All You Need To Know: New Greek Golden Visa Changes

The rules for the Greek Golden Visa changed on September 1st, 2024. If you are from the States, Canada, the UK, Australia, or another non-EU country, what options do you have for buying a home in this sun-kissed location?

What is the Greek Golden Visa?

The Golden Visa Programme in Greece is a residency-by-investment programme. By purchasing real estate above a certain price in Greece, you are eligible to apply for the Golden Visa, which grants residency, restriction-free Schengen Zone travel in Europe, and family inclusion.

What has changed about the Greek Golden Visa?

For the Attica region (Athens), Regional Units of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and the Greek islands with a population over 3,100 inhabitants, the minimum price for a Golden Visa is now 800,000 Euros. For all other areas of Greece, the minimum price of a property to apply for a Golden Visa is now 400,000 Euros. Another important change is that the property used to obtain a Golden Visa can no longer be used for short-term rentals.

If you are a non-EU resident buying a home in Greece, the new Golden Visa minimums apply. You have the following options:

Buy a property of at least 400,000 Euros

The 400,000 Euro threshold applies to properties on the Greek mainland (besides Athens and Thessaloniki) and also to properties on the small Greek islands of fewer than 3,100 residents.

You can use this home in Greece as a holiday home or as a permanent home for your retirement, as long as you don’t rent it out through platforms like AirBnB or Booking.com.

Buy a property of at least 800,000 Euros

The 800,000 Euros threshold applies to properties in Athens, Thessaloniki, or one of the Greek islands with more than 3,100 residents.

You can also use this home in Greece as a holiday home or as a permanent home for your retirement, as long as you don’t rent it out through platforms like AirBnB or Booking.com.