Questions and answers: the Greek Golden Visa, Cyprus and buying property

Cyprus permanent residence is an indefinite status (no renewal required) that grants access to Non-Dom tax benefits. Greece residence permit (Golden Visa) is issued for 5 years, provides full freedom of movement within the Schengen Area, but requires renewal as long as you own real estate.

For Cyprus, this starts at €300,000 in new residential or commercial real estate. In Greece, the threshold depends on the region: in popular locations (Athens, Thessaloniki), it is €800,000; in all other areas, from €400,000. We select properties based on your budget and goals.

Yes, most of the process is carried out remotely. We conduct preliminary due diligence to eliminate the risk of rejection. Your presence will only be required at the final stage for biometric submission, which significantly saves your time.

You can include your spouse, children, and, in some cases, parents in the application. We handle the complete preparation of documents for all family members.

No. Neither program requires you to permanently reside in Cyprus or Greece to maintain status. It is an ideal “backup airfield” for business and life that is always active.

We work only with trusted developers and conduct a thorough legal audit of each property.

Currently, a three-tier system is in effect in Greece.

• 800,000 € — for popular locations: Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with a population of more than 3,100 people.
• 400,000 € — for all other regions of the country. The property area must be at least 120 m².
• 250,000 € — a preferential threshold that has been maintained only for specific properties: conversion of commercial real estate into residential or complete restoration of historical buildings.

No, this is the main advantage of the Greek program. There are no mandatory residence requirements for maintaining and extending the residence permit (which is issued for 5 years). You just need to maintain ownership rights to the property. You will need to come to the country at least once — to provide your biometric data.

The Greek program is one of the most generous in terms of family circle. One application can include:

• Spouse.
• Children under the age of 21 (under certain conditions, the status can be extended to 24 years).
• Parents on both sides (both yours and your spouse's) without the need to prove their financial dependency. This makes Greece a leader for those who want to bring the whole family (“three generations”).

Yes, but with an important limitation introduced in recent years. Investors are allowed to rent out housing for long-term rental. However, the law prohibits the use of properties purchased under the 'Golden Visa' program for short-term rentals (like Airbnb). Violating this rule may lead to the revocation of residency and a hefty fine.

Yes, but the status of an investor does not in itself shorten the path to a passport. To be eligible for citizenship, you need to:

1. Live in Greece for at least 7 years.
2. Be in the country for more than 183 days a year.
3. Pass an exam on knowledge of the Greek language, history, and culture.

Important: If you simply hold a visa but live in another country, you can endlessly renew your residency permit, but you will not be able to apply for a passport.

There is an important nuance. The "Golden Visa" grants the right to:

• Reside permanently in Greece and move freely across the Schengen Area (for up to 90 days in a six-month period).
• Access public health and education services on par with Greek citizens.
• Own a Greek business and receive dividends. However: this type of residence permit does not grant the right to work for others. You cannot be employed by a local company as a staff employee. If your goal is to work, you will need to obtain a different type of permit.

No. You need one property that reaches the threshold by itself. A portfolio of several properties is discussed in Greece's National Housing Strategy 2026–2035, but it needs separate legislation and implementing decisions, so it cannot be relied on today.

No. Short-term letting through platforms and subletting are prohibited for the property that supports the permit. A breach can lead to revocation of the permit and a €50,000 fine. Long-term letting is allowed.

At least 120 m² of main area. Storage and parking do not count towards it, but their value can count towards the investment if they are bought under the same deed in the same building.

There is no minimum stay. The permit is issued for 5 years and renewed while you own the property. It does not give citizenship automatically: naturalisation follows separate rules.

Only if it has no more than 3,100 residents and is not Mykonos or Santorini. Large islands such as Crete, Rhodes and Corfu fall under the €800,000 threshold. We check the specific island and municipality before a deal.

They are not part of Attica or the regional unit of Thessaloniki, so the €400,000 threshold applies. The property's address is still checked separately.

No. You need one property whose price reaches the threshold by itself.

The €250,000 level applies to properties converted from non-residential to residential use and to restored historic buildings. An ordinary apartment or house outside the expensive areas needs €400,000.

No. For an ordinary apartment in Attica the threshold is €800,000. The €250,000 level applies only to premises converted to residential use and to historic buildings being restored.

Before the residence permit application is filed, and after 5 April 2024. It is shown by the engineer's certificate in the prescribed form. A property that could be converted later does not qualify.

The full restoration must be complete before the first renewal of the permit after five years. Otherwise the permit is revoked and a €150,000 fine applies. The property cannot be sold until the works are done.

Not for this category. But the price of one property must still reach €250,000.

To obtain Cyprus permanent residency (Category 6.2), the minimum investment amount is €300,000 plus VAT. These funds must be invested in primary residential or commercial real estate. It is important that the payment be made from funds received from abroad.

No, the program does not require you to reside permanently. To maintain status, it is enough to visit the island just once every two years. This makes Cyprus’s program an ideal "backup plan" for those who do not plan an immediate relocation.

We provide three-tier protection:

1. Legal audit: We verify the developer and the property's clear title.
2. Due diligence check: We conduct a preliminary analysis of your case to eliminate the risk of rejection.
3. Financial oversight: We support all transactions through escrow accounts, ensuring the targeted use of funds in accordance with Cyprus law.

