Greece Residence Visas and Permanent Residency Requirements [2026]: FIP, Digital Nomad and Golden Visa Compared

October 19, 2026

Taiga Sato

The residence visas available for moving to Greece fall into three main types: the FIP (Financially Independent Person) visa for people living on a pension or passive income, the Digital Nomad visa for people who keep working for companies outside Greece, and the Golden Visa, which removes the physical-stay requirement in exchange for an investment. Both the FIP and the Digital Nomad visa require an income of at least EUR 3,500 per month; the differences are whether that income is passive or earned from work, and whether you actually live in Greece. Meanwhile, "permanent residence" in Greece refers to two completely different things, and this is where most misunderstandings arise. The Golden Visa's official name is "Investor Permanent Residence Permit", but it is an investor residence status renewed every five years and is not the same as EU long-term resident status, which is recognised across the EU. This article sets out the requirements and costs of the three visas, the number of years to permanent residence and citizenship, the tax incentives, and the application steps from Japan, based on information published by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum and other sources.

*Amounts and rules are as of September 16, 2026. This article is an English version of our Japanese guide, adapted for foreign residents of Japan and international investors.

*This article is a general explanation based on information published as of September 16, 2026 (Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the 2023 Migration Code Law 5038/2023, Law 5162/2024 promulgated in December 2024, Articles 5A, 5B and 5C of the Greek Income Tax Code, and commentary by local law firms). Income thresholds and fees may be revised, and the documents required differ from consulate to consulate. Please check with a professional before applying regarding your individual eligibility or tax position.

Our articles on moving to Greece

Greece Golden Visa requirements and costs: the differences between the EUR 800,000, 400,000 and 250,000 investment tiers

Contents

Conclusion: the three main visas for moving to Greece
Requirements common to all visas, and the documents you will always need
FIP visa: for people living on a pension or passive income (EUR 3,500 per month)
Digital Nomad visa: for people who keep their work outside Greece
Golden Visa: for people who want to avoid a physical-stay requirement through investment
Permanent residence: the "Investor Permanent Residence Permit" and EU long-term resident status are different things
Tax incentives: 7% for pensioners, a flat tax for high-net-worth investors, and a 50% exemption for new residents
Cost of living and drawbacks after the move: rent, wages and processing delays
Application steps and required documents from Japan
Frequently asked questions
Summary: FIP or Digital Nomad if you will live there, the Golden Visa if you only want the right

Conclusion: the three main visas for moving to Greece

First, here are the three options side by side. For all of them, the basic flow is the same: you obtain a national long-stay visa (D visa) at the Greek Embassy or Consulate in Japan, and after entering Greece you switch to a residence permit inside the country.

Comparison of the main Greek residence visas (as of September 16, 2026)
Visa	Who it suits and main requirements	Physical-stay requirement	Permit duration
FIP (Financially Independent Person)	People living on passive income such as a pension, rent or dividends. At least EUR 3,500 per month, or savings of at least EUR 126,000	At least 183 days a year	3 years (renewable)
Digital Nomad	People continuing to work for a company outside Greece or earning freelance income. At least EUR 3,500 per month net	The visa is possible even with fewer than 183 days a year; the residence permit assumes you live in Greece	1-year visa, then a 2-year residence permit
Golden Visa	People who want residence status through investment. Real estate of EUR 800,000 / EUR 400,000 / EUR 250,000 (depending on the region and type of property)	None	5 years (renewable)

The FIP and the Digital Nomad visa share the same income requirement of EUR 3,500 per month, but what counts as income differs. The FIP accepts only money that comes in without working, and employment or business activity in Greece is prohibited. The Digital Nomad visa accepts income from work, but you cannot sign a contract with a Greek company or run a business inside Greece. What both have in common is that the money must come from outside Greece.

Of the three, the Golden Visa is the best known in Japan. That is because it has no physical-stay requirement and can be maintained while you continue to live in Japan. Investment amounts and procedures are explained in detail in Greece Golden Visa requirements and costs. This article is aimed at readers who are actually considering living in Greece, and focuses on the other visas and on the requirements for permanent residence.

Requirements common to all visas, and the documents you will always need

For every visa, the following requirements apply in addition to the income or investment conditions.

