How to Get a Residence Permit in Greece

Greece is a maritime nation with more than 6000 islands and 15,000 kilometres of coastline.

Picturesque beaches, a pleasant climate, and countless heritage sites attract millions of tourists to Greece every year. Many people choose to stay, attracted by visa-free travel to Schengen countries, the high-quality healthcare and education, safety and economic freedom.

There are several groups of people eligible for Greek residency permits. Read on to learn how to become a Greek resident; the requirements for each applicant; and what you need to know to get a residence card.

• Types of Greek Residency Permits
• How to Get a Greek Golden Visa
• Greek Investment Programme Details
• Three Types of Greek Residency Visa for Investment
• Applying for Greek Residency
• How Much Does a Greek Residence Permit Cost?

Types of Greek Residency Permits

All foreign nationals who want to remain in Greece for more than 90 days must obtain a residence permit. Foreigners who require visas must receive a National D-Type visa, which can serve as a basis to issue a residence permit.

The Immigration and Social Integration Code (Law 4251) covers several types of residence permits, such as:

• Residence permit for employment and work. It includes a permit for dependent/salaried employment and a permit for highly-qualified EU Blue Card holders. Greece has a quota for foreign employees, and employers have to obtain permission before signing a labour contract. This permission can serve as the main basis for applying for permanent residency.
• Temporary residence permit for seasonal workers, fishermen, members of artistic groups, traineeship students, intra-corporate transfers, etc. This permit is short-term, and can rarely be renewed. Seasonal workers can stay in the country for only six months, and fishermen can remain for no more than 11 months. Artists cannot stay for more than a year and traineeship students for only six months.
• Residence permit for financially independent applicants. This permit is for foreigners who have sufficient financial support outside the country. It does not allow the applicant to work in Greece. This permit lasts two years and can be renewed. The main condition for that permit is to have sufficient income. Currently the amount is 2000 EUR a month per person, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% for every child.

• Residence permit for humanitarian and exceptional reasons. It is issued on different grounds including work injuries, serious health issues, undergoing psychiatric treatment in Greece etc. This applies to cases when a person cannot be deported for humanitarian reasons and has no other grounds to obtain residency.
• Residence permit for human trafficking and migrant smuggling victims. This is another exceptional reason for a residency visa. It requires official proof of victim status.
• Residence permit for students and volunteers. Student permits can be given to children under 18 years old, however for a volunteer residency visa you need to be an adult. Apart from this, they are similar: both require proof of sufficient income to cover your time in Greece. Students can provide a letter of sponsorship; volunteers can get a letter of guarantee from the receiving organisation. The organisation usually covers travel, living and other costs. You will also need full medical insurance on the same terms as Greek citizens. Some Greek universities provide the insurance for students, in other cases you will need to obtain it yourself. This residence permit is issued for one year and can be renewed. In certain cases, it can be issued for the whole study period.
• Residence permit for professional training. This is a special permit for military forces school, medical education or members of the Antonias Academy on Mount Athos. This permit is issued for a year and can be renewed until training is complete.
• Family reunification permit. There are different types: for family members of Greek nationals, for EU citizens and third-country nationals. Every foreigner who has lived in Greece for three years can apply for residence for their family members even if their visa did not originally allow it. The sponsor of the family must have a yearly income equal to at least annual minimum wage (10,920 EUR in 2023), increased by 20% for the spouse and 15% for each child. The applicant also has to obtain medical insurance for each family member.
• Permanent residence and long-term residence permit. Family members of Greek citizens who have resided in the country for at least five continuous years can apply for permanent residence. This group can apply for a permanent residence card with an option of renewal every ten years. The main condition is to not leave Greece for more than two years, or else the card will be cancelled. There is also long-term resident status and there are certain conditions to get it. Firstly, the applicant should have lived in Greece for at least five years, without leaving the country for more than six consecutive months a year and ten months in total within those five years. Secondly, the applicant must have medical insurance and sufficient yearly income. Again, “sufficient” means annual minimum wage (10,920 EUR in 2023). If the applicant lives with a family, they must prove that the income is increased by 10% of minimum wage for each family member. The applicant will then have to prove their integration into Greek society. The integration counts if the applicant has a permanent residence card, has lived in the country for 12 years, or has a language proficiency certificate. The permanent resident status is granted for an unlimited time,  though the long-term residency permit must be renewed every five years. If the resident stays in the country, it happens automatically, though the permit can eventually be cancelled in the case of long absences from the country. Foreigners who were born in Greece or have completed six grades in the country before the age of 21 can receive a second-generation residence permit. It is a lot like the long-term permit, it is renewed every five years without any special conditions, but only those who legally resided in the country at the time of application can obtain it.

How to Get a Greek Golden Visa

The Golden Visa Programme that offers Greek residency through investment has existed since 2013. It is quite popular among wealthy individuals because of the easy application process. It does not even demand that applicants reside in the country for a particular time. While the application is under consideration, the investor can obtain a year-long renewable Type-D visa.

