Greek Golden Visa Rules: €800,000, €400,000 and €250,000 Routes
Law 5100/2024 replaced the old €250,000 flat rate with three tiers and banned short-term letting of golden visa homes. Here is what applies to a purchase made now.
As of November 2026, a Greek golden visa through property needs a single home worth at least €800,000 in Attica (including Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents, or €400,000 elsewhere. A €250,000 route remains only for converting commercial buildings to homes or restoring listed buildings. The permit lasts five years.
These tiers come from Law 5100/2024, which amended the Migration Code. The higher amounts apply to purchases agreed after the transition period that ended in 2024, and all transitional deadlines have now closed. A later immigration law, Law 5275/2026 (published 6 February 2026), changed several permit procedures but, according to law-firm summaries, left the investment thresholds as they were.
How much do you need to invest, and where?
The amount depends on where the property is, not on where you live. The figures below apply as of November 2026.
| Route | Minimum | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Property in Attica, Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini, islands over 3,100 residents | €800,000 | One property, at least 120 sq m of main living area |
| Property in the rest of Greece | €400,000 | One property, at least 120 sq m of main living area |
| Conversion of a non-residential building to residential use | €250,000 | Change of use completed after 5 April 2024 and before you file; no size minimum |
| Restoration of a listed building | €250,000 | Full restoration before the first renewal; no size minimum |
The single property rule matters most in practice. You can no longer add up two or three smaller flats to reach the threshold. Storage rooms and parking spaces bought in the same deed and the same building count toward the price, but not toward the 120 sq m.
For a buyer looking in Athens, this means almost any golden visa purchase in the capital now starts at €800,000. Athens suburbs such as Glyfada or Kifisia are in Attica too, so they fall in the top tier as well.
Is the €250,000 route still open?
Yes, but it is narrow. A building that merely could be converted does not qualify. The change of use from commercial or other non-residential use to housing has to be legally completed, with an engineer’s certificate, before the application. A Ministry circular from 2026 confirmed that the conversion must date from 5 April 2024 or later.
The listed-building route has its own penalties. The owner cannot sell before restoration is complete, and failing to restore leads to revocation of the permit and an administrative fine of €150,000, according to the legal summaries of the law.
Can you rent out a golden visa property on Airbnb?
No. A property used for a golden visa grant or renewal under the new rules cannot be let as a short-term rental or sublet. Breaking the ban can mean losing the permit and a €50,000 fine. Long-term leases to tenants are allowed, and you are not required to rent the home out at all.
The ban is not retroactive. Properties bought under the older €250,000 or €500,000 rules, or completed during the transition period, are outside it. AADE’s short-term rental register is the tool authorities use to spot listings. Practitioners also report a 2026 circular that narrows the definition to lettings under 60 days without extra services, so check the current wording with a lawyer before signing any lease.
What does the permit cost in government fees?
The main applicant pays a government electronic fee of €2,000, as of November 2026, and the same amount is listed for each five-year renewal on the Ministry’s page. Each residence card also carries a €16 printing fee. Adult family members are widely reported to pay a smaller fee of €150 each, but the official page does not list it, so confirm it with the Ministry’s service before you pay.
Budget beyond fees as well: property transfer tax, notary and land registry costs, a lawyer, sworn translations and private health insurance for every family member.
Which family members are covered?
A golden visa can cover the spouse or registered partner, unmarried children under 21, and the parents of both spouses. Each person gets their own five-year permit. Sources disagree on extra conditions for parents, so treat that point as one to check with the Ministry or a lawyer.
The permit gives residence and visa-free travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180. It does not give the right to work as an employee in Greece. There is no minimum stay, which is why time spent in Greece on a golden visa usually does not count toward citizenship.
How do applications and renewals work?
- Get a Greek tax number (AFM) and open a Greek bank account; the money must arrive through the Greek banking system.
- Buy the property by notarial deed and register it with the land registry or cadastre.
- File the application with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, usually through a lawyer with power of attorney.
- Give fingerprints in person. Applicants then receive a certificate of application while the file is processed.
- Renew every five years, as long as you still own the property and still meet the original conditions.
The Ministry keeps a checklist on its official golden visa page. Be aware that, as of November 2026, parts of that page still mention the old €250,000 amounts, because they describe documents for older cases. The tiers in the table above, from Law 5100/2024, are the ones that apply to new purchases. Our guide to getting an AFM tax number covers the first step, and Greek residence permit types compared shows how the golden visa sits next to other routes.
Bottom line
Before you pay a deposit, ask the seller’s lawyer for proof of the property’s main area and its zone, because a flat of 115 sq m or a building outside a clean conversion record can sink the whole application. Read any lease you plan to sign against the short-term rental ban; for complex cases, check with a licensed Greek lawyer.
FAQ
Does the golden visa let me work in Greece?
No. It is a residence permit for investors and does not allow employment in Greece. You can manage your own investment, but a job needs a different permit.
Do I have to live in Greece to keep the permit?
No minimum stay applies to the property golden visa. Renewal depends on keeping the qualifying property, not on days spent in the country.
Can I sell the property and keep the permit?
Only if the buyer is another investor taking over the investment under the rules, or you replace it with a qualifying property. Otherwise the permit is not renewed.
Does the 120 sq m rule apply to conversions?
No. The size minimum applies to the €800,000 and €400,000 routes. The €250,000 conversion and listed-building routes have no minimum area.