Requirements common to all visas
Item	Details
Criminal record certificate	Police clearance certificate (in Japan, issued free of charge by the prefectural police headquarters, with English)
Health insurance	Medical insurance valid in Greece, from around EUR 700 per year
Accommodation	A lease agreement or property title deed
Medical certificate	A doctor's certificate in the prescribed format covering infectious diseases and similar matters
Application route	Obtain a national long-stay visa (D visa) at the Greek Embassy or Consulate in Japan, then apply for a residence permit after entering Greece
Document legalisation	Japanese documents generally need an apostille (certification by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) plus a Greek translation

Japanese documents need an apostille because Greece is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents such as a family register (koseki) transcript and certificates of address or income are apostilled at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then accompanied by a translation into Greek (or another language accepted by the consulate). Our office handles obtaining apostilles, translations and certifications on your behalf (in Japanese) and requesting koseki transcripts from overseas (in Japanese).

Note that, under the Schengen rules, Japanese passport holders can stay without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; if you hold another passport, check the rules that apply to you. If stays of up to three months a year are enough, you do not need any of these visas. A long-stay visa becomes necessary when you want to live there for more than 90 days, or want to hold a bank account and tax number as a resident.

FIP visa: for people living on a pension or passive income (EUR 3,500 per month)

The FIP (Financially Independent Person) visa is a residence status for people who live in Greece without working, on income that comes from abroad. It is the route most often used for moving after retirement and is sometimes described as a "retirement visa".

FIP visa requirements
Item	Requirement
Income	At least EUR 3,500 per month (EUR 42,000 per year). It must be passive income such as a pension, rent, dividends or investment returns
Family supplements	+20% for a spouse (EUR 4,200 per month) and +15% for each child (EUR 4,830 per month for a spouse plus one child). Each supplement is added on top of the previous amount
Savings alternative	Savings of at least EUR 126,000 (three years' worth) are accepted instead of income
Employment and business	Not permitted. Neither employment nor business activity in Greece is allowed
Physical-stay requirement	At least 183 days a year, checked at each renewal
Permit duration	3 years, renewable every 3 years as long as the requirements are met
Processing time	Around four months in total from application to grant

The point to watch is the physical-stay requirement. Unlike the Golden Visa, the FIP is designed on the assumption that you actually live in Greece, and requires at least 183 days a year in the country. That is also the number of days that makes you a Greek tax resident. You cannot use it to hold Greek residence status while keeping your life based in Japan.

As for costs, the embassy fee for the D visa is EUR 180 per person, the residence permit application fee is EUR 1,000 for the main applicant plus EUR 150 per family member, and issuing the residence card costs EUR 16 per person. On top of this come medical insurance (from around EUR 700 per year), document translation and apostilles, and fees for a local lawyer if you use one.

Digital Nomad visa: for people who keep their work outside Greece

This scheme was created by a 2021 law (Law 4825/2021) for people who live in Greece while earning income from employers or clients outside Greece. The biggest difference from the FIP is that income from work can satisfy the requirement.

Digital Nomad visa requirements
Item	Requirement
Income	At least EUR 3,500 per month net. It is assessed on take-home pay, not gross pay
Family supplements	As with the FIP, +20% for a spouse (EUR 4,200 per month) and +15% for one child (EUR 4,830 per month)
Type of work	An employment contract with a company outside Greece, or freelance work for clients outside Greece
Prohibited	Being employed by a Greek company, or running a business or providing services within Greece
Duration	First a 1-year visa, which can then be switched to a 2-year residence permit
Fees	Visa application fee of EUR 75. Actual costs including translation, legalisation and insurance are roughly EUR 300 to EUR 800
Processing time	About 2 to 4 weeks

Be careful with the tax treatment. If you stay in Greece for more than 183 days a year, you become a Greek tax resident, and in principle your worldwide income becomes taxable. However, under Article 5C (see below), people who newly become Greek tax residents can have 50% of their employment or business income exempted for seven years, and this incentive can also apply to digital nomads. Please consult a tax adviser before you move, including on how the tax treaty with Japan applies.

Golden Visa: for people who want to avoid a physical-stay requirement through investment

This scheme grants residence status without a physical-stay requirement in exchange for investing at least a set amount in real estate or other assets. From 2024 onwards, the investment thresholds were raised by region.

