Legal and Technical Due Diligence for Golden Visa Property Acquisitions

The acquisition of real estate in Greece for the purpose of obtaining an investor residence permit requires examination of two related bodies of law. The purchaser must establish that ownership can be validly acquired under Greek property law and that the particular acquisition satisfies the separate requirements of the residence-by-investment framework.

Verification of title includes review of the seller's acquisition documents, registration history, cadastral information and any mortgages, prenotations, attachments, easements or other registered rights affecting the property. The investigation should establish the correspondence between the property's legal description, cadastral identification and physical characteristics, particularly where previous transfers, subdivisions or alterations have affected its registered status.

An independent technical assessment is necessary to determine the planning and building status of the property. The existence of a title deed does not establish that all structures have been lawfully constructed or that their present use is permitted. The relevant examination should address building permits, approved plans, unauthorised construction, land-use restrictions and, where applicable, the electronic building identity and documents required for transfer.

Additional complexity arises where the property is intended to qualify under the EUR 250,000 change-of-use exception. In such cases, the purchaser must establish that the property's previous use, subsequent conversion and completion date satisfy the statutory conditions. The review must also consider whether the relevant reduced-threshold benefit has already been used for the property.

For investments under the ordinary EUR 400,000 and EUR 800,000 categories, the location, qualifying acquisition value, single-property condition and applicable surface requirements must be established through appropriate documentation. Transactions involving undivided co-ownership require particular attention to the respective acquisition values and to the rules clarified by Circular 1/2026.

The legal review must also consider restrictions on acquisition or ownership in designated border areas where the relevant provisions of Law 1892/1990 apply. Depending on the purchaser's nationality and the location of the property, additional administrative authorisation may be required.

Contractual documentation should reflect the intended residence-by-investment objective through appropriate obligations concerning delivery of title, planning documents, payment evidence and other materials required for the application. Where outstanding matters can be resolved before completion, the parties should consider whether the relevant steps should constitute contractual conditions.

The acquisition of a property eligible for ordinary conveyancing purposes does not necessarily satisfy the statutory conditions governing an investor residence permit. The two aspects of the transaction require separate verification before the investment is completed.

This article is general information and not legal advice. For advice on a specific matter, contact us.