Greece: Permits & Visas

Overview

Before making any plans to buy a home in Greece, you must check whether you will need a visa or residence permit and ensure that you will be permitted to use a property when you wish and for whatever purpose you have in mind. If there’s a possibility that you or a family member will wish to live or work permanently in Greece, you should enquire whether it will be possible before making any plans to buy a home there.

European Economic Area (EEA) nationals are free to buy property in Greece and those who plan to remain longer than three months a year and work, must apply for a residence permit (Adeia Diamonez). Application for permits must be made to the local police (Astynomia) or at the Aliens’ Bureau (Grafio Tmimatos Allodapon) in larger cities such as Athens, Patra, Rhodes and Thessaloniki. Note that offices aren’t common in small towns and in many areas you will need to travel to a regional capital or large city to apply. Allow plenty of time when making applications, as Greek bureaucracy grinds slowly. EEA residence permits are valid for five years, while residence and work permits for non-EEA nationals are valid for one year and may be renewed for up to five years, after which an application to extend a permit is necessary.

Citizens of certain European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain can visit Greece with a national identity card, while others require a full passport. A non-EEA national usually requires a visa to work, study or live in Greece.

When in Greece you must always carry your passport or residence permit (if you have one), which serves as an identity card, which all local nationals must carry by law. You can be asked to produce your identification papers at any time by the police and other officials, and if you don’t have them you can be taken to a police station and interrogated. Permit infringements are taken very seriously by the authorities and there are penalties for breaches of regulations, including fines and even deportation for flagrant abuses.

Visits of under 90 days

Visitors can remain in Greece for a maximum of 90 days at a time. Visitors to Greece from EEA countries plus Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela don’t require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. All other nationalities require a visa to visit Greece, although the list of countries requiring visas is liable to change at short notice and therefore you should check with the Greek embassy in your home country.

A three-month tourist visa costs around US$20. Greek immigration authorities usually require non-EEA visitors to produce a return ticket and proof of accommodation, health insurance and financial resources. Note that Greece will refuse entry to any foreigners, whatever their nationality, whose passport indicates that they’ve visited Northern Cyprus since November 1993. If you plan to travel to Greece overland via Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Romania or Serbia and Montenegro, you should check visa regulations for these countries (some require transit visas, usually obtainable at the border).

Visa Extensions

A three-month extension to a tourist visa is available for non-EEA nationals, although this can be difficult to obtain. Applications should be made to a local police station at least two weeks before your tourist visa or 90-day stay expires.

Changing Status

If you’re a non-EEA national, it isn’t possible to enter Greece as a tourist and change your status to that of an employee, student or resident. You must return to your country of residence and apply for a long-stay visa.

Non-EEA nationals should make sure their passport is valid for at least three months after they plan to leave Greece.

Visits Over 90 Days

EEA Nationals

Non-working: If you’re an EEA national and plan to stay in Greece for longer than 90 days but not work, you require a residence permit and should apply for this as soon as possible at the nearest police station or Aliens’ Bureau. You need to present your passport, four photographs, proof of accommodation (e.g. a rental contract or title deeds), proof you have sufficient income (e.g. bank statements) and proof of health insurance cover (EU Health Card – which has replaced Form E-111 and E-121 – or a private health insurance policy). The government is expected to abolish residence permit regulations for EEA retirees sometime during 2005, therefore you should check with the local police after your arrival.

Working: EEA nationals with employment in Greece must apply for a residence permit after 90 days at the nearest police station or Aliens’ Bureau. You need to present your passport plus two photocopies, four photographs, and, if you’re employed, a completed employment application and employer’s declaration (offer of employment), both of which are obtainable from the nearest Department of Employment. If you’re self-employed, you need to present confirmation from the tax authorities that you plan to set up in business and provide a certificate from the local court stating that your business has been legally recognised and declared. If your employment involves food preparation or working with children, you must also present a health certificate (see below). Applications for residence permits, valid for five years, currently takes at least one month, although the current government (as part of its campaign to reduce bureaucracy) has pledged to simplify the procedure and process residence permits for EEA nationals within ten days by June 2005.

Non-EEA Nationals

Residence permits for non-EEA nationals are difficult to obtain unless you’re married to a Greek or someone of Greek origin. You should obtain a residence visa from the Greek embassy or consulate in your country of origin and when you arrive in Greece apply for a residence permit at the nearest Aliens’ Bureau within two months. Immigration lawyers recommend that you apply as soon as you arrive so that if the permit is delayed you don’t have to leave the country because your visa has expired. You need to present your visa, passport plus a copy, two photographs, a certificate of medical insurance, a health certificate from a state hospital (see below), proof of a local address (title deeds or rental contract) and proof that you can support yourself financially. The initial residence permit is valid for one year, after which it may be renewed for five to ten years.

Health Certificate: EEA nationals in certain jobs (e.g. food preparation or childcare) and all non-EEA nationals applying for a residence permit must obtain a health certificate from a state hospital. The certificate is issued after you have passed several medical examinations including a chest x-ray (TB), blood tests (hepatitis B and C, and HIV), a psychiatric evaluation and drug tracing. Note that you must pay for all examinations.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd Edition, Joanna Styles.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on buying a home in Greece can be found in “Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd edition, by Joanna Styles.

For extensive information about buying a property in Greece, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net