Golden Visa investment amounts (as of September 2026)
Investment amount	Applies to
EUR 800,000	Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants. Homes must be at least 120 square metres
EUR 400,000	All other areas. Homes must be at least 120 square metres
EUR 250,000	Conversion of commercial property to residential use, or restoration of a listed historic building. No minimum floor area

Separately from the Golden Visa, Law 5162/2024, promulgated on December 5, 2024, created a residence permit for "start-up investors" (Article 100A of the 2023 Migration Code). The conditions are an investment of EUR 250,000 in a start-up registered with Elevate Greece, a shareholding of no more than 33% of the capital and voting rights, and the creation of two jobs in the first year, maintained for five years. However, unlike the five-year Golden Visa permit, it is granted for one year at first and then renewed every two years. Note that it is not a scheme that "buys five years of EU residence for EUR 250,000".

In exchange for having no physical-stay requirement, there are restrictions. Golden Visa properties may not be let out as short-term rentals (holiday lets); violations can lead to a fine of EUR 50,000 and revocation of the residence permit. The threshold must also be met with a single property; multiple properties cannot be combined.

Details of each investment route, the required documents, obtaining the visa for three generations of a family, and maintenance costs are covered in Greece Golden Visa requirements and costs. For a comparison with other countries, see What is a golden visa (comparison by country).

Permanent residence: the "Investor Permanent Residence Permit" and EU long-term resident status are different things

When you search for "Greek permanent residence", two entirely different statuses are described with the same words. If you do not separate them, you will miscalculate the number of years involved.

The two Greek statuses with "permanent" or "long-term" in their names
Item	Investor Permanent Residence Permit (Golden Visa)	EU long-term resident status
Official name	Μόνιμη Άδεια Διαμονής Επενδυτή (Investor Permanent Residence Permit)	Καθεστώς επί μακρόν διαμένοντος (EU long-term resident)
Requirements	Maintaining an investment at or above the threshold	Five years of lawful, continuous residence plus income, health insurance and Greek at B1 level
Physical-stay requirement	None	You must actually live in Greece (absences of less than six months at a time and no more than ten months in total over five years)
Duration	Renewed every five years; lapses if you dispose of the investment	Renewed every five years, but the requirements are not re-examined at renewal
Validity within the EU	A status valid in Greece	A status recognised across the EU (helpful for moving to other EU member states)
Legal basis	Law 4251/2014, Article 20B (according to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum's guidance)	2023 Migration Code (Law 5038/2023), Article 144

Although the Golden Visa is called a "permanent residence permit", it is a residence status that can be renewed every five years as long as you keep the investment, and it is separate from EU long-term resident status. If you are misled by the name into thinking that you get permanent residence after five years, the rest of your calculations will be off.

Requirements for EU long-term resident status (permanent residence in substance)

This is the status that can generally be called permanent residence. Under Article 144 of the 2023 Migration Code, you can apply if you meet all of the following.

You have lived in Greece lawfully and continuously for five years (each absence shorter than six months, and no more than ten months in total over the five years)
A stable income at least equivalent to the minimum wage (plus 10% for each dependent family member), without relying on social assistance
Medical insurance covering you and your family
Proof of Greek at B1 level or higher, or meeting an equivalent requirement such as a graduation certificate from a Greek school

Time spent as a student counts only as half. Also, even if you hold residence status through the Golden Visa, the five years are not satisfied unless you actually live in Greece. Having no physical-stay requirement is an advantage for keeping the status, but in practice, if you are aiming for permanent residence or citizenship, you will ultimately need to live there.

Seven years to citizenship (naturalisation)

Applying for Greek citizenship generally requires seven years of lawful residence. In addition, you need Greek at B1 level and must pass the naturalisation exam (ΠΕΓΠ), which covers Greek history, geography and political institutions. Years spent on the Golden Visa count as lawful residence, but again only on the assumption that you actually lived there.

For Japanese nationals: acquiring another nationality automatically causes the loss of Japanese nationality (Nationality Act, Article 11(1)). This is explained in residence status after losing Japanese nationality. If you want to start from the differences between permanent residence, citizenship, visas and tax residence, read the differences between permanent residence, citizenship, visas and tax residence.

