A step by step guide to your Greece Golden Visa for only €250,000

The Greece Golden Visa Program grants non-EU/EEA nationals a five year, renewable residency permit, once completing the purchase of a qualifying investment. It offers immediate benefits, including full residency rights, unrestricted Schengen travel and the option for opening and running your own business, while providing a clear pathway to Greek citizenship after seven years, subject to fulfillment of specific criteria.

The investment in a commercial-to-residential conversion project is currently the most economic and high ROI path to securing the Greek Golden Visa (Permanent Residence Permit) due to a set of legislative exceptions implemented by the Greek government.

1. Confirm Eligibility: This marks the initial, crucial phase of your application. To successfully move forward toward obtaining your Golden Visa, you will need to comply with five key requirements.

• Non-EU Citizen:  Must be a citizen of a country outside the European Union.

• Age:  Must be at least 18 years old.

• Criminal Record: Must have a clean criminal record from the country of origin.

• Health & Safety: Must obtain valid health insurance for medical care in Greece.

• Entry: Must have entered Greece legally.

2. Appoint Legal Representation: Grant a Power of Attorney (POA) to a Greek lawyer. This allows them to handle all the procedures in Greece on your behalf (e.g., bank accounts, tax numbers, property checks) without you needing to be present for every step.

3. Obtain Tax ID (AFM) & Bank Account: Your lawyer will apply and get a Greek Tax Identification Number (AFM) and will establish a Greek bank account in your name.

4. Choose Your Investment property: Select Your Property and Confirm Eligibility. You must identify the specific property you intend to purchase. Crucially, your legal counsel must then perform comprehensive due diligence to verify that the asset is officially classified as an eligible commercial-to-residential conversion property and meets all the necessary criteria for your Golden Visa application.

5. Finalize Purchase and Verify Fund Transfer: This stage requires the investor to execute the final purchase contract before a Notary Public. Concurrently, the investor must provide irrefutable proof of having wired the entire purchase amount directly from a bank account held in their name to the seller's account, ensuring the funds have been successfully received. This notarized contract and the verified fund transfer documentation are the cornerstone evidence required for the subsequent Golden Visa application submission.

6. Document Certification and Translation: Your lawyer will guide you on this and will help you gather all necessary personal and family documents ensure every document is officially translated into Greek and properly apostilled before submission

Gather all personal documents (e.g., clean criminal record certificate, medical insurance, passport copies, family certificates) and have them officially translated into Greek and apostilled/certified ,ensuring the Full application package ready for submission.

7. Submit Application: Your lawyer submits the complete application, investment proof, and fees to the Greek Immigration Authority, and you will receive a "Blue Paper" receipt which acts as a temporary residence permit.

8. Biometrics Appointment: The final required step is a brief visit to Greece by the applicant and family to submit biometric data (fingerprints and photos) for the physical residence card.

9. Golden Visa Issuance: After processing the biometrics, the authorities grant final approval, and your lawyer collects the 5-year Permanent Residence Card, officially securing your Greek residency and Schengen travel rights.

10. Renewal:  The Golden Visa is renewable every five years, provided the core qualifying investment is fully maintained by the main applicant. Crucially, there is no minimum stay requirement in Greece to qualify for these subsequent renewals. The renewal application requires updated documentation, payment of the renewal fee (currently €2,000 for the main applicant), and valid health insurance.

Your journey to the Golden Vias in Greece starts here