What it costs, past the headline number.

Main applicant€2,000

Flat e-paravolo for the main applicant, payable at initial grant and again at each five-year renewal. It is not annual and it does not cover family members.

Law 5038/2023 art. 171(1)(γ), fee code 2112

Adult family member€150

Per adult family member, on a category-O family reunification permit.

Law 5038/2023 art. 171, fee code 2107

Child under 18Exempt

Children under 18 are exempt from the paravolo entirely. They still pay the card fee.

Law 5038/2023 art. 171(2)(γ)

Residence card€16

Per residence card issued, for everyone including minors.

Law 5038/2023 art. 176(13), fee code 2119

Child turning 21€450

When a dependent child turns 21 and converts to an autonomous three-year permit.

Law 5038/2023 art. 171(1)(β)

These figures are exact and taken from the gazette text of Law 5038/2023 article 171. They are not estimates.

Property transfer tax3.09%

3% transfer tax plus a municipal surcharge of 3% of that tax. Charged on the higher of the contract price or the property's objective value, which can be the larger of the two.

Law 1587/1950 as amended; municipal surcharge under Law 1080/1980

Notary0.8 to 1.5% plus VAT

The notarial deed is mandatory. The fee runs on a regressive statutory scale, so the percentage falls as the value rises, and it is not negotiable in substance.

Notarial fee schedule (JMD 111376/2011)

Land registry or cadastre0.50%

Registration of the transfer. Roughly 0.5%, varying slightly between land registry and cadastre offices.

Cadastre and Land Registry fee schedule

Legal fees1.0 to 2.0% plus VAT

Title search, due diligence and the purchase contract. Legal representation stopped being compulsory in 2014, but on a Golden Visa purchase it is the work that decides whether the property qualifies at all.

Agreed with counsel; Code of Lawyers (Law 4194/2013) sets minimums

Estate agent2.0 to 3.0% plus VAT

Charged to the buyer in Greece, which surprises people from markets where the seller pays. Avoidable on a direct purchase.

Market rate; agent registration required under Law 4072/2012

This catches buyers who budget from the asking price alone. Your lawyer establishes the objective value before you commit, and it is one of the checks worth doing before an offer rather than after.

Incorrect: “The €2,000 government fee is charged per year.”

It is a flat fee paid once at grant and once at each five-year renewal, not annually.

Incorrect: “The €2,000 covers your whole family.”

It covers the main applicant only. Adult family members pay €150 each, and every person including children pays a €16 card fee.

Incorrect: “Children pay €150 like everyone else.”

Children under 18 are exempt from the paravolo altogether. They still pay the €16 card fee.

Incorrect: “Transfer tax is 6% because of the municipal surcharge.”

The surcharge is 3% of the tax, not a second 3% of the price. The effective rate is about 3.09%.

Incorrect: “New-build purchases carry 24% VAT.”

VAT on new builds has been suspended since 2020 and the suspension currently runs to the end of 2026. Where VAT does apply, transfer tax does not.

How much does the Greek Golden Visa cost on top of the investment?

Budget roughly 6% to 8% of the purchase price on a direct purchase, or 8% to 12% if you buy through an agent, plus €2,016 in government fees for a single applicant. Transfer tax alone is about 3.09%.

Is the €2,000 government fee annual?

No. It is a flat fee paid once when the permit is granted and again at each five-year renewal. It covers the main applicant only.

What do family members cost?

Adult family members pay €150 each. Children under 18 are exempt from that fee entirely. Everyone, including children, pays a €16 residence card fee.

Do I pay VAT on the property?

Usually not. VAT on new builds has been suspended since 2020 and the suspension currently runs to the end of 2026. Where VAT does apply, transfer tax is not charged on the same transaction.