Tax incentives: 7% for pensioners, a flat tax for high-net-worth investors, and a 50% exemption for new residents

One reason Greece is chosen as a destination is its three incentive regimes for people who newly become tax residents. They are known by their article numbers in the Income Tax Code: Articles 5A, 5B and 5C.

Greece's three special tax regimes (as of September 2026)
Regime	What it offers	Main conditions	Duration
Pensioners (Article 5B)	A flat 7% on all foreign-source income	Not a Greek tax resident in five of the previous six years; moving from a country that has an administrative cooperation agreement with Greece	15 years
High-net-worth investors (Article 5A, non-dom)	A flat EUR 100,000 per year regardless of the amount of foreign income, plus EUR 20,000 per year for each family member	Not a Greek tax resident in seven of the previous eight years; investing at least EUR 500,000 within three years	15 years
Employment and business (Article 5C)	50% of employment or business income exempt from tax	Not a Greek tax resident in five of the previous six years; moving from the EU/EEA or a country with administrative cooperation; intention to stay in Greece for at least two years	7 years

For pensioners, the impact of Article 5B is significant: foreign pensions, dividends and rental income can all be taxed at 7%. On the other hand, all of these regimes apply only once you become a Greek tax resident. Simply holding Greek residence status is not enough.

You also need to check the position on the Japanese side. Japanese taxation is not determined by the number of days spent in Japan alone; it depends on where your centre of life is. In addition, people holding securities and similar assets worth JPY 100 million or more are subject to exit tax (taxation on departure from Japan) when they become non-residents of Japan. See tax and resident registration procedures when moving abroad and exit tax and the JPY 600 million and JPY 3 billion thresholds for details.

Cost of living and drawbacks after the move: rent, wages and processing delays

Even once you meet the visa requirements, some aspects of daily life after moving tend to differ from expectations. Here are the points worth checking before you move, in figures.

Points to watch when moving to Greece (as of October 2026)
Item	Current situation	How to prepare
Rent	Asking rents in central Athens are EUR 11.8 per square metre (April to June 2026, Spitogatos), so about EUR 708 per month for 60 square metres. In the Cyclades, EUR 14.4 per square metre	At the FIP threshold of EUR 3,500 per month, rent is affordable. Islands and tourist areas are more expensive than the cities
Local wages	The minimum wage is EUR 920 per month (from April 2026). Average full-time pay in the private sector is EUR 1,516 per month (2025, ERGANI)	Rather than looking for a local job, move with a pension, passive income or remote income from abroad
Processing delays	Pending Golden Visa applications stood at 29,273 at the end of July 2026 (including family members). This is almost half the more than 50,000 at the start of 2025, but waiting times continue	Prepare complete documents from the outset and allow plenty of time for the residence permit to be issued
Summer heat and wildfires	In July 2025, heatwaves above 40°C continued and wildfires broke out in many areas	Choose a property with air conditioning and avoid areas close to forests
Language and few Japanese residents	The official language is Greek. There are 647 Japanese nationals living in Greece (Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as of October 1, 2025)	Greek is often needed at government offices, for rentals and for medical care, so arrange a local lawyer or interpreter

Rent is the main component of living costs. Asking rents in Attica (the Athens area) have risen 4.5% year on year (Spitogatos, April to June 2026). On the other hand, for people living on a pension, Greece has the advantage of a regime that taxes foreign pensions at a flat 7% (see the tax incentives section above), which helps keep the tax burden down. For conditions in Portugal, another southern European destination, see the drawbacks of moving to Portugal and why people regret it.

Application steps and required documents from Japan

For the FIP and the Digital Nomad visa, you obtain a national long-stay visa (D visa) at the Greek Embassy or Consulate in Japan, enter Greece, and then switch to a residence permit within Greece. For the Golden Visa, you apply after completing the investment.

From application to residence permit (FIP and Digital Nomad)
Stage	Details	Where
1. Prepare documents	Criminal record certificate, proof of income, bank balance certificate, health insurance, proof of accommodation, medical certificate. Japanese-language documents need an apostille plus a Greek translation	Japan
2. Apply for the D visa	Book an appointment and apply at the Greek Embassy or Consulate. The fee is EUR 180 per person	Japan
3. Enter Greece	Enter on the D visa and secure accommodation	Greece
4. Apply for the residence permit	Apply at the Aliens and Migration office and register biometric data. EUR 1,000 for the main applicant plus EUR 150 per family member	Greece
5. Receive the residence card	After review, the residence card is issued. The issuing fee is EUR 16 per person	Greece

Among the documents prepared in Japan, the criminal record certificate (police clearance certificate) is issued free of charge by the prefectural police headquarters for your address and includes English, so translation is often unnecessary; however, a Greek translation may be requested. Documents such as a koseki transcript (for Japanese nationals) and a bank balance certificate are apostilled at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then accompanied by a translation. Because documents have validity periods (often three to six months) and practice varies between consulates, obtain the list of required documents when you book your appointment and check it.

