Residence Rights, Family Members and Renewal under the Greek Golden Visa

The Greek investor residence permit under Article 100 of Law 5038/2023 provides qualifying third-country nationals with a renewable residence status linked to the maintenance of an eligible investment. Its legal consequences must be distinguished from the requirements governing ordinary immigration residence, access to employment, tax residence and acquisition of Greek nationality.

The permit is generally issued for five years and may be renewed where the statutory conditions remain satisfied. For real estate investments, the continued holding of the relevant qualifying rights is a central consideration. The renewal process may require updated evidence of ownership and continuing compliance with the applicable investment requirements, together with fulfilment of the administrative documentation conditions.

The investor regime does not ordinarily impose a minimum period of physical presence in Greece solely as a condition for maintaining the relevant permit. Nevertheless, the absence of a minimum-stay requirement for this specific residence category should not be understood as satisfying the residence conditions applicable under other immigration or nationality provisions.

The legal framework also permits qualifying family members to obtain residence permits under the applicable dependent-family provisions. The categories of eligible persons, the required proof of family relationships and the treatment of changes in personal circumstances are determined by the applicable statutory rules. Civil-status documents issued abroad may require legalisation or apostille certification and official translation before they can be accepted by the competent Greek authorities.

A Greek residence permit ordinarily enables its holder to travel within the Schengen Area in accordance with the applicable short-stay provisions, without conferring a general right to establish residence or take up employment in another Member State. Employment and professional activity in Greece must likewise be assessed by reference to the limitations attached to the investor residence category and any other authorisation that may be required.

Separate legal consequences arise in relation to taxation. Immigration status does not independently determine whether an individual is treated as tax resident in Greece. The applicable assessment depends on domestic tax law, the individual's factual circumstances and any relevant double taxation agreement.

The acquisition of Greek nationality also remains subject to the separate statutory requirements governing naturalisation, including those concerning lawful residence and the other conditions applicable to the particular applicant. The investor permit does not itself provide a direct entitlement to citizenship.

For international families, the legal effectiveness of the Golden Visa programme depends on coordinating the residence application with property ownership arrangements, family status, taxation, succession planning and the intended duration of the investment.

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