Visas and Residency in Greece for American Retirees
Visas and Residency in Greece
Every residence route into Greece side by side, with what each asks you to prove and what it gives you in return.
| Route | Income required | Validity | Permanent residence | Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financially Independent Person Visa (FIP) | $3,815 / mo | The national visa permits entry; the residence permit issued afterwards now runs three years. | Five years of legal residence gives long-term resident status. | No. The FIP prohibits employment and self-employment in Greece. It does not prohibit receiving foreign passive income, which is the whole point of the category. |
| Greece Golden Visa (residence by investment) | No income test | Five years, renewable indefinitely while the investment is held. | The permit is effectively indefinite while the investment is maintained; long-term resident status has separate presence requirements. | No employment in Greece, though you may hold shares and receive dividends. |
Visas and Residency in Greece: common questions
Which route should I look at first?
The one whose income test you clear with a margin rather than exactly. Applications that only just meet a threshold are refused far more often than ones with a cushion, and several countries expect savings on top of the monthly figure.
Can I work on these?
It varies by route and it is the field people most often get wrong. Check the work column above carefully: some countries prohibit all work including remote work for a U.S. employer, while others permit it.
Verified Sep 7, 2026 Primary sources: migration.gov.gr, www.aade.gr, www.mfa.gr
This resource is provided free by Federal Apostille as an educational tool. It is not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using it. Immigration rules, income thresholds, fees and processing times change frequently and often without notice, and consulates apply them differently. Always confirm current requirements with the official government source and the specific consulate that has jurisdiction over your U.S. state of residence before you act. Every figure on this site carries the date we last verified it and a link to the primary source.
