Greece Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Guide to Residency by Investment

By Buy Greece LLC — the only real estate brokerage based in both the United States and Greece. Last updated June 2026.

The Greece Golden Visa is one of the world's most popular residency-by-investment programmes: buy qualifying real estate and gain renewable EU residency for your whole family, with no requirement to live in Greece. This is the complete 2026 guide — thresholds, eligibility, process, costs, timeline and the rules that changed under Law 5100/2024.

Quick Facts (2026)

• Investment thresholds: €250,000 / €400,000 / €800,000 depending on location and property type.
• Minimum property size: a single property of at least 120 m².
• Residency: 5 years, renewable indefinitely while you hold the investment.
• Stay requirement: none.
• Family: spouse, children under 21 (extendable to 24) and dependent parents of both spouses.
• Citizenship: possible after 7 years of legal residency.

The 2026 Investment Thresholds

Under Law 5100/2024, the qualifying amount depends on where the property is:

• €800,000 — the Attica region (Athens and the Athens Riviera), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with over 3,100 inhabitants.
• €400,000 — everywhere else in Greece, including most of the mainland and smaller islands.
• €250,000 — commercial-to-residential conversions and the restoration of listed/heritage buildings, anywhere in Greece.

For the €400,000 and €800,000 tiers the property must be a single unit of at least 120 m²; combining several smaller titles does not qualify.

Eligibility & Rules

• The main applicant must be 18+, with a clean criminal record and legally sourced funds.
• The qualifying property cannot be used for short-term (Airbnb-type) rental.
• The investment must be paid from the applicant's own funds — the qualifying amount cannot be mortgaged.
• One investment covers the whole family at no extra threshold.

The Process, Step by Step

1. Property selection that meets the regional threshold and 120 m² rule.
2. Greek tax number (AFM) and a Greek bank account.
3. Legal due diligence — title, planning, debts, cadastre.
4. Purchase contract before a notary (possible by power of attorney, remotely).
5. Digital Golden Visa application via the centralised residency portal.
6. Biometrics appointment in Greece.
7. 5-year residence permit issued, with a digital card.

Costs & Timeline

Beyond the property price, budget roughly 7–10% for transfer tax (3.09%), notary (~1–2%), legal (~1–2%), registry fees and the government application fees (€2,000 main applicant). Total timeline is typically 6–9 months from property identification to residence card in hand.

Benefits

• Renewable EU residency for the whole family, with no minimum stay.
• Visa-free travel across the Schengen Area.
• A path to Greek (EU) citizenship after 7 years.
• Ownership of an appreciating asset in one of Europe's strongest property markets.

How Buy Greece Helps

Buy Greece LLC coordinates the entire Golden Visa journey for US and international investors — sourcing threshold-qualifying property, due diligence, AFM and banking, the notarial purchase, the digital application and biometrics — with full AML, KYC and FinCEN compliance. As the only brokerage in both the US and Greece, we bridge your capital and the Greek market end to end. See our Greek real estate investment guide for the market context.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to invest for the Greece Golden Visa in 2026? €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over 3,100 inhabitants; €400,000 elsewhere; or €250,000 for commercial-to-residential conversions and heritage restorations.

Do I have to live in Greece? No — there is no minimum stay requirement to obtain or renew the Golden Visa.

Can I rent out the property? Long-term yes; the qualifying Golden Visa property cannot be used for short-term (Airbnb-type) rentals under the 2024–2026 rules.

Who can be included? Your spouse, children under 21 (extendable to 24) and dependent parents of both spouses — at no additional investment.

When can I apply for citizenship? After 7 years of legal residency, subject to physical-presence, language and integration requirements.

Contact Buy Greece LLC for a private Golden Visa consultation and qualifying property options.