Greece has been on more shortlists than any other Mediterranean market this year. But three sets of rules have moved since 2024. A lot of what’s written about buying property in Greece as a foreigner is now out of date.
The part that hasn’t changed is the important one. You can buy, and the ownership rules match those for a Greek national across almost all of the country.
What changes is what you can do afterwards. How long you can stay, whether you can let the place out and what you pay on the income have all shifted. So this guide gives you the 2026 figures rather than the 2024 ones.
Key points: Foreigners can buy property in Greece with no ownership restrictions in almost all of the country. Non-EU buyers need approval from the Ministry of National Defence in border and military zones, which is routine. Ownership does not grant residency: outside the golden visa, non-EU citizens can stay only 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area.
Contents
- Can foreigners buy property in Greece?
- Buying property in Greece as an EU citizen
- Buying a house in Greece as a foreigner from outside the EU
- Getting an AFM number and a Greek bank account
- Does buying in Greece give you the right to live there?
- Can you work remotely from Greece?
- Buying through a foreign company
- Renting out your Greek property in 2026
- What should I do next?
- Summary
- Frequently asked questions
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Can foreigners buy property in Greece?
Yes. Greece places no general restriction on ownership by nationality. There’s no requirement to be resident, to hold a visa or to buy through a Greek entity.
The only real limit is geographic. Properties in designated border regions and near military zones need clearance from the Ministry of National Defence. That applies to non-EU buyers. It’s a paperwork step rather than an obstacle, and your lawyer or agent usually handles the application.
Beyond that, the process runs the same way it does for a Greek buyer. Due diligence, a preliminary agreement, a notary, then registration at the Land Registry or Cadastre. Our guide to the legal process of buying property in Greece walks through each stage.
Buying property in Greece as an EU citizen
If you hold an EU passport, Greece treats you exactly as it would a Greek national. No defence ministry approval, no residency conditions attached to the purchase.
You’re also entitled to live in the property full time. Stay more than 90 days and you register your residency. Pass 183 days in a calendar year and you become a Greek tax resident. That’s worth planning around if you split the year between two countries.
Buying a house in Greece as a foreigner from outside the EU
Buyers from the UK, US, Canada and Australia all buy in Greece routinely. The purchase itself doesn’t change. What differs is the border-zone approval described above, and what happens once you own the place.
Your time in Greece caps at 90 days in any 180-day period. That cap covers the whole Schengen Area rather than Greece alone, so a week in Italy comes out of the same allowance. Many buyers we help are caught out by that in their first year, having assumed the clock was Greek.
If you want longer, you need a residency route. The golden visa is the best known, but it isn’t the only one. Our guide to Greek residency permits covers the alternatives, including retirement routes.
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Getting an AFM number and a Greek bank account
Before you can buy anything, you need an AFM. That’s the Greek tax identification number, issued by the local tax office (DOY). Every buyer needs one, including a spouse if you purchase jointly.
Opening a Greek bank account isn’t a legal requirement. But it makes the purchase run more smoothly, and notaries and sellers often ask for it. To open one you’ll usually need:
- A valid passport or national ID
- Proof of address, such as a utility bill
- Proof of employment or income
You can do both yourself in person. Or you can give your lawyer power of attorney to act for you, which many buyers find saves a trip.
One point catches people out: the money itself. Greek notaries want to see that funds arrived from a declared foreign source. And the rate you get on a six-figure transfer moves the total cost more than most of the fees do. It’s worth reading Currency Transfer and Property Purchases Explained before you send anything.
Does buying in Greece give you the right to live there?
Not on its own. A purchase gives you no additional right to stay, unless it qualifies for the golden visa. That’s Greece’s residency-by-investment route.
The thresholds changed in 2024. The geography is wider than most articles suggest:
| Minimum investment | Where it applies | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| €800,000 (about £695,000) | The whole Region of Attica, the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and any island with a population above 3,100 | One property, at least 120 square metres of main space |
| €400,000 (£348,000) | Everywhere else in Greece | One property, at least 120 square metres of main space |
| €250,000 (£217,000) | Anywhere, but only for a commercial building converted to residential use, or a listed building you restore | Works completed before you apply |
The population clause is the one to watch. It pulls in Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Zakynthos, Paros and Naxos. A good part of the island market therefore sits in the €800,000 band rather than the €400,000 one. Our guide to where to buy in Greece to qualify for the golden visa maps this out region by region.
Two conditions trip up buyers working from older guidance. The investment has to sit in a single property, so you can’t combine two smaller units to reach the number. And on the €800,000 and €400,000 routes, built property must provide at least 120 square metres of main space. That rules out plenty of well-priced apartments.
Short-term letting is not permitted on a golden visa property. Long leases are still allowed, and that distinction matters if rental income forms part of your plan. There’s more detail in our guide to gaining residency in Greece by investing in property.
Can you work remotely from Greece?
Yes, with the right visa. Greece’s digital nomad visa targets non-EU remote workers, freelancers and business owners earning from outside Greece.
You’ll need to show a net income of at least €3,500 a month (about £3,050). That rises by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child. The visa runs for 12 months, and you can then convert it into a renewable two-year residence permit.
The application route changed in February 2026. You now file at a Greek consulate before you travel, and Greece no longer accepts in-country applications. It’s one to start well ahead of a move.
If you’re in Greece for 90 days or less and stay tax resident at home, no specific work visa applies. That counts as working while on holiday.
Buying through a foreign company
You can buy through a foreign company, though it’s less common because of the added complexity. You’ll need:
- An AFM for the company
- Legal documents proving the company exists
- A Greek-based tax representative willing to act on its behalf
If the company earns income from the property, Greek business tax rules apply rather than the personal rental bands below. It’s worth speaking to a Greek accountant before you structure a purchase this way.
