Applications for Greece’s “golden visa” residency scheme continued to decline in early 2026 following stricter investment requirements introduced last year.
According to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, 398 new applications for an initial investor residence permit were submitted in January, down 63.5% from 1,167 in the same month of 2025. The drop follows the increase in the minimum investment threshold to €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and major islands, and €400,000 in the rest of the country.
Overall, 7,031 new applications were filed in 2025, a 25% decrease from 9,414 in 2024.
Foreign investment in the property market has also slowed. Data from the Bank of Greece show inflows fell 24% in the first nine months of 2025 to €1.46 billion.
Despite the slowdown in applications, approvals surged 101% in 2025 to 9,479 as authorities processed a backlog of pending cases. Since the program launched in 2014, a total of 28,589 residence permits has been granted or renewed. China remains the largest group of investors.