Greece Golden Visa 2026: €400,000 / €800,000 Requirements

Greece’s Golden Visa is a five-year, renewable investor residence permit. It is granted when you buy qualifying real estate, and it is one of the few investor programs in Europe that still lets you hold a property in a popular holiday destination. It does not grant citizenship and it does not give a right to work in Greece.

What changed, in one line: since 2024 the minimum is €800,000 in the busiest areas and €400,000 elsewhere, the investment must be a single property of at least 120 m², and short-term rental is banned.

How the program works

The legal basis is Article 100 of the Greek Migration Code (Law 5038/2023), as replaced by Article 64 of Law 5100/2024. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum applies it through circulars; the latest, Circular 1 of 21 April 2026, covers the permanent investor residence permit (type “B.5”).

Permit: valid for five years and renewed for equal periods as long as you still own the property (or the qualifying lease is still in force).
Decision time: the law provides for the permit to be issued within two months of the file being complete.
Work: the permit does not give the right to work.

How much you need to invest

Area	Minimum property value
Attica, Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini (Thira), and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants (latest census)	€800,000
Rest of Greece	€400,000
Conversion of a commercial property to residential use, former industrial building (unused for 5+ years), or restoration of a listed building	€250,000

For the €800,000 and €400,000 categories the investment must be one property, with at least 120 m² of main living space if it is built or has a building permit. You cannot add up several smaller properties. The purchase can be made through a Greek or EU company wholly owned by you, or as an undivided share as long as your share alone reaches the minimum value.

Rules you must respect after buying

No short-term rentals through sharing-economy platforms, no sub-letting, and the property cannot be used as a business seat. Breaches can lead to revocation and fines of €50,000 or €150,000.
Payment must be made in full through the banking channels the law specifies and declared before a notary.
Selling the property means you no longer meet the condition for renewal, so talk to us before any sale.

Who it suits, and who it does not

A good fit if you want a European base and a long-term residence permit without a minimum stay, and you are comfortable owning Greek real estate for the long run. Not a good fit if your plan relies on short-term rental income, if you need the right to work, or if citizenship is your main goal: for citizenship the Golden Visa is only the first step toward the ordinary naturalisation process.

Policy outlook

The Greek government’s National Housing Strategy 2026–2035 (Government Gazette B’ 5200 of 17 August 2026) keeps the €800,000 / €400,000 thresholds, the single-property rule and the short-term-rental ban. It proposes a specialised category for investors holding several properties for long-term rental only; this is a proposal, not law. We will update this page if it is enacted.

Other qualifying investments

Greek law also recognises investment routes other than property (for example certain financial instruments). Their amounts and conditions are set outside Article 100, and we have not yet confirmed current figures against an official source, so we do not quote them here. Ask us and we will give you the up-to-date position for your case.

How GoldPassports helps

We check the property against the area and size rules before you sign, coordinate the notary, tax number and bank steps, and prepare the residence application. Our advice includes telling you when a different program would serve you better.

Which countries is the Greece Golden Visa most popular in?

Where most applicants and prospective investors come from, based on how much interest each country shows.

Frequently asked questions

How much do I need to invest in Greece's Golden Visa?

€800,000 for property in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants; €400,000 in the rest of the country; €250,000 only for converting a commercial property to residential use, a long-unused industrial building or restoring a listed building. Source: Article 64 of Law 5100/2024.

Can I buy several smaller properties to reach the threshold?

No. In the €800,000 and €400,000 categories the investment must be a single property with at least 120 m² of main living space.

Can I rent the property out?

Not short term. Renting through sharing-economy platforms and sub-letting are prohibited, and breaches can mean revocation of the permit and fines of €50,000 or €150,000. The strategy published in 2026 proposes a future category for long-term rental portfolios, but it is not yet law.

How long is the permit valid and can it be renewed?

Five years, renewable for equal periods as long as you keep the property or the qualifying lease remains in force.

Does the Golden Visa give me the right to work in Greece?

No. The permit does not grant the right to work.

Does it lead to Greek citizenship?

Not directly. The permit is a residence permit. Citizenship is obtained through the ordinary naturalisation process, which has its own residence, language and integration requirements.

How long does it take?

The law provides for the permit to be issued within two months of the file being complete. Preparing the purchase, tax number, bank transfer and documents takes additional time, so we agree a realistic timetable with you at the start.

Is the €250,000 hotel or tourist-lease route still available?

The €250,000 level now applies only to the three situations listed in the law (commercial-to-residential conversion, former industrial building, listed building restoration). Older guides that quote €250,000 for ordinary property are out of date.

Related updates

Which golden visas and citizenship-by-investment programs are still open in 2026? 17 Oct 2026
Greece Golden Visa 2026: how much do you need to invest? 14 Oct 2026
Residency vs citizenship by investment: the real differences 13 Oct 2026

Official sources

Figures on this page come from the sources below and were last verified on 11 October 2026. Rules change; always confirm the current position before investing.

Greece Golden Visa