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Greece Residency and Citizenship by Investment – Greece Golden Visa

Greece At A Glance

Greece Golden Visa Program offers a pathway to secure permanent residency in Europe via an affordable real estate investment in Greece. This program was introduced by the Greek government in 2013 to encourage foreign investment in Greece. Of all European residency by investment programs, Greece offers the most cost-effective investment. As a Greek resident, you’re allowed to live in Greece permanently and travel visa-free across the Schengen Zone. 

Greece has the best of both worlds: a historical legacy paired with a rich modern culture. Once considered the birthplace of Western civilization, Greece is a beautiful country with a rich history. Conveniently situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, Greece is known for its unparalleled natural beauty, scattered throughout 6,000 stunning islands. It has a long, stunning coastline adorned with beautiful beaches that can be enjoyed all year round thanks to 300+ days of annual sunshine. Its unique geographical position makes trade within Europe, as well as trade between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East convenient.

In addition to its natural splendors, Greece offers a vibrant cosmopolitan life as well. Exquisite fine dining, luxurious villas, great shopping and a wealth of historical landmarks, all punctuated by a passionate and fun-loving local population that revels in enjoying life. Tourism is a major industry, so owning or leasing vacation properties to gain residency is an excellent choice.

 

Greece Golden Visa Investment Options

The Greek Permanent Residence Permit Programme is the most cost-effective program currently available to secure residency in Europe via investment. This program currently has two different investment options. Getting citizenship by investment is not like the standard procedures you will encounter at other countries but it is also possible.

greece citizenship by real estate investment

Real Estate Investment


Invest at least €250,000 into a real estate in Greece. This can be accomplished in several different ways:

  1. The property can be residential or commercial and located anywhere on the mainland or surrounding islands.
  2. You can invest in multiple properties whose combined value amounts to the €250,000 minimum investment
  3. You can invest the €250,000 in a timeshare (lease) for a minimum of 10 years. This includes hotel accommodations or furnished tourist residences in integrated tourist resorts.
  4. You can own the property personally, or through a legal proxy in which you own all the shares.

You can set up joint ownership, but each person must invest €250,000, unless the joint ownership is between spouses, in which case it’s €250,000 between the couple.

How to get eu permanent residency with Greece program

General Investment


The other option for securing permanent residency in Greece is more open-ended when it comes to the investment project. The only requirement is that the investment must have a positive impact on Greece’s national development and economy. This is determined by factors such as job creation, innovation, domestic production, production of domestic resources, etc.

This avenue requires a minimum investment is €250,000 into an endeavor of your choice. The higher the contribution, the more resident permits (for executives) you can secure.

For more information about this, please feel free to contact us.

Is there greece citizenship by investment program

Greece Citizenship by Investment Notes


Applicants who already have invested at least €250,000, possess permanent residency and live in Greece for at least 183 days each year, can apply for Greek citizenship and a passport after seven years. 

Once applicants get citizenship, then they are free to dispose of their investment since further visa renewals are not necessary.

Qualifications & Conditions


  • Entry Visa obtained from your local Greek Consulate
  • Purchase of real estate property in Greece which costs €250,000 or more
  • Clean criminal record
  • Certificate of health from a Greek medical professional and medical insurance to cover any length of stay in Greece

No minimum stay requirement and the residency visa can be renewed after five years so long as the investment and requirements are maintained

How to Apply for the Greek Permanent Residency Program?


The application process for the Greek Golden Visa Program is straightforward and should take about 1-2 months. The general steps are as follows:

  1. Apply for entry visa through Greek Consulate in your home country.
  2. Visit Greece to select your property of choice and open a bank account.
  3. Obtain health certificate from a Greek medical professional.
  4. Make an investment of at least €250,000 in Greek real estate prior to application.
  5. Apply once you have the entry visa, proof of real estate investment and health certificate secured.

The cost for application is €500 and can include your spouse, parents, and any unmarried children under 21 for no additional cost. There are also applicable legal and advisory fees, which we will go through prior to starting the application process.

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How-To-Apply-For-Greek-Citizenship-And-Permanent-Residency

Application requirements for the family members

  • Valid insurance contracts proving that each family member has full coverage for health care and hospitalization for the entire duration of their stay in Greece.
  • Recent certificate from foreign authorities certifying the familiar relationship.

Your family members’ residence permits are directly linked to your permit, as the investor. If your residence permit expires, your family members’ permits will too.  

Your children are issued residence permits that are valid until they are 21 years old. After that, they can request a renewal for an independent residence permit until they are 24, after which point they can apply to renew again according to applicable immigration laws.

Required list of general documents

  • Two copies of the application document
  • Two recent color photos
  • Certified copy of a valid passport or travel documents recognized by Greece and including the relevant valid entry visa, when required
  • Health certificate issued by a Greek hospital or valid health certificate issued in your home country
  • Medical insurance provided by a Greek insurance company or a foreign firm with international coverage
  • Current family status certificate from valid foreign authorities which certifies the familiar relationship
  • €500 fee paid and obtained through the “e-paravolo platform

The following additional documentation may be required:

  • Contract of property purchase
  • Notarized copy of the lease for hotel accommodations or furnished tourist residences
  • Proof of title transfer from the land registry where the relevant lease contract has been transferred
  • Contract for the purchase of the plot of land or acreage
  • Contract with the construction company for the erection/restoration of the residence
  • Building permit in the name of the applicant
  • Contract for the timeshare for at least ten years duration

what are greece citizenship requirements

Translation and certification requirements

All of the documents required for the residence permit application must be submitted in Greek, except for the documents issued by foreign authorities, which need to be certified. There are two forms of certification:

  • The Apostille stamp - for countries that are parties to the Hague Convention.
  • Certification by the Consular - for countries that are not parties to the Hague Convention, a certification by the Greek consular in the country of origin of the document is required.