No. Foreigners can buy a home without a residence permit; restrictions apply only in border and military zones for citizens from outside the EU.

About 6.9%: transfer tax 3.09%, lawyer 1.5%, notary 1.5% and land registry 0.8%. A rise of the tax to 15% for non-EU buyers has been announced, but there is no law yet: law tracker.

No, the deal can be done by power of attorney. The tax number, the account, the checks and the signing are handled on the Greek side: buying remotely.

Only if the property is in a border or military zone: then a committee permit with the Defence Ministry is needed. The Attica districts on our page are not in such zones; for another place ask your lawyer to check.

Yes, but the market is mostly cash and the terms are more conservative. Sources give a loan of about 50–70% and rates of roughly 4–6.5%; the figures disagree, so get offers from several banks.

Not by itself. The Golden Visa needs a set amount and type of property: €250,000, €400,000 or €800,000. Check in the threshold finder.

Acquisition tax of 3.09%, the lawyer for the deal 1.5%, the notary 1.5% and the land registry 0.8% of the price. About 6.9% on top in all.

No: the price must reach the threshold that applies to your area and property type. The investment threshold finder shows the €250,000, €400,000 and €800,000 levels.

For new and resale properties the calculator applies a requirement of at least 120 m². Converted properties and historic buildings do not have it.

No. State duties, legal services and insurance for the family are in the residence permit calculator, and everything together is in the full cost calculator.

No. It covers only the residence permit application. Purchase taxes and fees are in the property purchase calculator, and everything together is in the full cost calculator.

For an investor of 40, a spouse of 38 and two children aged 12 and 9 it comes to about €10,500: legal services with VAT, state duties and insurance. Enter your own family and the calculator shows the exact figure for each person.

Up to 8 months from signing the deal. Your presence in Greece is not required when the application is filed; it is needed later to give biometrics.

The permit is issued for 5 years with the right of unlimited renewal.

No. The investor can be of any age. Age is only used to price the insurance.

In 2026 public data the gross yield is typically about 3–6%, depending on the district and the price per m². Small flats priced at the Golden Visa threshold give a low yield because their price per m² is above the district average. Work out your own case in the calculator above.

For individuals the scale is 15% up to €12,000, 25% to €24,000, 35% to €36,000 and 45% above (Law 5246/2025). Sources differ on the top limit: €35,000 or €36,000. The tax applies to income received in 2026 and is paid with the 2027 return.

No: short-term letting is prohibited, with a fine of up to €50,000. Long-term letting is allowed. More: short-term rental rules.

No. Capital gains tax on property sales by individuals is suspended until 31 December 2026; what comes next is unknown. Follow the law tracker.

Adverts often use the asking rent, not the lease, and leave out empty months, tax and owner costs. Here all of that is counted, and the rent rate comes from public sources and can be edited.

Three thresholds: €800,000 in Attica and the other high-demand zones, €400,000 elsewhere (at least 120 m² of main areas) and €250,000 for converted non-residential property and the restoration of a listed building. Short-term letting of the property is prohibited. Check your case in the threshold finder.

No. It is a government announcement: at the end of October 2026 there was no bill, and different dates were named (1 January and 1 July 2027). Until a law passes, deeds are taxed at 3.09%.

The suspension runs until 31 December 2026. One report writes of a plan to extend it by another year, but we found no confirmation. Ask the developer about your project.

An extension to the end of 2027 was announced at the Thessaloniki fair; we found no final act. For a Golden Visa flat short-term letting is prohibited in any case: short-term rental rules.

Monthly and on important events: each entry has a date, and the top of the page says when we last checked it.

Attica is in the zone with a €800,000 threshold for a flat of at least 120 m² of main areas; for converted non-residential property and the restoration of a listed building the threshold is €250,000. Check your case in the threshold finder.

This page covers 13 districts and Piraeus, with 50 catalog projects behind the figures. Every district has a page and a PDF guide.

It depends on the budget, the threshold and the goal: the sea, the metro, letting or quiet. A quick guide by goal is above; you can compare districts by the numbers in the price monitor.

Project positions are approximate, within about 100 metres, with no exact addresses. We give the exact location and floor plans at a consultation.

A short two-page PDF: the character of the district, transport, main points, prices and rents with sources, the Golden Visa threshold and what to check when buying. It is built from the same data as the district page.

By asking prices, the Municipality of Athens averages about €2,560/m² (Q2 2026), Vouliagmeni about €7,400/m² (Q3 2026) and Patisia about €1,700/m². The spread between districts is severalfold; see the table above.

The catalog is new projects and small flats priced to the Golden Visa threshold. Such flats cost more per m² than ordinary ones, so this is not a valuation of the district's market. More on the Athens district pages.

They are guides from public sources and from our catalog, not a valuation of your flat. Sources disagree and cover different periods, so each figure has its name and date beside it.

Monthly after the catalog update; single asking prices change when new reports come out. The edition date stands at the top of the page.

Our selection has projects in central Athens and the districts next to it, in Piraeus, on the Athens Riviera, in the west and in the north. Each part has its own page.

Yes. It depends on the area and the type of property: €250,000, €400,000 or €800,000. The investment threshold finder shows which applies to you.

About 6.9% is added to the price. The property purchase calculator works out the exact sum.