Greek Investment Programme Details

The Greek Golden Visa process demands very little from the applicant. The main conditions are a clean criminal record and a good reputation. If the authorities see a potential threat to national safety and reputation, the residency will be denied.

Another unique characteristic is the option to act remotely. The applicant does not need to come to the country, they can give power of attorney to a legal representative in the Greek consulate and endorse it with an apostille. The investor will have to come to Greece only after the application is approved, to provide biometric data.

Greece also has a special tax regime for foreign investors. They can transfer their taxes to the country and pay a flat tax of 100,000 EUR regardless of the country of income. This option is only available to investors who have invested 500,000 EUR. Foreigners who obtained their residence in Greece for lesser investments will have to pay the rest. The special tax regime lasts 15 years.

Three Types of Greek Residency Visa for Investment

The Greek Immigration and Social Integration Code covers several options to receive a Golden Visa:

• Through real estate transactions. The residence permit will be issued for five years with the option to renew it if the investment is maintained. The minimum cost of buying and renting the property depends on the area. In Attica, Mykonos, Santorini and Thessaloniki, the entry amount is 500,000 EUR since August 2023. The investment can be 250,000 EUR in other regions. These amounts are not final, of course, there are also taxes such as 3.09% for the ownership transfer and a state registration fee of 0.6% of either the purchase amount or the cadastral value if it is higher. The investor can own the property personally or through a legal entity, in which case the investor must own all shares. In the case of a lease, the investor must sign an agreement with the hotel or other tourist facility for at least 10 years and pay the entire amount at once. Family members of the investor can also become residents of Greece: their spouse, single children under the age of 21, and parents. This residence permit does not allow them to work, the investor will have to obtain a work permit separately on a general basis.
• Investment activity. This residence permit is also issued for five years and can be extended for the same period. The law does not state minimum amount requirements since the investor's application is considered separately in each case. Up to ten foreigners who wish to develop existing businesses or open new ones can come to the country under this programme. The applicant must submit their project to the Greek Consulate in their place of residence, which will forward the documents to the Foreign Funds Department of the Ministry of Development and Investment within a month. It also reviews the application for a month and, if approved, instructs the consulate to issue a Type-D visa to enter Greece. The investor then applies for a residence permit for themselves and their family members in person or by proxy. There is also the option to obtain a ten-year residence permit through special strategic investments which must be recognised by the Interdepartmental Committee for Strategic Investments on the proposal of the General Secretariat of Strategic and Private Investments.
• Investment in securities or bank deposits. This programme will require a minimum of 400,000 EUR. You can manage this amount in different ways. For example, you can invest in a Greek-headquartered company or contribute to a real estate investment fund (REIC). You can buy shares or make a capital contribution to a venture capital fund (VCF), put the money in a local bank for a year etc. There are many options for disposing of finances. However, investors who want to invest in corporate and/or Greek government bonds admitted to trading on the local stock market will have to pay not 400,000 EUR, but 800,000 EUR. The term of residence permit in all these cases is five years if the assets are maintained. On the same basis, it can be renewed repeatedly.

Applying for Greek Residency

You must submit the application for Greek residence to your local immigration office or to the relevant immigration policy department of the Greek Interior Ministry. You can also apply for a residence permit online through the electronic migration services.

You must support the application with the necessary documents. The list of documents depends on the residence permit. Only a passport and the receipt for the payment of the state fee are always obligatory. Other documents can differ depending on the situation. For example, a working residence permit requires an employment contract and proof of application to the relevant insurance body (KA-OGA - OAEE). If an applicant is self-employed in Greece, they must provide a certificate of insurability to the OAEE. Financially independent applicants need an insurance policy from a private insurer.

The specific list of documents needed for each type of residence permit can be found on the e-Migration Services website.

How Much Does a Greek Residence Permit Cost?

The feedepends on many factors. The main factor is the duration of the permit:

• 150 EUR — for one year,
• 300 EUR — for two years,
• 450 EUR — for three years,
• 500 EUR — for five years,
• 600 EUR — for ten years.

Long-term resident status costs 400 EUR. This does not apply to foreigners who have a five-year or a ten-year residence permit. They do not need to pay this fee.

Applicants for a second-generation residence permit pay 300 EUR when applying.

In a Nutshell

Greek law describes in detail the many grounds for obtaining a residence permit. They can be divided into several groups: for work, for study, for family reunification, for humanitarian reasons, etc. Every group has smaller sub-categories: for seasonal work, for employment and self-employment, regular or professional training.

The unique programme for residents is the investment programme. By investing at least 250,000 EUR in the Greek economy, the investor receives a five-year residence permit. The permit can be renewed as long as the investment remains in Greece.

Cover photo: Tyler Hurd (Pixabay)