Greece Citizenship by Investment

Do you have plans of acquiring citizenship or permanent residency during your stay in Greece? You can acquire the Greece permanent residency by investing as low as €250,000 in real estate investment in Greece. Also, after a couple of years, if found worthy, you can acquire citizenship, through this process.

The program that enables you to gain permanent residency in Greece is known as the Greek Golden Visa. With this program, you can get a 5-years residence permit by investing as low as €250,000 in real estate investment in Greece.

The good thing about this program is that you can bring your family to this program. With the Greek Golden Visa, you can travel through the Schengen region, without using a visa. The program has helped lots of families acquire residency and even citizenship after 7 years.

In this article, I would reveal all you need to know about the Greek Golden visa; its benefits, requirements, and the process involved.

Greece Golden Visa Benefits

If you intend to relocate to Greece, using the Greece Golden Visa, then you are in for a whole lot of benefits. There are benefits accrued to the Greece Golden Visa, and they include:

The Double Taxation Treaty

With the Golden Greece Visa, your international income would no longer be subject to taxation; however, this heavily has to do with how long you have spent in Greece and your country of origin.

This implies that you can maintain your transnational business out of Greece and still enjoy the no-tax benefits. Also, there are various programs in Greece that suit the needs of foreigners. There are programs for digital drifters, retirees, and other programs that ensure the needs of foreigners cohabiting in their country are met.

If you have plans or you are already living in Greece, using the Greece Golden Visa, you can check the list of programs, to know which suits you best.

Low Investment Openings in a Favorable Real Estate Market

If you are looking for the lowest investment opening in Europe for the Golden Visa program, then, you should opt for Greece. This is because the Greek property market suffered a setback in the 2008 financial crisis and this has been so for more than a decade.

However, there is an estimation that from 2022, the Greek real estate market is expected to start gaining back lost ground.

The good thing is, for you to qualify, you have to invest as low as €250,000 in the Greek real estate market.

Freedom to Live in Greece

There is no limitation to how long you can live in Greece with your family members. There is no particular year limit, you can live in Greece as long as your permanent residence card is still renewed.

You can live in Greece for as long as you want and still enjoy the health care and high quality of living accrued to the country.

Family Reunification

The good thing about the Golden visa is that you can live in Greece with your loved ones. The program allows you to bring along your spouse and children under the age of 21. This implies that your family members can also enjoy the perks accrued to the Golden Visa card.

Also, the Golden Visa program provides Extended Family Benefits. With that, your parents and parents-in-law can get the cards without much stress.

Visa-Free Travel Using Residential Permit

You can travel across the Schengen region without a visa if you are on the Greek Golden Visa. The Schengen regions are the 26 European countries that have officially nullified visa and border control at their respective borders.

The Requirements for Greece Golden Visa Program

To qualify for the Greece Golden Visa program, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• You must be of good character.
• You must be 18 years and above.
• You must have a clean criminal record.
• You must show proof of your medical history and that of your family members.
• You must be a non-EU/EEA country citizen.

Greek Visa Application Process

There are needed steps to take that would ensure your Greek Golden Visa application is a success. Here is the required process:

Choose Your Investment Wisely

To begin with, you should make proper inquiries on the investment requirements. Then you will have to select the property you want to invest in. You can choose from all the available features, as long as the value is €250,000 and above.

Fulfill the Legal Steps

To meet the requirements of this step, you have to get a Greek Non-resident Tax member, also, you would need to open a Greek bank account. You may need to call on a lawyer; though this step is optional.

Acquire the Asset

Your lawyer has to carry out the legal due diligence of the property on your behalf. After that, you have to get the promissory sale and purchase agreement. And also ensure the implementation of public deeds.

Begin Your Application

Your next step is to begin your application process. You have to get ready all the needed documents for the Greek Golden Visa. I will recommend you hire an attorney, the process might be a bit rigorous.

Pay a Visit to Greece

This step requires that you are physically present in Greece, so you can submit all your needed biometric data to the required authorities.

Get Your Golden Visa Proposal Approved

You will be given a Golden Visa Residence Card once your application gets approved. This step would be taken by the required authorities.

Renew Your Golden Visa in Greece

Every five years, you are to renew your Golden visa residence card. This would help you get access to permanent residence. This process is very necessary to ensure your stay in the country remains seamless.

Apply for Citizenship

You can apply for citizenship in Greece, after 7 years of your stay in the country and being a regular taxpayer. If eligible, you would acquire Greek citizenship and a passport.

Required Documents

To apply for a Greek Golden Visa, there are lists of documents you would have to present. They include:

• Four new color passport-type photos
• An application fee paid and gotten through the “e-Paravolo” platform.
• Two copies of your application documents.
• An estimate of €500, for a residence permit for a duration of 5 years.
• An estimate of €16, for the printing of the various documents.
• A recognized copy of an eligible passport or a traveling document
• Insurance contracts signed in Greece.
• Approval by an insurance company for the cost of medical care.

Final Thoughts

To acquire citizenship by investment, then you have to go through the Greece Golden Visa program. After 7 years, you would be eligible for citizenship.