Greece Golden Visa Requirements in 2026: Property Tiers, Family and Renewal

Greece’s Golden Visa is still a property-led residence program, but the national EUR 250,000 apartment route no longer exists. The 2024 reform created a location and asset-use system: EUR 800,000 in high-demand zones, EUR 400,000 in most other areas and EUR 250,000 only for specified conversions and restorations.

That makes property eligibility the central requirement. A low advertised price is useful only if the asset itself qualifies.

The three property thresholds

EUR 800,000 high-demand tier

The highest threshold applies in designated high-demand markets, including central areas identified by the legislation and major islands. The investment must satisfy the current single-property and minimum-area rules applicable to the tier.

EUR 400,000 standard tier

Most locations outside the high-demand tier use the EUR 400,000 threshold. The same property-eligibility, title, value and use questions remain. A cheaper location does not remove legal or commercial due diligence.

EUR 250,000 special-property tier

The lowest tier is reserved for qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restorations. It is not a general discount. The conversion or restoration conditions must be completed as required, and the legal use of the property must be verified against the program rule, planning record and transaction documents.

Applicant requirements

The main applicant is a non-EU national who acquires a qualifying investment, holds lawful funds, maintains health coverage and passes criminal and immigration checks. The property transaction must be properly documented, paid through the permitted banking channel and recorded with clean title.

Before purchase, counsel should verify:

• title, liens, encumbrances and seller authority;
• cadastral and planning records;
• the threshold and geographic tier;
• minimum-area and single-property rules where applicable;
• conversion or listed-building eligibility for the EUR 250,000 route;
• tax, notary, registration and transaction costs;
• permitted rental and personal use;
• whether the asset remains eligible through renewal.

Family requirements

The program generally covers the spouse or recognized partner, children within the applicable age conditions and parents of both spouses. Each person needs passports, civil-status evidence, insurance and any required criminal records or consents. Adult-child eligibility should be tested against age and dependency before the purchase is irreversible.

Physical presence

Greece requires no minimum stay to maintain the investor permit. That makes it strong as a residence option but weak as a passive citizenship plan. A person who never genuinely resides in Greece does not build the factual residence, language and integration record expected in ordinary naturalization.

Renewal and property use

The permit is generally issued for five years and can renew while the qualifying investment remains compliant. Selling the property without replacing it through a permitted route can break the basis of residence. Short-term rental and property-use restrictions need to be understood before projected rental income is used in the investment case.

The property is both an immigration asset and a real estate transaction. Immigration approval does not guarantee the property is fairly priced, structurally sound, rentable, liquid or suitable for resale.

Citizenship is separate

Greek citizenship generally requires seven years of genuine legal residence plus language, integration and other ordinary naturalization conditions. The zero-stay Golden Visa renews without establishing that genuine residence. Market descriptions of a seven-year “path to citizenship” are incomplete unless the client actually plans to relocate.

The requirements decision

Greece fits when the objective is renewable Schengen residence with no minimum stay and the buyer is comfortable holding Greek property. It does not fit when the plan depends on effortless rental yield, a universally available EUR 250,000 asset or a passport after seven years without living in Greece.

Read the full Greece Golden Visa report and compare it with Portugal and Italy before choosing the asset first.

Asset-level eligibility gate

Before signing, require counsel to identify the exact statutory property category, qualifying threshold and permitted use for the specific title. Then verify ownership, encumbrances, planning and conversion approvals, independent valuation, tax treatment, rental restrictions and the replacement rules if the property is sold. A marketing label such as “EUR 250,000 Golden Visa property” is not evidence that the asset satisfies the conversion or restoration exception. Immigration eligibility and investment quality must pass separate reviews.