The translation of foreign public documents can be done by either of the below:

  • The Translation Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • A lawyer who is a member of Greek Bar association, with a certification of their signature by the Bar Association

Conditions of residence

Once your application is approved, you receive a residence permit for 5 years. This permit can be renewed indefinitely as long as you:

  • Maintain full ownership of the original investment property

or

  • Maintain the relevant leases/timeshares/contracts for the original investment property
  • Maintain clean criminal record in Greece and your home country
  • Residents and their applicable family members must have insurance that covers their healthcare and medical care expenses while in Greece.
  • Residents and their applicable family members cannot seek employment in the Greek labor force, but can start their own businesses and work within those enterprises, or make investments.
  • If you sell your real estate to another non-EU resident in the future, they can then apply for a residence permit.Applicants who choose not to live or spend time in Greece can still maintain and renew their residence permits so long as they hold their investment property

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why is greece a good place to live

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Benefits - Why Invest and Reside In Greece?


Securing a Greek citizenship by investment and permanent residency brings a wealth of benefits for you and your family including freedom to travel, attractive tax policies, great quality of life and rewarding business opportunities, among others. Most notably, Greece Golden Visa is the most cost-effective route to residency and visa-travel in Europe. It is a fast and affordable program, and that in itself is a huge advantage. If you’re looking for more compelling reasons, we’ve answered some of the questions you might have after reading this guide.

Financial

  • Investing in real estate offers ROI potential – there is a favorable likelihood to get financial returns by owning your own property in Greece
  • Tax treaties with many nations in Europe and around the world which provide generous incentives
  • Non-residents are taxed only on Greek-sourced income
  • Tax incentives available for companies making profitable investments into Greece
  • Capital gains tax (CGT) is 15% on property sale

Lifestyle

  • Visa-free travel across the Schengen area (26 countries) for up to 3 months during a 6-month period
  • The family-friendly application can include your spouse, children under 21, and even parents for no extra cost – all are eligible to receive a residence permit
  • No restrictions on dual citizenship
  • Many different languages are spoken in Greece with English being the most widely used second language
  • High standards for education – excellent English-speaking private and public schools
  • Much lower tuition costs to attend universities in European countries
  • Though you are not required to live in Greece, you might want to! This gorgeous country is steeped in a rich history and features a lovely climate, stunning beaches, and tons of cultural attractions including world class restaurants, shopping, renowned thermal baths, and abundance of historically significant sites
  • Greece has more than 320 sunny days a year and 6,000 islands to enjoy them
  • World's healthiest diet – exquisite local cuisine & wines
  • Hospitable people, fun-loving relaxed lifestyle

Business

  • Your permit enables you to live in and establish businesses in Greece (though you can’t seek employment)
  • Great investment: rising property prices, high capital gains, growing rentals
  • Low cost of living and running a business
  • Educated and skilled workforce
  • Many business opportunities in developing sectors including tourism, food and beverage, IT, energy, life sciences, export-based manufacturing, and logistics and transportation.

FAQs

A: Greece is a beautiful country that offers an enviable lifestyle and vast natural beauty. It has a rich and diverse culture, while its geography offers everything from sandy beaches to skiing in the snow-capped mountains.

Residents of Greece can travel freely around the European Union (EU) and Schengen Zone countries. Plus, Greece is a multilingual society with esteemed higher education and health care systems.

A: Greece is conveniently situated for trade with all of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Its key economic sectors are traditionally agriculture and tourism, along with many modern businesses which include information and communication technologies, energy management, international logistics, export-oriented manufacturing, and life sciences, among others.
A: Once the original applicants children turn 21 years of age, they all continue to enjoy the same residency benefits. This doesn’t alter or change when children legally become of age, As long as the primary original investment property remains in place – all original applicants maintain their residency benefits.  
A: No, this is not possible. The partners have to be married.
A: No. However, a property owner can work on associated investment real estate activity, such as finding and managing tenants for their property.
A: Yes, once you become a resident.
A: Yes, we have a list of 18 areas in border regions which do not qualify for residency. There are exceptions, and you may seek approval for a property in a disallowed location. However, the final decision is at the sole discretion of the Ministry of Defense.
A: Yes, as long as its assessed (objective) value is at least €250,000. In these cases, only the person who receives the property will attain permanent residency.
A: Yes!
A: You apply for the entry permit (Visa Type-D) and permanent residency at a consular office in your home country. All documentation is submitted by your legal representative to the Directorate for Migration Policy at the Ministry of Migration Policy in Greece.
A: Yes, we do. We are here to answer all of your questions, and to manage the entire process from start to finish. We want you to know you are in safe hands and can leave all of the details to us!

 vicky-page-author

Vicky Katsarova, CEO

“My world travels and my own immigration experiences have given me a deep understanding and clear insight into each of our clients’ specific requirements, aspirations and concerns. It is this intense personal association with client expectations and needs that helps to set our company and our service apart.”

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Greece is country of thousands of island, where an ancient civilization meets a rich modern culture. Where endless blue skies meet pristine beaches. Where music, nightlife and delicious cuisine all come together in a rich culture with an incredible legacy. When it comes to expanding your mobility, protecting your wealth, increasing your freedom and improving your quality of life, securing permanent residency in Greece is one of the most affordable and efficient ways to do so.

If you are interested in learning more about Greece Golden Visa and citizenship application, please contact us today for your free initial consultation.

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