Third-country nationals can obtain residency, and ultimately Greece citizenship by investment when they comply with the provisions of the Immigration and Social Integration Code with respect to the type and the value of the minimum investment. Several investment routes are available and one of the most popular ones is through purchasing property in the country, subject to a minimum price.
If you are interested in moving to Greece for investment purposes, you can discuss the investment route and your options beforehand with our team. We can give you complete details about the application process and special considerations according to your nationality. Our team can also help you prepare the documents needed for your application. Reach out to us as soon as you decide to invest.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Nationalities accepted (EU/Non-EU) | Non-EU |
| Business investment option | Yes, residency for investment activities with a positive impact on the country’s economy. |
| Real estate investment option | Yes, with a minimum value of EUR 250,000 or 500,000 depending on the location of the property. |
| Other investment options (if available) | Investments in securities or bank deposits in Greece, capital contributions (of a certain amount) |
| Living requirement in Greece | Not mandatory to reside in the country permanently, however, this may be the case for those interested in obtaining citizenship. |
| Residence or direct citizenship option | Residence is granted for 5 years, citizenship applications are submitted separately. |
| Direct immigration with family members (YES/NO) | Yes |
| Family members allowed to join the program | Yes, the permit holder may be accompanied by family members. |
| Residence visa/citizenship processing time (approx.) | 3 months or more |
| Additional financial requirements for family members | Generally yes |
| Timeframe for obtaining citizenship after residency by investment | A foreign national who has lawfully resided in Greece for 5 years can apply for citizenship by naturalization. |
| Dual citizenship permitted (YES/NO) | Yes |
| Reasons to choose Greece | Lifestyle and culture, location in Europe, various opportunities for investments in tourism and other industries. |
| Personal income tax rate | Progressive rates from 9% (for taxable income of up to EUR 10,000) to 44% (for taxable income of over EUR 40,000) |
| Visa free travel to other countries (approx. number of countries) | > 100 |
The benefits that are awarded to real estate investors from third-countries can also extend to their family members and individuals who are in the position to make the minimum capital deposit often take this into consideration when thinking about Greece citizenship by investment.
Another important advantage offered by this programme is the fact that the holder of permanent residence through investment is allowed to live in the country indefinitely as well as travel within the Schengen zone without a visa.
Relocating to Greece under the investment residency programme can be a good option for those who have access to the funds. In this article, we describe the main conditions for permanent residence for investors. Entrepreneurs who are interested in this form of acquiring residence and obtaining the subsequent Greece citizenship by investment can reach out to one of our agents.
Are you interested in other immigration services such as those needed if you want to retire to Greece? We understand all of the reasons that make this country such an attractive one to many foreign nationals who wish to retire to a European country. Our team can help you apply for the right type of permit that will allow you to remain in Greece for long-term purposes.
When you decide to apply for a resident permit in Greece you will be asked to provide a number of essential documents, both for identification purposes, and for proving your main purpose of stay in the country. Medium to long-term stays are not only possible for investments, in fact, many applicants will also apply for a work permit. If you are ready to apply, our team can assist you.
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Permanent residence for 2024 investors in Greece
The law in Greece allows third-country nationals to obtain a residence permit in Greece for five years when they make property investments of a minimum amount. However, applicants should know that the value of the property is not the sole criteria for obtaining permanent residence and then Greece citizenship by investment.
The main conditions for investors are the following:
- minimum investment: there is a minimum investment in real estate that is mandatory for this type of residence permit in Greece to be awarded; the value of the property must exceed 250,000 Euros;
- legal entry: the individual who intends to purchase real estate for this residency program needs to have entered the country lawfully, based on one of the types of visas; our immigration lawyer in Greece can provide more details;
- ownership: those who wish to obtain residence in this manner must have full ownership and possession of the property; joint-ownership is only permitted for spouses and when they have indivisible shares in the property;
- agreement: Greek citizenship by investment may also apply when the applicant has signed an agreement for at least ten years in hotel accommodation, according to law.
Greece citizenship by investment in 2024 is obtained after the owner of the property has lived in the country for seven consecutive years. The investment residence permit in Greece can be renewed for five more years after its expiry date, thus granting the investor the possibility to apply for citizenship. We advise interested individuals to reach out to our immigration lawyers in Greece for complete information about obtaining citizenship, the required documents and detailed information about the required steps (which also include providing one’s biometric information, or fingerprints).
How to obtain Greece citizenship by investment
Making the minimum real estate investment in Greece grants the investor a residence permit for five years, which may also be extended to family members. This can be important for non-EU nationals who have the financial means to make the minimum 250,000 Euros investment and who are interested in moving to Greece together with their family. However, obtaining Greek citizenship is a process that will involve several other steps that will need to be taken care of once the seven years of lawfully living in the country have passed.
When the investor has married a Greek citizen and they have a child together, the application for citizenship can be submitted after three years of permanent and legal residence. Below, our Greece immigration agents summarize the essential steps for obtaining permanent residence and then Greece citizenship by investment in 2024:
- Prepare the documents: an application of naturalization needs to be filled in by the individual, together with proof of long-term residence permit, passport, birth certificate (translated into Greece), recent tax reports, social security number and other documents that prove one’s lawful living in the country;
- Apply: the filled-in form and the documents are submitted to the local authorities in charge of Civic Status in the area where the applicant lives.
Pay the fee: the application is subject to a fee; proof of payment is also required together with the documents; - Wait for the decision: the application is thoroughly revised and a decision can be expected in approximately one year in some cases (in practice this period may differ).
These steps are general ones that apply both in the case in which the applicant has made an investment and when he or she has been living in the country for seven years (or the other applicable minimum period). You can reach out to our immigration lawyer in Greece for more details.
The Hellenic Statistical Authority has provided a report on the resident population by groups according to their citizenship of origin. Our team highlights some of the most important data from the 2021 population and census below:
- The country’s total population in 2021 was 10,482,487 individuals;
- 92.7% of these were Greek citizens, followed by 6.15% citizens of other countries, 1.11% citizens of other EU countries except Greece, and 0.04% without citizenship or with unspecified citizenship;
- 116,669 people were EU citizens (from countries other than Greece) and 439,254 were citizens of European countries outside of the European Union; 5,607 were citizens of North American countries.
Regardless of your country of origin, one of our immigration lawyers in Greece can help you apply for the residence permit and the subsequent Greece citizenship by investment in 2024. You can contact us for more details on how we can provide needed assistance.
