Greece Golden Visa for €250,000 in 2026: How to Get Residency Through Real Estate Investment

Greece still grants a five-year residence permit for a €250,000 property purchase, but only for converted commercial buildings and listed properties, including in Athens. Learn more about the thresholds, fees, documents, taxes, rental limits and family rules

Book a professional real estate legal consultation with Visit World to ensure a secure transaction, avoid risks, and protect your interests in any jurisdiction

BOOK A CONSULTATION

The €250,000 entry point of the Greece Golden Visa has not disappeared, but it now applies to only two kinds of property. These are commercial buildings converted into housing and listed historic buildings. Law 5100/2024, in force since the turn of August and September 2024, replaced the single €250,000 threshold with three tiers. In Athens, an ordinary flat now costs investors at least €800,000.

According to IMI Daily, most new applicants now choose converted apartments, which qualify at €250,000 even in the capital. The official MITOS pages of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum describing this route were last updated on 4 November 2026. The rules on renting, however, were tightened in 2026.

Buying a property in Greece to obtain residency?

A converted or listed building must meet strict legal conditions: dates of the change of use, title, registry entries and rental limits. A Real estate lawyer on Visit World checks the property and the contract before you pay, so the investment really qualifies. Book a consultation with a Real estate lawyer before signing.

What are the Golden Visa thresholds in Greece in 2026?

According to legal and industry sources, the three-tier system works as follows:

• €800,000 — Attica (including Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents;
• €400,000 — the rest of the country;
• €250,000 — only converted commercial properties and restored listed buildings.

For the €400,000 and €800,000 tiers, the investment must be one property with main living space of at least 120 m². Two flats that together reach €400,000 do not qualify.

About Europe's Golden Visas in 2026 and what has changed — read more at the link.

Which properties qualify for the €250,000 Golden Visa?

Converted commercial buildings

According to MITOS, the applicant must hold full ownership of a property whose main spaces have been converted to residential use. Other conditions:

• the purchase price is at least €250,000, in one property, with no minimum area;
• either the buyer or the seller may carry out the conversion;
• the change of use must be completed after 5 April 2024 and before the application;
• if the change-of-use permit predates the law, the property data must have been updated or revised after the law was published;
• former industrial buildings need proof of no industrial activity for at least the last five years;
• if bought through a company, the applicant must own all its shares.

Some private advisers say several units may be bought at this threshold, but the official MITOS page requires a single property.

Listed historic buildings

The minimum is also €250,000 for a listed building or part of it that needs restoration, or a plot containing one. The building must be listed in full or for its facade only. The notarial certificate must include the Government Gazette issue number that confirms the listing. Some websites quote €400,000 for this route, but the official MITOS page names €250,000.

A separate €250,000 route through investment in startups registered with Elevate Greece also exists. We wrote about it in the article on the Greek Startup Golden Visa.

What does a €250,000 Golden Visa property look like in Athens?

IMI Daily published a sponsored feature by developer Renty Development listing five Greater Athens projects marked as eligible for the €250,000 tier:

• The North Village, Nea Erythraia (Kifissia) — 37 flats of about 32–70 m², with a pool and an outdoor gym;
• The Socrates Living, Neo Irakleio — 4 flats of about 38–47 m²;
• Bella Vista, Kallithea — 10 flats of about 31–53 m², near Kallithea metro station;
• Helios Residences, Kallithea — 5 flats of about 21–62 m², with one flat left;
• Coast Living, Piraeus — 4 flats of about 21–66 m².

Renty says it handles property selection, notarial papers, the application and biometrics, and offers rental management with two-month deposits. As this is advertising, prices and promises should be checked independently; there are no official data on prices per square metre in Athens.

How to apply for the Greece Golden Visa: steps, documents, fees

Applications are filed only online through the ministry's e-Services, which require an email address and a mobile phone. A representative with a notarised, apostilled power of attorney can apply before the investor enters Greece. Stages, according to MITOS:

1. document check — up to 10 days;
2. review and biometrics — up to 40 days;
3. issue of the permit — up to 8 days.

The standard processing time is 50 days for conversions and 50–60 days for listed buildings. In practice it is longer: according to ministry figures cited by Digicare, by August 2026 only 61% of February 2026 applications had a decision.

Documents include:

• passport;
• notarial certificate;
• proof of land registry or cadastre registration;
• an engineer's technical report on the change of use (for conversions);
• E9 property declaration;
• private insurance policy;
• photographs.

The fee is €2,000 plus €16 for the electronic card. Payment must be cashless into a seller's Greek account; spouses or relatives up to the second degree may also pay. A refusal can be appealed within two months for €50. The permit does not give the right to work.

Visit World services for tourists, migrants, and expats: Insurance | Guides | Legal advice

What taxes and extra costs should buyers expect?

• Transfer tax: 3.09% — €7,725 on €250,000 and €24,720 on €800,000;
• 24% VAT on new buildings is suspended until 31 December 2026 under law 5246/2025, after which the rules are unknown;
• other purchase costs (notary, lawyer, registry): estimates range from 5% to 10%;
• yearly: ENFIA property tax and a municipal fee.

Can you rent out a Golden Visa property in Greece?

Long-term letting is allowed. Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and subletting are banned, with a €50,000 fine and loss of the permit. A management company does not lift the ban. Circular 1/2026 of 22 April 2026 defines a short let as under 60 days, according to CEOWORLD; eu-passports.com reports under 30 days.

Using a converted property as a company's registered address also carries a €50,000 fine. On 15 October 2026, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said permits linked to hidden price rebates or short lets through subletting would be revoked. According to CEOWORLD, the ban does not cover properties bought under pre-2024 or transitional rules.

About rental yields on Greek Golden Visa property — read more at the link.

How long is the permit valid and can family join?

The permit is valid for five years and renewable while the investment is kept, health insurance is valid and there are no short lets. Renewal requires proof of the contract's cadastre registration. Selling the property cancels the seller's permit.

Spouses, children and parents can be included; children up to 21, or up to 24 if dependent, depending on the source. Civil partners are not family members. Each relative receives a separate permit tied to the main investment.

What this means for buyers now

• check that the conversion was completed after 5 April 2024 and is recorded;
• for Athens flats under €800,000, confirm the change-of-use or listing documents;
• budget for tax, fees and longer waiting times;
• plan long-term rental only.

A property that fails one condition can cost you the permit. Book a consultation with a Real estate lawyer and have the deal checked before you pay.

We remind you! In our previous article, we wrote that Greece will increase the property tax for foreigners fivefold.

Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Travel guide for 200 countries;

Legal advice from a local specialist on visa and migration issues;

Travel insurance around the world (please select the country of interest and citizenship to receive services);

Medical insurance all over the world.

We monitor the accuracy and relevance of our information, so if you notice any errors or inconsistencies, please contact our hotline.

© 2018-2026, Visit World. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit World. All rights reserved.