Greece Golden Visa in 2026: Current Rules and Thresholds

The three investment tiers

The minimum property investment now depends on where you buy. According to the Greek law firm Varnavas's analysis of Law 5100/2024, the country is split into a high-demand tier at 800,000 euros, a standard tier at 400,000 euros, and a special 250,000-euro tier that applies anywhere but only to two narrow property types.

• 800,000 euros - the Attica region (greater Athens), the regional unit of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants (including Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos and others)
• 400,000 euros - all remaining areas of Greece, including most of the mainland such as the Peloponnese and Halkidiki
• 250,000 euros - properties converted from commercial or industrial to residential use, or listed buildings bought for full restoration, in any part of the country

One property, at least 120 square metres

At the 800,000 and 400,000-euro tiers the investment must be a single property - you can no longer combine several cheaper flats to reach the threshold - and a built property must have a surface area of at least 120 square metres. The size rule does not apply to the 250,000-euro conversion and restoration routes.

Conversions come with their own conditions: the change of use must be completed before you apply, and a restored listed building must be fully renovated before your first five-year renewal.

What you can and cannot do with the property

The biggest practical restriction is on letting. Golden visa properties cannot be rented out short term through sharing-economy platforms, and subletting is also barred. Breaching the ban risks revocation of the permit plus an administrative fine of 50,000 euros. Long-term rental remains allowed, and selling a listed building before completing its restoration carries a 150,000-euro fine.

If your plan relies on holiday-let income, this scheme is not the vehicle for it - factor that into your yield expectations from the start.

• No short-term or sharing-economy lets, including subleasing
• Fine of 50,000 euros plus permit revocation for rental breaches
• Long-term letting is permitted
• Converted properties cannot be used as a company's registered seat

Permit terms, family and renewals

The permit is issued for five years and can be renewed indefinitely for as long as you keep the qualifying property. There is no minimum-stay requirement - periods of absence from Greece do not block renewal - which is why the scheme suits second-home owners who split their time between countries. Close family members can obtain permits alongside the main investor; the Ministry of Migration and Asylum publishes the current document lists and fees.

Bear in mind that holding the permit is not the same as tax residence, and it does not by itself put you on a fast track to citizenship - naturalisation has separate residence and language requirements.

The market you are buying into

Threshold rises have not cooled the wider market much. Bank of Greece figures show apartment prices rose 5.7% year on year in the first quarter of 2026 - 5.2% in Athens and 6.4% in Thessaloniki - after an 8.1% rise across 2025. In the 800,000-euro zones you are competing with both local demand and other international buyers, while the 400,000-euro tier covers large parts of the mainland where prices are lower to begin with.

If you want to see what qualifies at each threshold, Habio's Greek listings and area guides let you compare stock across the 800,000 and 400,000-euro zones.