Greece Golden Visa financial route: residency via deposits, funds and bonds (not only property)

Georgaki Law Firm explains how banking products and investments in funds can provide an alternative way to obtain Greek Golden Visa residence—through financial instruments that many investors rarely discuss.

When investors hear “Greek Golden Visa,” they most often picture Athens apartments, island villas, or renovation projects in high-potential areas. Property has indeed long been the clearest and most popular entry route into the program: it is tangible, familiar, and historically dominated the conversation.

However, the Greek Golden Visa has never been exclusively about real estate. Since 2018, the program has included a set of financial investment routes: time deposits with banks, units in investment funds, and government securities. Importantly, they grant the same status as a real-estate purchase—a five-year residence permit with renewal options, Schengen travel rights, and family inclusion on comparable terms.

Today, interest in financial options is clearly increasing.

How the Golden Visa financial options work in practice

In September 2024, Greece introduced a regulatory adjustment that raised the real-estate thresholds. At the same time, financial routes remain in place, and in the new environment they deserve closer attention.

The key options are as follows:

1) Time deposit with a bank in the amount of €500,000 with a Greek credit institution. The deposit must be held in the account for at least one year and may be automatically renewed.

2) Units/shares in an investment fund in the amount of €350,000. The fund must invest exclusively in Greek equities, corporate bonds, or government bonds traded on regulated markets.

3) Shares/units of an alternative investment fund (AIF) in the amount of €350,000. The AIF may be established in Greece or another EU country, but it must invest exclusively in Greece.

4) Greek government bonds in the amount of €500,000 with a maturity of at least three years.

5) Shares and corporate bonds in the amount of €800,000, traded on regulated markets.

In all cases, the same residence-permit mechanism applies as with a property deal: similar Schengen travel and family inclusion. For the bank-deposit route, a key feature is that the Golden Visa depends on keeping the funds in the deposit product at the Greek financial institution. In other words, the status is directly tied to an investor decision that they control.

Practical nuances that truly matter

Christina Georgaki, a partner at Georgaki Law Firm, notes a rise in requests from investors who value speed and clarity.

“Not every investor wants to own property in a country where they may not live full-time. For many of our clients, financial routes fit better with how they plan to use the residence permit,” Georgaki comments.

The practical implementation can differ significantly. For example, a deposit-based option may be completed in roughly four months—from start to result. Typically, the investor only needs to:

— open an account with a Greek bank;

— transfer the funds;

— place them under terms that meet the program requirements.

There are fewer “technical” tasks compared with real estate: no need to search for a property, no notarial procedures, no verification of title/ownership rights, and no deal-related taxes.

Deposits also benefit from a simplified tax treatment: interest income on time deposits is subject to a flat rate of 15%, and withholding is typically done automatically by the bank. In most cases, there is no separate annual obligation in Greece specifically for the deposit product, and you usually don’t need a local specialist only to “maintain” the investment.

At the same time, the deposit covering the entire €500,000 must be placed with one Greek credit institution. Therefore, choosing the bank is not a formality: deposit terms, service quality for international clients, and the bank’s practical experience with Golden Visa applicants all matter. This is often where early legal-and-financial support can save time and reduce risk.

Built-in flexibility: you can change the investment category

One of the less obvious advantages of financial routes is the ability to switch the type of investment without losing the status, as long as deadlines and conditions are met.

For example, an investor may enter the program through a bank deposit, then close (liquidate) the deposit and redirect the funds into real estate, an investment fund, or another qualifyingnew investment must be completed within two months after the liquidation.

In practice, this creates unusual optionality: residency can be obtained quickly, and then the existing status can be used to evaluate the market more calmly—visits, fund performance checks, and decisions about relocation.

“The ability to move between investment categories is one of the most underrated aspects of the program. It turns a single decision into a step-by-step process: first confidence, then freedom of choice. That is exactly what many investors appreciate,” Georgaki emphasizes.

Tax planning: how Non-Dom can strengthen the strategy

If an investor is considering Greece not only as a place to obtain residency, but also as a potential foundation for life in the future, the Non-Dom regime becomes an important element (a tax framework for certain categories of new tax residents).

When conditions are met, qualifying individuals may elect a fixed annual tax of €100,000 on their worldwide income—regardless of source and amount. The regime applies to new Greek tax residents who were not tax residents of Greece for seven out of the eight years prior to filing the application.

Important: having a residence permit via investment does not automatically make you a tax resident. For tax purposes, you typically need either 183 days of presence in Greece or a center of vital interests located in the country.

That said, for investors planning long-term relocation, combining both scenarios may make sense—but it requires early structuring. Which investment tool and ownership format best fits Non-Dom depends on the country of origin, the current asset structure, and plans for generating income in Greece. This is where immigration law, tax planning, and financial regulation intersect—issues that are often left out of the general Golden Visa overview.

Why financial routes are back in the spotlight

A number of market changes have increased interest in alternatives to real estate. In the EU, some countries have already closed their Golden Visa programs or substantially reduced the available formats. For instance, Spain has fully ended its program. Portugal removed the real-estate route, and previously offered a deposit option at €1.5 million, which is also no longer available.

In general, Europe’s “menu” of programs is getting smaller, while the financial terms in the remaining programs are being scrutinized more closely by investors who previously defaulted to property.

Greece’s financial routes have thresholds in some cases below the European average for comparable instruments. For example, entering an investment fund at €350,000 may be more accessible by regional standards. At the same time, fund structures are regulated by Greek financial authorities, which reassures investors who are used to working with regulated markets.

Another practical advantage is the possibility to initiate the process remotely. Document preparation, opening a bank account, and subscribing/placing funds can be handled via power of attorney, while the single trip to Greece is typically limited to a biometric procedure after approval.

Working with Georgaki Law Firm

Georgaki Law Firm has operated at the intersection of foreign direct investment and Greek immigration law since 2007. The firm has supported more than 9,000 direct investment transactions and processed over 3,500 residence permit approvals. Offices are located in Athens and Thessaloniki.

“We have built specialized expertise specifically for financial routes, because they require a different type of advisory work than real estate. The immigration procedure may look similar, but the investment structure, banking interactions, and tax planning are separate disciplines. That’s why our banking and finance team works alongside the immigration lawyers from the very first consultation,” Georgaki notes.

The practice profile includes corporate structuring, tax planning, banking and finance matters, dispute resolution, and investment migration across different sectors. The team works in seven languages.

If you are considering financial Golden Visa routes for Greece and want to assess how they may align with your residence and investment goals, Georgaki Law Firm offers consultations via its website: georgakilawfirm.com.

If you’re considering the Greek Golden Visa, remember: it’s not only about real estate. Financial routes via bank deposits, fund shares, and government bonds may offer a more flexible path to Greek residence under the same status logic. The team at Digital Nomad will help you understand the latest thresholds and choose the right strategy for your goals.

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr