RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT STRUCTURED PROPERLY
Understanding the Greek Golden Visa through property investment, development structuring, and compliant project execution.
Information current for applications under Law 5100/2024 and subsequent clarifications, as of June 2026. This guide explains the real estate routes currently available under the Greek Golden Visa framework, with a focus on how qualifying projects must be structured, documented, and executed before being presented to investors. Always obtain written advice from a licensed Greek immigration lawyer before committing to any investment.
Who Qualifies
The Greek Golden Visa is open to non-EU / non-EEA citizens who make a qualifying real estate investment in Greece. It grants a five-year renewable residence permit to the investor and eligible family members, which may include the spouse or registered partner, dependent children within the age limits set by law, and dependent parents of both spouses, subject to the applicable legal conditions.
For the residence permit itself, there is no minimum stay requirement. Holders can live outside Greece and renew the permit every five years as long as the qualifying investment is maintained and the applicable legal requirements continue to be satisfied.
Current Thresholds
As of June 2026, under Law 5100/2024 and subsequent clarifications, Greece operates a tiered real estate regime. The minimum investment depends on the location and the nature of the property:
| Route | Min. Investment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial-to-residential conversion, or restoration of a listed building | €250,000 | Applies nationwide, with no geographic restriction. A narrow technical category. No minimum m² in most cases. The change of use must be properly permitted, completed and registered before the application. |
| Standard residential or commercial property outside the high-demand zones | €400,000 | Applies to most regions of Greece outside the Zone 1 areas listed below. Typically a single property, and minimum-size conditions may apply. |
| Standard property in Attica (incl. Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands over 3,100 residents | €800,000 | The highest-demand zones. Typically a single property with a minimum internal area, commonly cited as 120 m². Confirm the current technical detail with a lawyer. |
Legal basis: Article 64, Law 5100/2024 and Article 100, Law 5038/2023, together with subsequent ministerial decisions and circulars refining the regime through 2026. The exact list of high-demand zones, minimum sizes and qualifying conditions is defined by law and can change by government policy. Always confirm current rules with a licensed Greek immigration lawyer before proceeding.
Why Some Projects Qualify at €250,000
Not all real estate in Greece qualifies for the €250,000 Golden Visa threshold. This investment level applies only to specific categories defined under Greek legislation, where the nature of the asset—not only its price—determines eligibility. At OSEOS, qualifying €250,000 projects are structured under regulated development frameworks, typically involving: * Conversion of commercial or industrial buildings into residential use * Restoration of listed or historically protected properties * Full compliance upgrades requiring technical and legal redevelopment * Projects where value is created through transformation rather than location-based pricing In these cases, the investment threshold reflects the development process and asset transformation, not simply market value. This distinction is critical for investors, as purchasing an ineligible property—even at €250,000—does not grant eligibility for the Golden Visa. OSEOS ensures that each qualifying project is verified through legal, technical, and engineering due diligence before being offered to investors. We follow key points:
- The main spaces of the building are converted from commercial to residential use.
- The conversion is completed after 5 April 2024.
- The change of use is legally registered and completed before the Golden Visa application is submitted.
- There is no minimum m² requirement on this route.
- The property cannot be used for short-term rental through sharing economy platforms during the Golden Visa period.
Note: not every conversion qualifies at €250,000. Eligibility depends on the specific building, its permits, the registered change of use and the timing. OSEOS presents properties on this route only after the conversion documentation has been reviewed, and a licensed Greek immigration lawyer must confirm eligibility before any application is filed.
What Is Required Before Purchase
A qualifying real estate investment for the Greek Golden Visa involves a structured legal, technical, and administrative process. OSEOS coordinates this process in collaboration with licensed lawyers, engineers, notaries, and tax professionals.
- Title search and ownership chain verification at the Land Registry.
- KAEK (property identification number) confirmation.
- Permit and planning status review.
- Engineer certification confirming the conversion or building status.
- Greek tax number (AFM) registration for the buyer.
- Greek bank account opening (Optional) and fund transfer documentation.
- Preparation of the notarial sale contract.
How It Works
OSEOS acts as the central coordination point across the real estate, development, legal, technical, notarial, tax, and application-preparation process. Regulated services are provided by independently licensed professionals within their legal scope.
What You Can and Cannot Do
Under Law 5100/2024 and subsequent regulations, properties acquired under the post-2024 Golden Visa regime are subject to important use restrictions. Golden Visa properties cannot be used for short-term rental through digital or sharing-economy platforms during the relevant Golden Visa period. This restriction applies broadly to Golden Visa-linked properties and is not limited only to the €250,000 conversion route.
Violations may result in serious consequences, including administrative fines and potential residence permit revocation. Investors must obtain written legal and tax confirmation for the permitted use of their specific property.
- • Personal use by the investor and family.
- • Long-term rental under legally compliant lease agreements.
- • Professionally managed or structured rental arrangements only where independently confirmed by legal and tax advisors.
Any business use, company-address use, professional-use structure, or rental strategy should be reviewed in advance by licensed legal and tax professionals. Rental strategy should never be marketed, promised, or signed before receiving proper legal and tax confirmation.
Our Role & External Professionals
- OSEOS operates as a real estate developer and investment platform in Greece.
- We are responsible for sourcing, structuring, and developing selected real estate investment opportunities.
- We evaluate each project from a development, investment, legal, technical, and Golden Visa-readiness perspective before it is offered to investors or broker partners.
- Our focus is to prepare selected real estate assets where the property structure, permitted use, technical file, ownership file, notarial process, and investor journey are aligned from the beginning.
- We coordinate the overall investment process to ensure clarity, structure, and execution efficiency.
- Our role is to coordinate the process, prepare the project information, align the relevant professionals, and support investors and broker partners with clear project-level documentation.
- OSEOS does not act as a government authority, law firm, immigration office, tax advisor, financial advisor, or regulated investment advisor.
- Independent licensed professionals are involved in the execution of the investment process.
- These include:
- Real estate lawyers
- Notaries (συμβολαιογράφοι)
- Civil engineers
- Tax advisors
- Land registry / Cadastre authorities
- Each professional operates independently within their regulated legal scope.
- Lawyers handle legal review and transaction documentation.
- Notaries are responsible for the execution and formalization of property transfers.
- Engineers provide technical verification, permit review, change-of-use confirmation, and compliance checks where applicable.
- Tax advisors support fiscal, tax, and payment-structure matters.
- Government and administrative authorities may also be involved where required for registrations, filings, approvals, certificates, and residence permit procedures.
- OSEOS coordinates with the relevant professionals and authorities to ensure that the investment process is structured, documented, and commercially clear.
OSEOS does not provide legal, immigration, tax or financial advice. All formal advice is provided by independently licensed professionals. OSEOS coordinates the process and ensures all parties are properly briefed and aligned.