Golden Visa in Greece

Which investment threshold applies?

€800,000

Attica, including Athens and Piraeus; the regional unit of Thessaloniki; Mykonos and Thira (Santorini); islands with a census population above 3,100.

€400,000

Other areas of Greece.

€250,000

One qualifying property whose main spaces legally change from non-residential to residential use. Available throughout Greece, without the 120 m² minimum.

For these two standard purchase routes: one property; at least 120 m² of main-use space for a built property or one with a building permit. This is not a minimum for bare land without a building permit.

A separate €250,000 route exists for qualifying listed buildings requiring restoration or reconstruction. It has different completion and resale conditions.

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From office to home: the €250,000 route

Legal use matters. An office, shop or other non-residential property may qualify when its main spaces lawfully become a residence. A cosmetic renovation or a marketing label is insufficient.
One property must meet the €250,000 acquisition threshold. Buying for €180,000 and spending €70,000 on renovation does not by itself meet this purchase-price requirement. Taxes, fees and works need a separate budget.
The lawful change of use must be completed before the residence-permit application. Either the seller or buyer may carry it out; the buyer can therefore acquire an already converted qualifying home.
The conversion must satisfy the rules applying from 5 April 2024. The relevant permit, file update or revision and the engineer’s technical report establish the required timing. Older permits need the qualifying later update or revision.
The 120 m² minimum does not apply to this route. A smaller home can qualify if every other condition is met.
For industrial buildings, it must also be certified that no industrial activity was installed and operating there for at least the previous five years.

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What the 2026 clarifications change

An office-to-residential project must concern an existing qualifying property or project at the start of the 2024 framework. A new non-residential building permit issued after that date cannot be used to create this exception.

A property that was legally residential when the framework began cannot gain the exception by switching to non-residential use and then back to residential use.

After a property has already supported a Golden Visa under the €250,000 change-of-use exception, resale to another investor does not carry the same reduced threshold. The new buyer must meet the applicable standard conditions.

Selling the qualifying investment normally ends the seller’s investor permit. A replacement investment must meet the prescribed conditions and sequence; obtain advice before selling.

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Living in the property and renting it out

Long-term residential letting is permitted. Short-term letting and subletting within the sharing economy, such as Airbnb, are prohibited under the new framework. A change-of-use property under this exception also cannot serve as a company’s registered office or branch. Breaches can lead to permit revocation and a €50,000 administrative fine.

The short-let prohibition applies to the arrangements defined by Article 111 of Law 4446/2016, whether booked through a platform or directly.

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Listed buildings: a different €250,000 exception

This route concerns formally listed properties, not every old building. Full restoration or reconstruction must be completed for the first renewal; transfer before completion is prohibited. It should not be confused with the office-conversion route.

The listed-building route also concerns one property without the 120 m² minimum. The same reduced-threshold exception cannot simply be passed to the next investor after its first qualifying use.

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What to check before a deposit

Title, cadastral records, legal boundaries of the property being purchased and any encumbrances.
Original building permit, lawful previous use, current plans and whether residential use is permitted.
The conversion permit or other required administrative act, its date and the engineer’s technical certification.
The acquisition price, payment evidence and notarial certification; whether the property previously supported a reduced-threshold Golden Visa.
The buyer’s nationality, immigration eligibility and required application documents, including passport and insurance. An eligible building alone does not establish an eligible application.

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A practical sequence

Have a Greek lawyer and engineer assess the buyer and the specific property before committing funds.
Confirm the legal conversion route, scope of works, costs and required documents in the purchase arrangements.
Complete the acquisition, required payment and lawful change of use before filing the investor application.
Submit the application with the prescribed evidence. Approval belongs to the competent Greek authorities, not the seller or agent.

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Residence permit and nationality

This is a renewable five-year investor residence permit, not citizenship. Renewal depends on retaining the qualifying investment and meeting the applicable conditions; the permit itself does not grant access to employment.

Circular 1/2026 also confirms the suspension of new investor applications for Russian and Belarusian nationals. Nationality and any individual circumstances must be assessed before a purchase intended for residence purposes.

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What this means for our properties

A commercial building can be a candidate for assessment, but photographs, price and an architectural rendering do not prove eligibility. Spiti Atlas does not identify a listing as confirmed Golden Visa eligible without the relevant property documentation. A purchase exceeding a threshold alone is insufficient.

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Official Greek government sources

Read the underlying rules. Official Greek legal texts and decisions take precedence over this explanatory guide and its translations.

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