Frequently asked questions

How many years does it take to get permanent residence in Greece?

EU long-term resident status, which is permanent residence in substance, requires five years of lawful, continuous residence, plus a stable income, medical insurance and proof of Greek at B1 level or higher. The Golden Visa's official name is "Investor Permanent Residence Permit", but it is a residence status renewed every five years as long as you keep the investment, and it is different from EU long-term resident status.

Does holding a Golden Visa for five years give me permanent residence?

No. EU long-term resident status requires that you actually lived in Greece, with each absence shorter than six months and no more than ten months in total over five years. If you did not live in Greece because there was no physical-stay requirement, you will not meet the conditions even after five years.

Which is better, the FIP visa or the Digital Nomad visa?

Both have the same income requirement of EUR 3,500 per month. If your income comes in without working, such as a pension or dividends, it is the FIP; if you continue working for a company outside Greece, it is the Digital Nomad visa. The FIP requires at least 183 days a year in Greece and allows no work at all, while the Digital Nomad visa allows you to work but not for a Greek company or for business inside Greece.

Can I keep Greek residence status while living in Japan?

Yes, with the Golden Visa. Because it has no physical-stay requirement, you can keep it while your life remains based in Japan. The FIP requires at least 183 days a year in Greece, so living between Japan and Greece is not possible with it.

At what stage do I need Greek?

Greek is not required to obtain a visa or residence permit. It becomes necessary when applying for EU long-term resident status (B1 or higher) and for citizenship (B1 plus the naturalisation exam). Starting to learn after you move is still in time, but B1 is above everyday conversation level, so if you want it within five years, starting early is realistic.

Can my family obtain it with me?

Yes. A spouse and minor children can apply at the same time, and the income requirement increases by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child. With the Golden Visa, the investment amount stays the same while the spouse, children and both sets of parents can be included, so the larger the family, the more advantageous it is.

Summary: FIP or Digital Nomad if you will live there, the Golden Visa if you only want the right

Choose a Greek visa according to the type of income you have and whether you will actually live there. If you will live on a pension or passive income, it is the FIP (EUR 3,500 per month and at least 183 days a year in Greece); if you will continue working for clients or employers outside Greece, it is the Digital Nomad visa (EUR 3,500 per month net); and if you want to hold the status while living in Japan, it is the Golden Visa (EUR 250,000 to 800,000, no physical-stay requirement). EU long-term resident status, the equivalent of permanent residence, requires five years of actual residence and Greek at B1 level, while citizenship requires seven years and the naturalisation exam; both are different from the Golden Visa's "Investor Permanent Residence Permit". The tax incentives are attractive, but all of them apply only once you become a Greek tax resident.

How Greece compares with other countries

Greece stands out for offering an investment route through a tangible asset, real estate, and for its 7% tax for pensioners. On the other hand, both EU long-term resident status and citizenship count only the years you actually lived in Greece. This is a major difference from Portugal. Portugal's Golden Visa has a short physical-stay requirement of 7 days in the first year and 14 days in each following two-year period, and those years count directly towards permanent residence after five years. However, the period for citizenship was extended to 10 years by a legal amendment in May 2026, making it longer than Greece's 7 years. Income thresholds are also much lower in Portugal: EUR 920 per month for the D7, compared with EUR 3,500 per month for Greece's FIP. For details, see Portugal residence visa types and requirements. Minimum costs by country are listed in investment amounts and application fees by country.

Our office offers consultations comparing residence visas, permanent residence and citizenship in countries including Greece, and handles apostilles, translations and koseki requests for the Japanese documents needed for applications. If you would like to work out which visa is available to you based on your income and family situation, please use our free consultation. We never use pushy sales tactics. We can assist in English and Japanese.