One of the most budgetary residence permits in Europe in 2-4 months. Investments from €250,000
Possibility of tax planning for a foreigner as a tax resident
New business development opportunities
Visa-free entrance and residency in Schengen Area
Social and political security
Ability to add your family members
No requirement to reside in the country
The primary requirements for a residence permit application are not too stern and are the same for investors and financially independent individuals. Actually, access the permanent residence is relatively easy. The non-EU nationals are expected to comply with the following rules to make a Golden Visa application.
It is also important to visit a country to submit biometrics to get a Greece Golden visa. And also, keep in mind that a permanent residence permit should be renewed every 5 years.
Golden Visa allows you not only to get a residence permit due to investment in Greece but also to obtain Greece citizenship and become a Greek citizen later. However, applying for Greece citizenship is possible only if you have lived in the country for 7 years.
For citizenship eligibility, there are certain criteria to be met:
With the approval of the application the investor receives:
Greece Golden Visa Program offers several investment options:
Investment in real estate
To obtain Greece residency, it is necessary to make a capital contribution to real estate property of any type, residential or commercial. The minimum real estate investment is €250,000 under the Greece Golden Visa Program. This means that the minimum value to get a Golden Visa Card where you invest exclusively in real estate is €250,000.
If you wish to keep the status, you must own a real estate object permanently. However, housing can be “changed.” Therefore, real estate investors are welcome to get permanent residence, sell one investment object, and buy another real estate property for the same amount.
If you don’t want to buy real estate property, you can sign a 10-year lease agreement with a hotel or tourist accommodation complex. The deal is valid only for hotel accommodation or furnished tourist residences in tourist accommodation complexes. It is confirmed by a 10-year lease agreement if made for furnished tourist residences in integrated tourist resorts or hotel accommodations. In this case, a minimal value to get a Greece Golden Visa remains the same €250,000. Full fee payment is made in case of a favorable decision by the Greek Immigration Service.
Note!
If you bought the property through a legal entity, you are obligated to own 100% of the company shares to get a Greece Golden Visa. The contract should cover 10 years and €250,000 in a rental amount to get a Greece residency permit. Furthermore, there is a need for a single payment.
Opening a bank deposit in a Greek bank
To get Golden Visa Residence Card, it is necessary to make a capital contribution (bank deposit) to a Greek bank account. The minimum value is €400,000.
Investment in stocks, bonds, investment funds
The last option that allows you to apply under the Greece Golden Visa Program is investing in the Greek government or corporate bonds (traded on regulated markets). The deal should happen via a Greek credit institution. The minimum value to get a Greece residence permit is €400,000.
Foreign investors can invest exclusively in shares and/or government/corporate bonds of Greek companies (which have permission to trade on regulated markets), Greek government bonds, and shares to a closed-end mutual fund. This option also includes making a capital transfer for Greek government bonds, corporate bonds, or shares in real estate investment companies to an alternative investment fund established in Greece or any other country of the European Union, which invests exclusively in immovable property in Greece. Invest €400,000 for a minimum of one year, with a standing order for renewal in a domestic credit institution established in Greece.
The table shows that the Greece Golden Visa enjoyed popularity before the pandemic. The number of applicants was growing from year to year, so this investment program was actually flourishing. For now, we see it’s recovering, partially due to the low investment threshold in a promising market.
The highest number of applicants came from: China; Turkey; Russia; Lebanon; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Ukraine; USA; Jordan
| Buying real estate | Deposit in one of Greek banks | Investment in stocks, bonds, investment funds |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment amount | From €250 000 | From €400 000 | From €400 000 |
| Investment income | Depending on the project | Total weighted average interest rate: 0.12% |
Depending on the investment object |
| Return on investment | Yes, in five years | Yes, in five years | Securities can be sold in five years |
| Holding period | Five years | Five years | Five years |
| Type of document | Main applicant | Spouse | Child | Parents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Certificate of birth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Individual tax number | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (if applicable) |
✓ |
| Four identical photos made in the last 6 months before submitting the application | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Police clearence | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Health certificate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Certificate of marriage | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ (if applicable) |
| Proof funds | ✓ | — | — | — |
Due to the Greece Golden Visa Program, non-EU citizens get visa-free travel to European countries and do not need a Schengen visa. If you want to travel to the US, you must register in ESTA, and if you are passionate about Canada or the UK — no worries, you don't need a visa at all!
