Can you get a Golden Visa in Greece with a mortgage?
Written by: Marcus M. Araz, MBA, PhD · Updated:
No. You cannot finance the amount that counts towards the Golden Visa with a bank loan. In Greece the right of residence arises once the price of the property has been paid in full: before the application the entire amount must have been paid by bank transfer and the payment details recorded in the notarial deed. A sale by instalments is commercially possible, but the visa right does not arise until the last instalment is paid.
What the rule actually says
The amount taken as the basis of a Golden Visa application has to come from your own funds and from abroad, through a compliant banking channel. The full price must have been paid before the application; the notarial deed states how the payment was made. Cash payment is not accepted.
So you cannot set up an order of “let me get the visa first and pay the rest with a loan”. The order is the reverse: the payment is completed first, then the application is made.
What a sale by instalments means
Some developers offer payment plans of up to eight or ten instalments. That is a convenience on the purchase side; on the residency side it only stretches the calendar. The Golden Visa file can be opened once the last instalment is paid and the price is complete. It is worth choosing an instalment plan in full knowledge of this: if you are expecting a visa, your residency timetable is tied to your payment timetable.
Which amount applies
Law 5100/2024 split the thresholds by region and by type of property:
| Where | Minimum amount |
|---|---|
| Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with a population above 3,100 | €800,000 |
| The rest of Greece | €400,000 |
| Change of use, or restoration of a listed building | €250,000 |
The Greek projects in our portfolio sit in the €250,000 band, because they are all change of use: former office and shop buildings are being converted into homes. In this band the investment has to be made in a single property and not spread across several.
When the title deed is taken
This varies from project to project and is a critical point for the buyer. In the projects we sell there is an existing building and an existing title deed; the conversion is carried out on that building. The title deed can therefore be taken without waiting for the works to finish.
In projects that run through the restoration of a listed (diatiritéo) building the position is different: the law treats a transfer made before the restoration is completed as void, and requires the restoration to be complete for the residence permit to be renewed. It is worth asking from the outset which category the project you are buying falls into.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a Golden Visa in Greece with a mortgage? No. The whole of the qualifying amount has to come from your own funds and be paid before the application.
If I buy in instalments, when do I get the visa? The application can be made once the last instalment is paid and the price is complete.
Can I not use a mortgage at all when buying a home in Greece? If you are not aiming for a Golden Visa you can use a mortgage. The restriction is not on buying property, it is on the amount that qualifies for the visa.
What is the lowest threshold? 250,000 euro for change of use or the restoration of a listed building; 800,000 euro in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the large islands; 400,000 euro in the rest of the country.
Can I pay from my account in Greece? The funds are required to come from abroad and to be traceable through the banking channel. The payment method should be set up together with your lawyer.
When do I get the title deed? In our projects the work proceeds on an existing building with an existing title deed, so there is no wait for the construction to finish.
Sources
The thresholds and the conditions of the 250,000 euro band rest on law 5100/2024. The requirement that the whole payment be made before the application and through the banking channel comes from the rules of the application process itself. Legislation can change; before your file is opened we confirm the current position together with a qualified Greek lawyer.
Legal notice
capital.works® (YATIRIM UK LIMITED) is a real estate advisory company; it does not provide legal or immigration advice in Greece. Your Golden Visa file is handled by a qualified Greek lawyer; we structure the property choice and the payment timetable to fit that process. This page is for general information and is not personal legal advice.
The next step
Write to us with your budget and your timetable, and we will work out together which project falls into which threshold and how the payment plan affects your visa calendar: Contact us. You can see the whole of the Greek side on our Greece Property Guidepage, and the cost items on our Cost of buying a home in Greece page.