Concept Guide
Greece Golden Visa
Χρυσή Βίζα Ελλάδα
Definition
The Greece Golden Visa is an investor residence permit for eligible non-EU applicants. Current property routes use €250,000 for specified conversion or restoration cases and €400,000 or €800,000 thresholds by location and property conditions. Family eligibility, renewal, permitted use, biometrics, presence and Schengen short-stay rules require case-specific review under the rules in force.
Detailed Definition
The Greece Golden Visa (officially the "Permanent Residence Permit for Investors") is a residency-by-investment program established by Greek Law 4146/2013 and substantially amended by Greek Law 5038/2023. The program permits non-EU citizens to obtain a five-year renewable Greek permanent residence permit through qualifying real estate investment. Effective from 1 September 2024, the investment threshold has been tiered: €250,000 for commercial-to-residential conversion or restoration of protected heritage buildings (no geographic restriction); €400,000 for standard residential property in most regions; €800,000 for high-demand prime locations including Athens Municipality, Thessaloniki Municipality, Santorini, and Mykonos. The permit qualifies as a Schengen-compatible residence document, granting holders visa-free travel within the 29-country Schengen Area (subject to the 90/180-day rule). After five years of lawful residence in Greece, holders may apply for EU Long-Term Resident status subject to tax-residency and other conditions; after seven years, they may apply for Greek citizenship, with nationality implications depending on the applicant's country of origin. The Greece Golden Visa has no minimum stay requirement for permit renewal. Its family scope may include the principal applicant, spouse, unmarried children under 21, plus parents of both spouses. As of 2026, the program has accumulated over 40,000 family applications globally and remains a major real-estate-based residence route in southern Europe.
Key Facts
- Minimum Investment
- €250,000 (commercial-to-residential)
- Processing Time
- 3–6 months
- Residency Requirement
- 0 days/year (no minimum stay)
- Permit Validity
- 5 years (indefinitely renewable)
- Family Coverage
- Principal + spouse + children + parents of both spouses
- Schengen Access
- Yes — 29 countries visa-free
- Citizenship Path
- 7 years of permanent residence
- EU LTR Path
- 5 years residence + 3 years tax residency
- Total Approved Families
- 40,000+ globally (as of 2026)
- International Applicant Base
- Applicants from multiple non-EU markets
Legal Basis
Legal foundation referenced from official Greek government and EU legal texts.
- 1
Greek Law 5038/2023 (current primary legal basis) ↗
Effective 31 August 2024. Establishes the three-tier investment thresholds (€250k / €400k / €800k), single-property requirement, 120 sqm minimum floor area, and the commercial-to-residential exemption clause.
- 2
Greek Law 4146/2013 (founding legislation)
Original 2013 law that introduced the Greece Golden Visa at a uniform €250,000 threshold. Eleven years of program evolution established Greece as a leading European residency-by-investment destination.
- 3
EU Council Directive 2003/86/EC (family reunification) ↗
EU family reunification directive — the legal foundation for the Greece Golden Visa's three-generation family scope.
Historical Timeline
- 2013
Greek Law 4146/2013 enacted; Greece Golden Visa program introduced at uniform €250,000 threshold.
- 2014
Initial international applicant cohorts were approved, expanding the programme’s cross-border visibility.
- 2016–2019
International demand expanded across several non-EU markets.
- 2020
COVID-19 caused temporary slowdown; the program adapted with remote processing.
- 2023
Greek Parliament passed Law 5038/2023 — comprehensive Golden Visa reform.
- 2024-08-31
Law 5038/2023 enters force; three-tier investment thresholds (€250k / €400k / €800k) take effect.
- 2025-04-03
Spain officially abolished its Golden Visa; Greece becomes the only active program in southern Europe.
- 2026-01-01
Short-term rental ban for Golden Visa properties enters force; properties shift to long-term rental or owner-use.
How OULANG INTERNATIONAL Connects
Since its founding in 2020, OULANG INTERNATIONAL has accumulated over 5,000 family consultation and service records across Greece Golden Visa, property and settlement workflows, with strict pre-screening, document-chain review and local execution control. We provide coordinated support across all three investment tiers (€250k / €400k / €800k), including property sourcing, legal due diligence, AFM tax registration, banking coordination, residence permit filing, renewal and EU LTR pathway planning. Our Athens Mesogeion headquarters leads local delivery and coordinates multilingual cross-border workflows for international applicants.
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Browse other concepts
- •In 2026 the Greece Golden Visa uses a three-tier system: EUR 800,000 in prime areas, EUR 400,000 in most regions, and EUR 250,000 for compliant commercial-to-residential conversions or restoration of listed buildings.
- •The three-tier thresholds and the short-term-rental ban come from Law 5100/2024 (in force 1 September 2024); Law 5162/2024 added a EUR 250,000 startup investment route; Law 5275/2026 (6 February 2026) modernised processing by auto-routing applications to migration offices with spare capacity.