What actually changed, and when.
A dated log of changes to the Greek Golden Visa, each cited to the instrument that made it. Where published guides overstate what a law did, that is noted rather than repeated.
- Changes what investors pay or do
Capital gains tax on property sales remains suspended
Capital gains tax on individual transfers of Greek real estate is suspended through 31 December 2026. Without the suspension a flat 15% would apply.
- This matters on exit rather than entry, but it changes the arithmetic of a five-year hold.
- The suspension has been extended repeatedly since 2014 and could lapse. Anyone modelling a sale after 2026 should assume it might not be extended again.
Law 4172/2013 art. 41, suspension extended by Law 5162/2024 art. 90
- Changes what investors pay or do
VAT on new-build sales remains suspended
VAT at 24% on the sale of new buildings has been suspended since 2020, with the suspension currently running to the end of 2026. Where VAT applies, transfer tax is not charged on the same transaction.
- In practice this means most purchases carry transfer tax at about 3.09% rather than VAT at 24%, which is a very large difference on an €800,000 property.
- It is a temporary measure that has been renewed rather than made permanent.
VAT Code (Law 2859/2000) art. 6, suspension renewed by successive finance acts
Law 5275/2026 amends the Immigration Code
Law 5275/2026 (FEK A' 17) took effect on 6 February 2026, consolidating the Immigration Code and transposing EU Directive 2024/1233 on the single application procedure for combined residence and work permits.
- The single-permit regime it introduces sits in article 81A and applies to combined residence and work permits. It is not the investor route.
- Several provisions depend on implementing ministerial decisions, so parts of the law were not operative on the day it was published.
- For digital nomads it did change the route materially: the permit can no longer be obtained from inside Greece, and a national long-stay visa must be issued by a consulate abroad first.
Law 5275/2026 (FEK A' 17, 6 February 2026), amending Law 5038/2023
- Changes what investors pay or do
Real-estate thresholds repriced and the short-let ban introduced
From 1 September 2024, Law 5100/2024 raised the property thresholds to €800,000 in high-demand zones and €400,000 elsewhere, limited €250,000 to conversions and listed-building restorations, and prohibited short-term letting of the qualifying property.
- High-demand zones are Attica, the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Thira and any island with a population over 3,100, which brings Crete, Corfu and Rhodes into the €800,000 band.
- Standard purchases must be a single property of at least 120 m² of main areas. That minimum does not apply to the €250,000 conversion route.
- Short-term letting or subleasing the qualifying property means revocation of the permit and a €50,000 fine.
Law 5100/2024 (FEK A' 49) art. 64, replacing art. 100 of the Migration Code (Law 5038/2023)
How long does it actually take?
The statutory deadline is two months from the date a complete file reaches the authority, but that is the deadline rather than the observed timeline. Six to nine months is realistic, and Attica runs to twelve to sixteen months or more.
- Well-prepared file, uncongested office
- 4 to 6 months
- Average
- 6 to 9 months
- Attica and backlogged offices
- 12 to 16 months or more
42,390 applications pending as at November 2025. The blue submission certificate is lawful residence until the decision issues. It does not confer Schengen travel.
Statutory deadline: Law 5038/2023 art. 100 par. 10. The realistic spread is observed practice and moves with office backlogs.
Commonly misreported
- Incorrect: “The Golden Visa is issued in two months.”
- Two months is the statutory deadline from a complete file, not the observed timeline. Six to nine months is a more realistic expectation, and Attica runs longer.
- Incorrect: “The blue submission certificate is valid for a year.”
- It is valid until the decision issues. The one-year figure is stale practice from the previous immigration code.
- Incorrect: “You can travel in Schengen while your application is pending.”
- The submission certificate confers lawful residence in Greece only. It does not confer Schengen travel rights.
Common questions
What people ask when they have read one guide and want to know whether it is current.
- Did Law 5275/2026 change the Greek Golden Visa?
- Not materially for investors. It transposed EU Directive 2024/1233 and introduced a single application procedure for combined residence and work permits under article 81A. The investor permit's statutory two-month decision period under article 100 paragraph 10 is unchanged.
- How long does the Greek Golden Visa actually take?
- The statutory deadline is two months from a complete file, but six to nine months is a realistic expectation and Attica runs to twelve to sixteen months or more. There were 42,390 applications pending as at November 2025.
- When did the €800,000 threshold start?
- 1 September 2024, under Law 5100/2024. The 31 August 2024 date quoted in some guides was the deadline for the transition deposit under the grandfathering provisions, not the date the tiers began.
How this page is maintained
Every entry cites the instrument that made the change. Nothing is listed on the strength of a press report alone. Where a published guide states something the gazette text does not support, the discrepancy is recorded as a correction rather than quietly resolved in our favour.
Not yet reviewed by a Greek-qualified lawyer. Last checked 2026-08-08. General information about Greek law, not advice on your circumstances.
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