Renting out your Greek property in 2026
You can let your Greek property out as a foreign owner, and plenty of buyers do. The compliance side has tightened considerably in the past two years. This is the section that has changed most.
Registration comes first
Every short-let property needs an AMA, a property registry number issued by AADE, the Greek tax authority. The number has to appear on every listing across every platform. To get one you’ll need your AFM, the title deed and a building permit or legalisation documents. Anyone still being told they need an EOT licence is working from pre-2018 guidance.
Law 5170/2025 added safety requirements on top. Those cover fire safety equipment, smoke detectors, an electrical safety certificate, civil liability insurance and pest control documentation.
Where you can’t register at all
Greece froze new short-let registrations in the first three municipal districts of Athens in January 2025. The freeze currently runs to the end of 2026, and parts of central Thessaloniki joined it from March 2026. Existing registrations in those areas keep operating and transfer with a sale.
This matters if rental income forms part of the case for a purchase. In our experience, buyers looking at central Athens on yield grounds do better elsewhere. The Athens Riviera, the suburbs and the islands all remain open for registration.
The nightly levy
The Climate Crisis Resilience Fee replaced the old stayover tax. You charge it per property per night rather than per booking, collect it from the guest and remit it to AADE.
| Property type | April to October | November to March |
|---|---|---|
| Standard short-term rental | €8 (about £7) | €2 (£1.75) |
| Detached house over 80 square metres | €15 (£13) | €4 (£3.50) |
What you pay on the income
Rental income tax bands changed on 1 January 2026. The new 25% band cuts the bill for most holiday-home owners:
| Annual rental income | Rate |
|---|---|
| First €12,000 (about £10,400) | 15% |
| €12,001 to €24,000 | 25% |
| €24,001 to €35,000 | 35% |
| Above €35,000 | 45% |
Let one or two properties and you pay tax on this scale. Run three or more, or offer hotel-type services alongside the let, and the tax office treats the activity as a business. VAT commonly applies at 13%.
Two further changes landed for 2026. Rent can no longer be paid in cash, and now has to go through a bank account registered with AADE in the owner’s name.
The second change is a genuine opportunity. Switch a home onto a long lease of at least three years, and do it by 31 December 2026, and you pay no income tax on that rent for three years. It covers homes that have stood empty for three years and homes previously let short-term. The dwelling has to be 120 square metres or less.
Our guide to renting out property in Greece covers the practical side. Greek property taxes covers what you owe as an owner rather than a landlord.
What should I do next?
If you’re still deciding where in Greece to look, settle the golden visa geography first. It moves your budget by €400,000 depending on which island you land on. Start with our Greece buying guide, then browse homes for sale in Greece to see what your budget buys in each region.
Picked an area already? Our breakdown of property buying costs in Greece covers transfer tax, notary and legal fees.
And when you’re closer to making an offer, it’s worth speaking to a Greece property expert. An independent lawyer matters most, and a currency specialist can fix your rate before you commit to a price in euros.
Summary
Foreigners can buy property in Greece with no ownership restrictions across almost all of the country. Non-EU buyers need routine defence ministry clearance in border and military zones, handled by their lawyer. Every buyer needs an AFM, and most open a Greek bank account. Ownership brings no right to live in Greece, so non-EU citizens are held to 90 days in any 180. Golden visa thresholds now run at €800,000, €400,000 or €250,000, with a 120 square metre floor and a single-property rule. Short lets need AMA registration with AADE, and new registrations are frozen in central Athens until the end of 2026. Rental income tax runs from 15% to 45%, with a new 25% band from January 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Since Brexit the change is freedom of movement, not the right to buy. You’ll need an AFM, a notary at completion and the standard purchase taxes. Your lawyer may also apply for defence ministry clearance in border areas. Ownership doesn’t let you live in Greece full time. You’re held to 90 days in any 180 unless you hold a visa or residency.
Yes, on the same terms as any other non-EU buyer. There’s no nationality restriction and no requirement to be resident. You’ll need an AFM, plus clearance from the Ministry of National Defence if the property sits in a border or military zone. The 90-day Schengen limit applies the same way, so a longer stay means the golden visa or another residency route.
You can legally complete without one. But a Greek account makes the process smoother, and notaries and sellers often ask for it. It helps with money-laundering checks, tax payments and setting up utilities. A Greek mortgage does require a local account. Many buyers give their lawyer power of attorney to open it for them. You need an AFM either way.
Only through the golden visa. A standard purchase, at any price, brings no right to stay beyond the usual visa rules. Qualifying investments start at €250,000 for conversions and listed-building restorations. That rises to €400,000 in most of Greece and €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and the larger islands. The property must be a single unit of at least 120 square metres.
Three to six months is typical from accepted offer to keys, though it can run longer. Getting an AFM and opening a bank account takes a week or two. Legal due diligence on title and planning is the longest stage. Defence ministry clearance in border zones adds time, so ask early whether your property needs it.
Sources
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum, golden visa programme: https://migration.gov.gr/en/golden-visa/
- Article 100 of Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), as amended by Law 5100/2024 and Law 5162/2024, on golden visa thresholds and property conditions
- Law 5246/2025, rental income tax bands from 1 January 2026
- Law 5162/2024, Climate Crisis Resilience Fee rates from 1 January 2025
- Law 5170/2025, short-term rental safety and operating standards
- AADE (Independent Authority for Public Revenue), short-term rental registry and AMA registration: https://www.aade.gr
- Law 5275/2026, digital nomad visa application route from February 2026
