Greece Golden Visa: Updated Requirements and Benefits for 2026

Greece's Golden Visa has undergone significant structural reform since 2024, with the Greek Government raising investment thresholds in response to housing affordability pressures in prime urban and island markets. Despite these changes, the programme retains compelling advantages for non-EU investors seeking a foothold in the European Union.

As of 2026, the minimum qualifying real estate investment in the Attica region (Athens), Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and all island municipalities with populations above 3,100 stands at €800,000. Outside these high-demand zones, the threshold remains at €400,000. Investors purchasing properties exceeding 120 square metres qualify at a flat €400,000 minimum nationwide, providing an alternative for those targeting larger residential assets.

The five-year renewable residency permit includes the applicant, spouse, dependent children up to age 21, and parents of both spouses. After seven years of continuous legal residence and meeting language and integration criteria, holders may apply for Greek citizenship — and with it, an EU passport granting freedom of movement across all Schengen Zone member states.

Attica-based investment offers the strongest secondary market liquidity, with tourism-driven rental demand in central Athens neighbourhoods such as Koukaki, Exarcheia and Kolonaki generating short-term rental yields of 5–8% annually. The Greek property market has outperformed expectations over consecutive years, with prime residential values in Athens rising over 20% cumulatively since 2022. Innovest Capital maintains active sourcing relationships with licensed Greek developers and brokers to identify qualifying properties across the spectrum from luxury residential to mixed-use commercial.