SIMPLE AND CLEAR PROCESS
1
Contract signing
Free preliminary background check (due diligence) of an applicant (1 day) and contract signing in one of our offices or remotely. At this stage, it will be sufficient to provide the passport copies of all family members who will be included in the residency application.
Result of the stage: background check report + signed contract.
2
Preparation of documents
We receive Police Certificates, fill out government forms, arrange notarization, translation and apostilization of all the necessary documents, and send the package to a migration agency in Greece. You submit the original documents and sign the forms and other documents that we prepare by ourselves. At this stage, you'll be required to visit Greece to submit your biometric data.
Result of the stage: Confirmation of documents received by the government.
3
Case review
The migration agency of Greece carries out the processing of the case during the period of 4 to 7 months.
Result of the stage: Approval in principle is issued.
4
Obtaining the residence card
After paying the investment and fees, you will need to visit Greece to get your residence card. The card is issued for 2 years. To meet the requirements, you must stay in the country for at least 7 days a year. We will remind you to renew the card 6 months prior to its expiration date.
Contract signing
Free preliminary background check (due diligence) of an applicant (1 day) and contract signing in one of our offices or remotely. At this stage, it will be sufficient to provide the passport copies of all family members who will be included in the residency application.
Result of the stage: background check report + signed contract.
Preparation of documents
We receive Police Certificates, fill out government forms, arrange notarization, translation and apostilization of all the necessary documents, and send the package to a migration agency in Greece. You submit the original documents and sign the forms and other documents that we prepare by ourselves. At this stage, you'll be required to visit Greece to submit your biometric data.
Result of the stage: Confirmation of documents received by the government.
Case review
The migration agency of Greece carries out the processing of the case during the period of 4 to 7 months.
Result of the stage: Approval in principle is issued.
Obtaining the residence card
After paying the investment and fees, you will need to visit Greece to get your residence card. The card is issued for 2 years. To meet the requirements, you must stay in the country for at least 7 days a year. We will remind you to renew the card 6 months prior to its expiration date.
The price of a Greek Golden Visa starts from €250,000. However, this is the minimum investment amount, other investment options require investing at least €400,000. Anyway, this is a relatively low route to get an EU passport.
The processing time for Greece Golden Visa is 2-4 months. It should be noted that the processing time depends on many factors, like the overall number of applicants, the number of family members included in your application, chosen type of investment, etc.
Yes, Greece Golden Visa residence permit can be obtained with the help of the property purchase. This is a popular type of investment in this investment program, compared to other European countries, as with the minimum value you can get housing and a residence permit in Greece.
There are many options to get Greece Golden Visa and permanent residence in this country. This includes real estate investment, opening a deposit in a Greek bank, purchasing shares and/or bonds of Greek companies, government bonds of Greece, and buying shares in investment funds.
Financial dependence of children is confirmed by a certificate of full-time learning, and of parents by a birth certificate.
No, in this case, they do not fall under the category of dependents.
Fees to obtain a residency (for each applicant over 18) - €500;
+Health insurance (for each applicant) - at least €300;
+Fees on the sales contract - about 10% out of the full cost of a real estate object.
Holders of this type of residence permit are allowed to set up their own business in Greece.
They are not allowed to work under any type of employment.
No, the funds should be transferred only from a personal account.
Driver's license;
Individual tax number.
GDP 2021 - $181 bln.
Population 2021 - 10,37 people;
The capital is Athens;
Sectors of the economy - tourism (15% GDP), industry (10% GDP), agriculture (7% GDP);
Doing Business 2017 ranking - 67rd out of 190 in the World Bank's ranking of ease of doing business.
When investing in Greek real estate, it is important to consider the rise of prices. It is already very difficult to find a decent object for €250,000, so the price often starts from €300,000.
The market trend forces to rush, as in the future the cost will be even higher. At the same time, the costs pay off. Greece annually attracts millions of tourists who need to live somewhere. This guarantees a stable demand for real estate for rent.
Greek Golden Visa Program remains one of the most competitive investment programs in the RBI market. Greece's passport is ranked 7th (out of 106) in the 2018 passport rating regarding freedom of movement, which continues to attract investors who want visa-free access to multiple destinations.
For those who want to get a Greece residence permit, there are several investment options, including the one with investing in a real estate investment company that invests exclusively in immovable property in Greece. As for the other options, Golden Visa Program requires capital contribution in real estate, stocks, bonds, and investment funds.
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