Greece bans short term rentals for 800,000 euro Golden Visa units

Greece keeps the 800,000-euro Golden Visa floor with long-term rental strings attached

Greece's residence-by-investment program runs under tiered real-estate thresholds: 800,000 euros ($872,000) in prime zones and 400,000 euros ($436,000) elsewhere, with qualifying units of at least 120 square meters. The prime band covers Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents. A 250,000-euro ($272,500) route survives for commercial-to-residential conversions and restoration of listed historic buildings.

The thresholds came in through Law 5100/2024 and were folded into a wider migration framework by Law 5275/2026, published in the Government Gazette on Feb. 6, 2026. Both laws bar short-term rentals on Golden Visa units. Any lease under 60 days without hotel-style services counts as short-term and is prohibited, with reported fines starting at 50,000 euros ($54,500) and possible revocation of the residence permit.

Who feels the squeeze

Non-EU property investors carry the full weight of the change. The five-year renewable residence permit still extends to qualifying family members, but the asset itself has shifted from a flexible tourism-rental play into a long-term landlord position or personal-use home.

Digital nomads who don't want to buy property are largely untouched. The separate D-visa track stays open and Law 5275/2026 clarifies the pathway from a D-visa to a residence permit. Nomads who do hold a Golden Visa unit can't list it on Airbnb when they're away. They either keep it empty, live in it or sign a standard long-term tenancy through the AADE tax authority's lease declaration system.

Local renters are the intended beneficiaries, with the housing strategy aiming to push investor-held units into the long-term supply.

What buyers and current holders need to do

• Confirm the zone and threshold before signing: 800,000 euros in prime areas, 400,000 euros elsewhere, single unit of 120 square meters minimum.
• Open a Greek bank account and secure an AFM tax number before purchase.
• Register every lease through AADE as a long-term tenancy contract.
• Pull any existing Golden Visa unit off short-term platforms to avoid fines and permit loss.

Transitional cover for buyers who paid a 10% deposit by Sept. 30, 2024, closed at the end of 2024, with a substitution window that ran into April 2025. Both deadlines have passed.

For more on permits, taxes and housing rules, see the latest visa updates or read our full Greece guide for the complete picture.