A free PDF guide — a threshold from €250,000 by zone
A guide to the Golden Visa of Greece: thethresholds, the cost and the terms
Residence in the European Union with no requirement to live there. After the reform the threshold turns on the zone and the kind of property — we set out where it is €250,000, where €400,000 and where €800,000, what goes into the budget all in and what new limits the properties carry.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 11.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not a guarantee of approval. Whether the programme is open to you and the final cost are settled after the check on the applicant.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about the programme before the calculation
Four things that decide both the budget and what the status will actually give you.
- The threshold turns on the zone, not on the option
After the reform €250,000 survives only for conversion and restoration. For most properties the minimum is €400,000, and in Athens, Thessaloniki and the popular islands it is €800,000.
- You do not have to live there
The status carries no obligation to live in Greece. And the permit by itself does not make you a tax resident: residence arises from living there more than 183 days a year.
- One application for the whole family
A spouse, children and dependent parents are included in one status. New members of the family can be added after the residence permit has been granted.
- The path to citizenship runs through living there
Naturalisation is possible after 7 years of continuous residence. Without an actual move the status stays a residence permit and leads to no passport.
02 / The budget
The budget all in for your family
Choose the zone of the property and the family — the quotation is recounted together with the taxes, the duty and the insurance for each person.
03 / Two options
Property, or a deposit and funds
Both give the same status. They differ in the threshold, in the tax and in whether you are left with a real asset.
The values were checked against the official material on 11.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | PropertyThe threshold for the property’s zone | A deposit or fundsA fixed threshold of €500,000 |
|---|---|---|
| The size of the investment | €250,000 - €800,000 depending on the zone | €500,000 |
| The transfer tax | about 3%, or 24% VAT on a new build | does not apply |
| The requirement on the property | one property of 120 sq m or more, except on conversion | does not apply |
| Short-term letting | prohibited, a fine of €50,000 | does not apply |
| Getting the money back | selling the property means losing the status | held for as long as the status runs |
| How long it takesA BRIDGES estimate | 4-6 months | 4-6 months |
| Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate | You want a real asset in Europe | You want the status without dealing in property |
- The size of the investment
- €250,000 - €800,000 depending on the zone
- €500,000
- The transfer tax
- about 3%, or 24% VAT on a new build
- does not apply
- The requirement on the property
- one property of 120 sq m or more, except on conversion
- does not apply
- Short-term letting
- prohibited, a fine of €50,000
- does not apply
- Getting the money back
- selling the property means losing the status
- held for as long as the status runs
- How long it takesA BRIDGES estimate
- 4-6 months
- 4-6 months
- Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- You want a real asset in Europe
- You want the status without dealing in property
The threshold is met with one property of at least 120 sq m, conversion projects apart.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the programme.
- AthensThe cover of the guide: the country and the key terms of the programme.
- The essentials firstWhat to know before the calculation: the key facts of the programme.
- The terms of the optionsThe parameters of the programme in one table, on the official terms.
- The road mapThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The check on the applicantWhat is examined before the status is granted, and where people stumble.
- The limitsThe limits that bear on the timings and the sum.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
The property is checked before the deposit: if it does not match the zone or the area, the investment will not count.
- The preliminary check
The applicant’s nationality, the family, the source of funds. We settle the zone and the threshold and count the budget all in before the first outlay.
- Finding and checking the property
The title, the encumbrances, the area of 120 sq m or more and the fit with the zone are all examined. The threshold cannot be made up of several properties.
- The transaction
It is done through a notary, with the transfer tax and the related costs paid. The transaction can be carried out under a power of attorney.
- The residence application
The state duty of €2,000, medical insurance for every participant, and the documents filed with the migration service.
- Biometrics
A trip to Greece is needed only to give biometrics. The other stages go through remotely.
- The residence card
The card is issued once the application has been considered. The whole process takes 4-6 months with a complete set of documents.
07 / The check
What is examined before the transaction and before the filing
Both the applicant and the property are examined: the status is granted only against an investment that meets the requirements of the programme.
- The source of funds
A clear chain from the earnings to the account the payment leaves. It is examined by the bank and by the migration service.
- The history of the title
Encumbrances, attachments and earlier transactions are checked before the deposit. The property has to match the zone and the threshold.
- The family
A spouse by registered marriage, children and dependent parents. Financial dependence is evidenced with documents.
- No criminal record, and insurance
Certificates of no criminal record and valid medical insurance for every participant in the application.
The financial dependence of parents and of adult children is evidenced with documents — who can be in the application turns on it.
08 / The limits
What has changed and what to take into account
Five limits that bear on the choice of property, the yield and the prospects of the status.
Short-term letting is prohibitedA fine of €50,000 and cancellation of the permit
A Golden Visa property may not be let through the short-term platforms. A breach brings a fine and the loss of the status, so the yield is counted on long-term letting alone.
The threshold is met with one propertyThe sum cannot be made up of several
One property of at least 120 sq m is required; conversion projects are the exception. That narrows the choice in the upper zones.
Selling the property means losing the statusThe investment is held throughout
For as long as the permit runs, the property stays in your ownership. The investment can be recovered only by giving up the status.
Citizenship requires living thereNaturalisation after 7 years
The Golden Visa by itself leads to no passport. Citizenship requires continuous actual residence and meeting the naturalisation requirements.
Tax on top of the price of the propertyAbout 3%, or 24% VAT on a new build
On top of the price come the transfer tax, the notarial and legal costs, and after the purchase the annual property tax.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists in the European programmes and in property transactions.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 11 August 2026
- Last updated
- 11 August 2026
The official sources
- Enterprise Greece — investment and residenceEnterprise Greece, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece · checked 11.08.2026The state investment agency: the terms of the programme and how to take part.
- The Ministry of Migration and Asylum of GreeceΥπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου · checked 11.08.2026How the residence permit is issued, the requirements on documents and the processing times.
- The Independent Authority for Public Revenue of GreeceΑνεξάρτητη Αρχή Δημοσίων Εσόδων (AADE) · checked 11.08.2026The transfer tax, the VAT on the purchase of a new build and the annual property tax.
10 / Common questions
Questions about the Golden Visa of Greece
How much has to be invested?
The threshold turns on the zone and the kind of property: €250,000 for conversion and restoration, €400,000 for most regions, €800,000 for Athens, Thessaloniki and the popular islands. The alternative is a deposit, funds or securities from €500,000.
Do I have to live in Greece?
No, there is no residence requirement. A visit is needed only to give biometrics, and the transaction can be carried out under a power of attorney.
Who is included in the application?
A spouse by registered marriage, children and dependent parents. New members of the family can be added after the status has been granted.
Will I become a tax resident of Greece?
The residence permit by itself does not make you one. Residence arises from living there more than 183 days a year.
May the property be let?
Long-term, yes. Short-term letting through the platforms is prohibited for Golden Visa properties: a fine of €50,000 and cancellation of the status.
What does it cost all in?
On top of the investment come the related costs and taxes of about 10% of the price of the property, the state duty of €2,000 and medical insurance of €300 a person. For a conversion property the total starts at about €277,300.
How long does the process take?
4-6 months from the application to the status, with a complete set of documents.
Does the status lead to citizenship?
Yes, but through naturalisation after 7 years of continuous residence. Without a move the status stays a residence permit.
Free of charge
Take the guide and a quotation for your family
We will send the PDF with the thresholds by zone and a budget calculation for your family.
- The thresholds by zone and kind of property after the reform
- The budget all in, with the taxes and the duties
- The requirements on the property and the limits on letting
- Who can be in the application and how the process runs