Greece offers its residents and citizens a modern and high-quality lifestyle including social cover, free medical access, free and excellent education system.
Launched in 2013, Greece Investment Residence Permit Program (Greece GIRPP) grants the applicant a five-year Residence Permit for applicants making a significant contribution in Greece. There are several investment options to obtain the residence permit in Greece, but the most common route is through purchasing real estate worth at least ?250,000 in Greece. The applicant's family members that can also benefit from the Residence Permit include the spouse and children who are under 21 years old (including adopted children) as well as the parents of both the main applicant and the main applicant's spouse. However, please note that this type of Residence Permit does not provide access to the labor market in Greece.
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply for the Greece GIRPP, the applicant must be a non-EU citizen who is over 18 years old and in good health. The applicant must have medical insurance and make a qualifying real-estate investment which must be held for the entire duration of the Residence Permit. The minimum legal requirement is ?250,000 in properties located in various areas around Greece. The applicant and the family members included in the application must visit Greece for taking biometrics at the same time as submission or prior to issuance of the Residence Permit. There are no language and physical residency requirements to qualify for the Greece GIRPP.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
In order to obtain a Greece Residence Permit, the applicant will first have to apply for a Schengen visa (type C) or a Greek national visa (type D) in order to enter Greece, purchase the property and sign a power of attorney (POA) in Greece. The application can only be submitted after the property has been purchased. On submission of the application, the Blue Paper (Temporary Residence Permit) which is valid for 1 year shall be issued. The applicant and the dependents included in the application must visit Greece once to submit their biometrics on or after the filing of the Residence Permit application. The approval of the Residence Permit is typically granted within 2 months.
The Greece Residence Permit can be renewed as long as the applicant can prove that the investment has been maintained. However, please note that dependent children included in the application and aged between 21 and 24 years old must renew their Residence Permit annually. If they want to keep their Residence Permit after becoming 24 years old, they must make their own investment.
GREECE RESIDENCE PERMIT BENEFITS:
- Right to Live in Greece
The Greece Residence Permit allows you and your family to live continuously in Greece during the Residence Permit period. There is no limitation to how long you can stay and there is no minimum stay requirement either. In addition, the right to live in Greece comes with public healthcare and education benefits as well. - Visa-Free access to the EU
The Greece Residence Permit allows you to access the Schengen zone without the need to apply for an additional visa. Holders of Greek Residence Permit can travel visa-free to any Schengen countries up to 3 months in every 6 months.
GREECE CITIZENSHIP:
The holders of the Greece Residence Permit may apply for Greece passport and citizenship provided that they meet conditions including but not limited to:
- Clean criminal record.
- Hold a legal Residence Permit which is valid on the submission of the application.
- Not to be deported or otherwise pending the status of his legal residence in Greece.
- Know sufficiently the Greek language.
- Obtain a certificate of competence of knowledge for naturalization.
- Reside legally in Greece for 7 consecutive years before submitting the citizenship application.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
