Short answer: Greece’s golden visa grants residence through qualifying property and similar investments, with region-based minimums: popular zones such as Athens, Thessaloniki and certain islands sit higher; other regions may start from lower published floors (commonly from EUR 250,000 in public materials). Exact zones and amounts follow current Greek decrees. The family can obtain residence; there is no strict annual day-count for holders, but citizenship requires residence time, language and other tests.
What regional tiers mean in practice
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Higher in hot urban and island zones; lower-threshold areas may differ in liquidity and rent |
| Living | Real intention to reside, schools and healthcare |
| Exit | Resale after the required hold depends on local markets |
| Compliance | Property must meet residential/registrable tests—avoid disputed commercial use |
“Lower threshold” is not “better deal”: quality, taxes, community and rental rules matter.
Family and maintenance
Spouse and dependent children are typically included. Low stay duties suit families who need Schengen access while living mainly in Asia. Card renewal, ongoing property compliance and insurance still follow migration rules.
Versus Portugal’s fund route
Portugal’s golden visa is now mainly fund-based, with a longer general citizenship timeline under the 2026 nationality law. Greece remains property-led with low stay duties, but citizenship still needs real integration and time. Do not compare on a single minimum-investment number.
Global Immigrate note
Decide whether you will actually live in Greece before picking a region and property. Pure visa-driven purchases need downside resale stress tests. Separate counsel for law and brokerage; contracts should state the seller does not guarantee immigration outcomes.
Contracts and immigration timeline
Have counsel review the contract before large deposits and condition the deal on golden-visa eligibility of the property. Immigration and conveyance can be sequenced, but failure risks are separate. If regional thresholds rise after signing, grandfathering depends on the transition text then in force.
Information current as of October 2026.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. See Greece Golden Visa.