THE GREEK PERMANENT RESIDENCY
Who is Eligible:
Any nationality (Non-EU citizen) who can invest a minimum value of €250,000 (excl. taxes) in Greek properties, the applicant’s family members, spouse, children (under 24 years old of age, unmarried, common children and those who have adopted and children of the sponsor or the other spouse, including adopted children, if one has been entrusted with the exercise of parental responsibility) and parents of the applicant and spouse. The above-mentioned amount can also be separated into several real properties.
You have the right to purchase the same property with another individual provided that each person contributes from €250,000 minimum, hence the price of the property must be at least €500,000.
Permit Duration:
Once the Title Deed is provided, the actual permit can be obtained in less than 30 days for a property located in Crete and approx. 30-60 days for properties located in Athens and elsewhere.
The Greek PR is FOR LIFE provided that the property remains at the possession of the applicant. The only obligation is to present and register the property’s actual Title Deed and submitting bio metrics data once every five years at the land registry.
Required Documents:
- Application (PR) form.
- Three recent color photos (Electronic photographs passport size) and fingerprints submitted in person to the local administration.
- Exact copy of a valid passport (all pages) including the entry visa inside.
- Copy of the Purchase Contract (with a minimum value of €250.000) and the registration of Title Deed from the ‘Registry of Mortgage’.
- Medical Insurance covering the costs of hospitalization and medical care from a Greek Insurance company or International.
- Certificate of a clear criminal record and of being under no investigation for criminal offenses attested by the related authorities of country of residence.
- Living address Certificate
- Utility Bills
- Three-year proof of income
- Proof of Employment
- Proof of Ownership of a Firm (if any)
- Tax Number
- Bank Statement
Family Members required documents:
- Family Certificate from country of origin translated and certified.
- Marriage Certificate (official and certified translation)
- Children’s Birth Certificates (official and certified translation), provided that children are under the age of 24 years.
GOLDEN VISA BENEFITS
Actual Transaction:
The required amount is transferred to the (newly opened) Greek bank account and the appointed lawyer proceeds with the process of the purchase. The Golden Visa application can be submitted only when the entire purchase amount of a minimum €250,000 is transferred.
Submission of the PR application:
The submission of application is filed at the ‘Authorized Administration where the Property is located and shall be signed by the Applicant on the day of submission. At the same time, the bio metrics data must be provided by the applicant. Provided that all the documents are valid, a certificate (‘blue card’) of filing the application is issued on the same day. The residency permit is then granted within the specified period.
In short, the applicant obtains the Greek Blue Certificate which allows him to travel to Greece for the period of the Golden Visa issuance. During this time, the applicant and family members can travel to Greece for the purpose of the Golden Visa application.
GOLDEN VISA BENEFITS
- Public schools in Greece are free and you have the same rights to the public medical care as Greek people.
- Possessor of a Private Health Insurance Certificate.
- Greek Permanent Residency Permit (PR) is also a Schengen Visa hence, you have a travel access within this zone and may travel to countries without having to go through Greece.
- There is no minimum stay requirement, nor any minimum savings account needed.
- The investor may sell the property and transfer it to another non-EU National who in turn will also be eligible for PR.
- Permit can be issued between 30 days and up to 4 months from the date of the submission.
- No need to reside in the country in order to finalise the Permit’s process.
- No income tax is applicable on the income derived from outside Greece.
- Parents of the investor and his/her spouse are eligible to the Permit.
THE RIGHT TO OBTAIN CITIZENSHIP
- The PR holders who have been residing in Greece for 7 consecutive years (180 days in each year)
- A child born in Greece that has enrolled and is attending the A’ grade of elementary school.
- A child whose one of the parents has completed a continuous stay in Greece for 5 consecutive years prior to the child’s birth.
- Unmarried child and minor whose parents have acquired Greek citizenship.
- Children living in Greece and have successfully completed nine classes (6 in elementary school and 3 in High School) or 6 classes of secondary education
- Transferring Primary PR to the children
- Once the child is 24 years old, the parents can donate the property to the child. This way the child becomes the primary PR holder and the parents can maintain their PR under the provision of the law for parents.