Residence Permit Types in Greece 2026: Which One Fits

Greece has one law for all residence permits, the Migration Code (Law 5038/2023), and several routes for different people: investors, remote workers, people living on their own income, employees, families and long-term residents. The permit that fits you depends on three things: whether you have capital or income, whether you intend to live in Greece, and whether you want to work there. This page puts the routes side by side so that you can narrow the choice before you talk to a lawyer.

The routes at a glance

Route	Who it is for	Main test	Validity	Work in Greece
Golden Visa	Investors in property	Property of €800,000, €400,000 or €250,000, depending on area and type	5 years, renewable	No right to work
Digital nomad	Remote workers for clients or employers abroad	About €3,500 a month of income	1 year, then renewable	Remote work for foreign clients only
Financially independent person	People living on pensions, dividends or rent	€3,500 a month, plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child	Renewable	No Greek employment
Employment	A job offer from a Greek employer	Employer sponsorship and a contract	1 to 2 years	Yes, tied to the employer
Self-employed	Freelancers and entrepreneurs	Business plan or contracts, tax registration	About 2 years	Yes
Student	Students at Greek universities	Acceptance letter, funds, insurance	An academic year, renewable	Part time only
Family reunification	Spouse, minor children, dependent parents of a legal resident	Sponsor with legal residence, income and housing	Follows the sponsor	Depends on the sponsor's permit
Spouse of a Greek citizen	Married to a Greek citizen	Recognised marriage, shared home	Renewable	Yes
Long-term EU resident	Five years of legal, continuous residence	Income, Greek language level, integration	5 years, renewable	Yes

The figures for employment, self-employed, student, family and long-term residence come from one consultancy guide dated 2 April 2026 (Savory & Partners). The Golden Visa figures come from the official government pages and from Law 5100/2024, which amended Article 100 of the Code, and the digital nomad and financially independent figures from our own guides linked in the table. The list is not exhaustive: the Code also covers seasonal work, researchers and other cases.

Routes for people who want to invest

• Standard Golden Visa. One property of at least €800,000 in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, the Mykonos and Santorini units and islands with more than 3,100 people, and €400,000 elsewhere. Built property must have at least 120 m². See the thresholds by area.
• €250,000 route. Only for a non-residential building converted to residential use, or a listed building that you restore. See the €250,000 conversion route.
• Startup route. Law 5275/2026 introduced a permit linked to investment from €250,000 in certified Greek startups through Elevate Greece: how it works.

The official fee for the investor permit is €2,000 plus €16 for the card, as stated on the government's MITOS pages for the Article 100 routes. The permit gives no right to employment.

Routes for people who live in Greece

• Digital nomad. Since Law 5275/2026 the application is made at the Greek consulate in your country of residence, not inside Greece. The sources disagree on whether the income test is before or after tax and whether a minimum stay applies.
• Financially independent person. For pensioners and people with passive income. The income must be proven for the lead applicant and rises for each family member.
• Employment and self-employment. The employer or your own business is the basis, and the permit is tied to it.
• Family and spouse. The permit follows the person you join.

What each route means for tax

A residence permit does not by itself make you a Greek tax resident. Living in Greece for more than about 183 days a year usually does, and that is where the special tax schemes enter: the 7% regime for pensioners and the 50% relief for new residents. Read does the Golden Visa make you a tax resident and the 7% pensioner regime.

How to narrow the choice

1. You have capital and do not plan to move: the Golden Visa.
2. You have steady income from abroad and want to live in Greece: the digital nomad permit if you work, the financially independent route if you do not.
3. You have a job offer in Greece: an employment permit.
4. You have a spouse or parent who is a legal resident: family reunification.
5. You have lived in Greece for five years: long-term resident status.

For the next step on the investor route, see the Golden Visa document checklist and how long it takes.

Sources: Savory & Partners, "A Guide to Greek Residence Permits in 2026" (2 April 2026); IBA, "The Greek Golden Visa after the 2024-2026 overhaul" (9 September 2026); MITOS, Golden visa pages, Article 100 of Law 5038/2023 (updated 5 November 2026); Remote Work Europe (15 February 2026). Conditions change: confirm them with the consulate or the ministry. Informational, not legal advice.