The Greek Golden Visa by nationality

The Greek rules are the same for everyone

Whatever your passport, the €250,000 change-of-use route asks for the same things: one property converted to residential use under a permitting act issued on or after 5 April 2024, with the conversion completed before you apply; the full price paid into a Greek bank account by you, your spouse or a relative up to the second degree; a clean criminal record; and private health insurance covering Greece. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need this permit.

Demand is international. Press figures for 2025 put Chinese nationals at about 48% of permits and Turkish nationals at about 16%, with Iran, Israel and the United States also prominent. Treat these as indicative.

One distinction helps throughout. Greek eligibility follows your nationality, while money-transfer and tax rules usually follow where you live and bank. If you live outside your country of nationality, ask which country's rules apply to your funds.

Seven countries at a glance

United States

• Travel. US citizens can visit the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. The EU Entry/Exit System has registered visitors at the external border since October 2025, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026.
• Tax. US citizens and green-card holders are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live, so rent from Greek property goes on your US return as well as your Greek one, with foreign tax credits available. The US and Greece have an income tax convention.
• Reporting. A Greek bank account counts toward FBAR reporting if your foreign accounts together exceed USD 10,000 at any time in the year, and toward FATCA Form 8938 above its thresholds. Property held directly in your own name is not itself reported on Form 8938. Greek banks will ask for your US tax status.
• Documents. State records such as birth and marriage certificates are apostilled by the secretary of state of the issuing state; federal documents by the US Department of State.

United Kingdom

• Status. Since the Brexit transition ended on 31 December 2020, UK nationals are third-country nationals in the EU. They can apply for the Golden Visa, and they need a residence permit to stay in Greece for more than 90 days in any 180.
• Travel. Visits need no visa; the Entry/Exit System and, from its planned start, ETIAS apply as for US citizens. With a Greek residence permit, time in Greece no longer counts against the visitor limit.
• Tax. UK residents are generally taxed on worldwide income, so Greek rent is usually reported on your UK return, with credit for Greek tax under the UK–Greece double taxation convention.
• Documents. UK apostilles are issued by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

India

• The LRS limit. Under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, a resident individual may remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year (April to March), and buying property abroad is a permitted purpose. At current exchange rates €250,000 plus purchase costs is more than one person's annual limit, so plan the payment before you reserve.
• Planning within the rules. RBI guidance lets family members who co-own a property abroad consolidate their remittances, and Greek law lets spouses co-own a Golden Visa property. Payments can also fall in two financial years, since the Greek rule is full payment before you apply. Agree the plan with your bank, a chartered accountant and your Greek lawyer.
• Tax collected at source. For 2026–27, banks collect TCS at 20% on LRS remittances for investment purposes, including property abroad, above ₹10 lakh in a financial year. It is credited against your Indian income tax.
• Tax and reporting. Resident Indians are taxed on worldwide income and disclose foreign assets in their Indian return. Greek rent is also taxed in Greece, with relief under the India–Greece tax treaty.
• Travel and documents. Indian citizens need a Schengen visa for the biometrics trip. Indian documents are apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs. India does not allow dual citizenship, which matters only if you later consider Greek naturalisation.

South Africa

• Allowances. Under Exchange Control Circular 6/2026 of 8 April 2026, South African residents aged 18 and over have a single discretionary allowance of R2 million per calendar year, up from R1 million. Above that, the foreign capital allowance of up to R10 million per calendar year needs SARS approval of your tax compliance status.
• In practice. €250,000 plus costs is well above R2 million, so most buyers will also need the foreign capital allowance. Apply to SARS before you commit to a payment date.
• Tax. South African tax residents are taxed on worldwide income, with relief for Greek tax under the South Africa–Greece tax treaty.
• Travel and documents. South African passport holders need a Schengen visa. South Africa is a party to the Apostille Convention; your lawyer will tell you which office certifies each document.

China

• Foreign-exchange rules. Mainland Chinese residents may buy foreign currency up to an annual quota of USD 50,000 per person, and each purchase requires a declared purpose. According to published analyses of the declaration form, buying property abroad is not among the permitted purposes. Any transfer for a Greek purchase must comply with the rules of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Take advice from a qualified adviser in China before you reserve.
• Tighter checks. From 1 January 2026, Chinese financial institutions must verify remitter details on cross-border transfers above RMB 5,000 or USD 1,000.
• What Greek rules add. The price must come from you, your spouse or a close relative, by bank transfer, crossed cheque or card, into a Greek account, with a documented source of funds. Payments from unrelated people do not qualify, and flows that cannot be documented can be referred to the Greek tax, police and anti-money-laundering authorities, with revocation of the permit. We accept payment only on these terms.
• Documents. The Apostille Convention entered into force for China on 7 November 2023, so mainland documents can be apostilled instead of legalised by a consulate.
• Travel and tax. Chinese citizens need a Schengen visa for the biometrics trip. China and Greece have a tax treaty. China does not recognise dual nationality.

Turkey

• Travel. Turkish citizens need a Schengen visa to travel to mainland Greece for biometrics.
• Money. Large foreign-currency transfers need documentation from your bank. Exchange-rate moves can be large, so fix the euro amount you need, including costs, before you convert.
• Tax and documents. Turkish full taxpayers are taxed on worldwide income, and Turkey and Greece have a tax treaty. Turkey is a party to the Apostille Convention.
• Read adverts carefully. Some adverts describe the Golden Visa as giving the right to work in Greece. It does not: the investor permit gives no access to employment.

Israel

• Travel. Israeli citizens can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180. The Entry/Exit System applies, and ETIAS is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026.
• Money. Israel does not cap transfers abroad by individuals in the way India or China do, but Israeli banks run their own anti-money-laundering checks and will ask about purpose and source.
• Tax and documents. Israeli residents are taxed on worldwide income and report foreign rent; Israel and Greece have a tax treaty. Israel is a party to the Apostille Convention.

Russia and Belarus: new applications suspended

Under Circular 1/2026 (Clarification 22), new applications by Russian and Belarusian nationals are suspended. The suspension covers family members' applications, investment certifications and applications to change the purpose of an existing permit. The circular does not state that renewals of existing permits are suspended. If you hold another nationality as well, ask a Greek lawyer how the suspension applies to you before you commit to anything.

Common steps for every nationality

For MVR 19, the change-of-use permitting act is still to be issued, so the application step waits for completion. The guide to buying remotely covers the earlier steps in detail.

How the €250,000 change-of-use route works

Compare the 19 residences