for the whole family are just over 2,200 euros - a small part of the overall picture. The main weight comes from the taxes and costs around the real estate deal. So the answer to “how much does a Greece residence permit cost for a family” almost always comes down not to the fees, but to the property's price and the taxes accompanying the deal. The thresholds and nuances of the investment itself are in the article onthe cost of the Greece Golden Visa.

Costs of renewing and maintaining the residence permit

The estimate doesn't end with obtaining the first card. A Greece residence permit is issued for a term (Golden Visa - 5 years, digital nomad and FIP - shorter periods with renewal), and every renewal is a new cycle of expenses. These also need to be budgeted for in advance, so the status doesn't lapse.

What maintaining the status includes:

• The renewal state fee.On renewal, e-paravolo is paid again - the amounts are comparable to the initial ones.
• A new card.Again about 16 euros for issuing the plastic card for each person.
• Insurance every year.The policy is renewed every year for the entire term of residence.
• Maintaining the basis.For the Golden Visa - keeping ownership of the real estate; for FIP and the nomad status - confirming continuing income at renewal.

For the Golden Visa, maintenance is cheaper in terms of presence (you almost never have to live in Greece), but more expensive in terms of the asset - you can't sell the property without losing the status. For FIP it's the opposite: there's no asset, but you need to actually live in the country and confirm income every year. This difference in “maintenance cost” is often more important than the difference in initial fees, so the residence permit type should be chosen with the whole horizon in mind, not just the start.

How not to overpay: an expert's view on the Greece residence permit estimate

Over years of practice I see that people overpay not on fees - they're peanuts against the investment - but on three typical things. Let me break them down so you don't repeat other people's mistakes.

First - choosing the wrong residence permit type for your situation. Someone with passive income goes for the expensive Golden Visa with a real estate purchase, when FIP with a state fee of about 1,000 euros and no investment in square meters would have been enough. And conversely - someone who wants to spend minimal time in Greece chooses FIP with its 183-day-a-year requirement, when the Golden Visa requires almost no presence. The residence permit type should be chosen to match your lifestyle and income source, not on the principle of “everyone does it this way”.

Second - forgotten recurring costs. The estimate is calculated as a one-time thing, but insurance, renewals and maintaining status happen every year. Over a five-year horizon this is a noticeable sum, especially for a family.

Third - chaotic work with documents. Translations and apostilles one at a time, in a rush, with redos - that's both money and lost weeks. A package assembled in advance saves both. So I always advise starting not with choosing an apartment, but with calculating the full estimate for the whole term - then there will be no surprises.

We'll help calculate the exact Greece residence permit estimate for your family

State fees are just the tip of the estimate. The real final amount depends on the family composition, the type of residence permit, the region of the property and the set of documents that will need to be translated and apostilled. A mistake in the calculation at the start turns into extra expenses and lost time on reapplication. We handle obtaining a Greece residence permit turnkey: we calculate the full estimate for your case, select the optimal residence permit type, prepare the documents and manage the application through to receiving the resident card.

Discuss your situation with a BRIDGES GLOBAL consultant- we'll calculate the exact cost of a Greece residence permit for you and your family and advise where you can legally save.

Golden Visa: the full estimate on top of the investment

The Golden Visa is the most popular route, and here the estimate has the most layers, because real estate is added. The investment itself (from 250 thousand euros for conversion and restoration, from 400 thousand in most regions, from 800 thousand in premium zones such as central Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Santorini) is a separate large block that we calculate in detail in the article onthe cost of the Greece Golden Visa.

What comes on top of the investment in terms of expenses:

• The e-paravolo state fee- about 2,000 euros for the main applicant.
• Family fees- about 150 euros for each adult dependent, children under 18 are exempt; the card is 16 euros each.
• Property transfer tax- 3.09% of the property's value (for second-hand housing) on purchase; VAT may apply to new builds.
• Notary and deal registration- roughly 1-2% of the property's value.
• AFM tax number- issued for free or a nominal fee, but without it there is no deal and no application.
• Medical insurance- mandatory, roughly from 80-150 euros a year per person.

An important detail specifically for the Golden Visa: short-term (Airbnb) rental of the property on which the residence permit was obtained is prohibited - a violation risks revocation of status and a fine. This affects the investment's economics, so you cannot count on “earning it back through rental” here. More about the program itself is in the overviewof the Greece residence permit.

Bottom line: the real cost of a Greece residence permit in 2026

Let's sum up. State fees for a Greece residence permit are a modest part of the budget: roughly 2,000 euros in fees for the Golden Visa (or about 1,000 for the digital nomad and FIP), plus about 150 euros per adult family member and 16 euros each for the card. For a family of four, the entire state portion comes to about 2,200 euros.

The real cost hides in three other layers: the investment or confirmed income as the basis, the taxes and costs around the real estate deal (for the Golden Visa), and the annual insurance, translations and renewals for the whole family. It's these lines, not the fees, that determine the final figure.

A practical conclusion: don't ask “how much does a Greece residence permit cost in general” - ask “how much does my type of residence permit cost for my family over the whole term”. Then the estimate will be . To choose the optimal route, compare the conditions in the guide totypes of Greece residence permitsand the overviewof the Greece residence permit, and check the exact rates and forms on the portalof Greece's Ministry of Migration and Asylum (migration.gov.gr).