Greece is preparing to launch a new Golden Visa route aimed at start-up investors, extending the country's residence-by-investment programme beyond its traditional real estate and capital-investment pathways into the entrepreneurial economy.

The announcement, reported by Condé Nast Traveler, signals that Athens wants to channel foreign capital into Greek start-ups rather than solely into property. Until now, the Greek Golden Visa — formally the residence permit for third-country nationals who make a qualifying investment — has been dominated by real estate purchases, a route whose minimum thresholds were raised in 2024 to €250,000, €400,000 or €800,000 depending on the location and characteristics of the property.

The new track would sit alongside those existing options. It targets investors who put money into early-stage Greek companies instead of apartments in Athens or holiday homes on the islands.

Who the change affects

The intended audience is clear: non-EU nationals who want Greek — and by extension European — residence rights and who prefer equity in a venture over bricks and mortar. Founders, angel investors and funds looking at the Greek start-up ecosystem are the natural candidates, provided they meet the eligibility criteria the Greek government will set out.

The move also affects the start-ups themselves. A dedicated visa route gives Greek early-stage companies access to a new pool of capital from abroad, at a time when the country is trying to build credibility as a Mediterranean tech hub.

What changes and what stays the same

For applicants, the mechanics of the programme remain the established Golden Visa framework: a qualifying investment in exchange for a renewable Greek residence permit, which does not require the holder to live in Greece full time and can open the path to long-term residence and, eventually, citizenship through naturalisation under standard Greek rules.

What changes is the eligible asset class. Instead of property or a bank deposit, the qualifying investment would be a stake in a Greek start-up, subject to thresholds, qualifying-company definitions and approval procedures that the authorities will publish.

Why it matters

Greece's Golden Visa is one of Europe's most popular residence-by-investment programmes, and it has attracted billions of euros in foreign capital, overwhelmingly into real estate. That success has also drawn criticism for pushing up housing costs in central Athens and on islands such as Mykonos and Santorini — pressure that contributed to the 2024 tightening of the property thresholds.

A start-up track addresses both sides of that equation. It diversifies the programme away from housing, and it steers foreign money toward companies that create jobs and taxable economic activity.

For prospective applicants, the practical advice is patience. Until the Greek government publishes the legal text — through the official channels that govern the programme, including the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Enterprise Greece investment portal — the minimum investment amount, the definition of a qualifying start-up, the documentation requirements and the processing route remain unconfirmed.

Applicants who need a permit in the near term can still use the existing routes, including the €250,000 property option available in lower-density areas, the €400,000 threshold for most urban markets and the €800,000 minimum in high-demand zones such as central Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and Thira.

Anyone considering the new start-up route should wait for the official gazette publication and the published criteria, and verify every number against the government's own sources before committing funds. Passport File will update this story as the Greek authorities release the detailed terms of the new track.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or investment advice. Programme terms should always be confirmed with official Greek government sources.