Key points
- The warning: On October 15, 2026, Greece's migration minister said Golden Visa residence permits will be revoked when investors use rebate deals to cut the real purchase price or break the short-term rental ban
- Not a new law: The restrictions come from Greece's Migration Code as amended in 2024, and a ministry circular from April 21, 2026 already set out how they're enforced
- Properties used for a Golden Visa can't be let for under 60 days through the sharing economy, or sublet, and breaking this can lead to revocation, non-renewal or fines
- Who isn't affected: Tourists aren't affected, long-term rentals remain permitted, and certain older investments are exempt from the short-term rental ban
Greece warns Golden Visa holders over property violations
Greece will revoke Golden Visa residence permits when investors use hidden discounts to pay less than the legal minimum, or break the ban on short-term rentals, Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris said on October 15, 2026.
Speaking at the Prodexpo 2026 conference in Athens, Plevris said the relevant residence permits “will be removed”, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT. The minister was referring to existing rules, not announcing new legislation.
What did the minister say?
Plevris identified two practices that could lead to permit revocation, ERT reported:
- Rebate deals: Agreements that indirectly lower the real purchase price. Permits may be revoked when rebate arrangements bring the actual investment below the applicable legal minimum. As an example, he described a buyer who pays €250,000 (~US$280,000) for a property and is guaranteed €100,000 (~US$110,000) back through a rental arrangement.
- Short-term rentals through subleases: Owners who use parallel subleases to run short-term rentals on a Golden Visa property will lose their Golden Visa.
He stressed that the aim is long-term residential use, regardless of who owns the property.
What does the law require?
The requirements are set out in Article 100 of Greece’s Migration Code (Law 5038/2023), which was amended by Law 5100/2024. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum explained how its offices must apply them in Circular 1, dated April 21, 2026, published on the ministry’s circulars page.
Minimum investment amounts
For a real estate Golden Visa, the circular confirms these minimums:
- €800,000 (~US$900,000) in the Attica region, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands with more than 3,100 residents
- €400,000 (~US$450,000) in the rest of Greece
- €250,000 (~US$280,000) for a property converted from another use, such as commercial, into a home, or for restoring a listed building
At the €800,000 and €400,000 levels, the investment must be in a single property with at least 120 square meters of main floor space.
The short-term rental ban
Properties used for an initial Golden Visa application or renewal can’t be rented out short term through the sharing economy, and can’t be sublet, the circular says. A short-term rental is a stay of fewer than 60 days that offers nothing beyond accommodation and bed linen, whether or not it’s listed on a digital platform.
Breaking the ban can lead to revocation or non-renewal of the residence permit, plus administrative fines.
Rebates and misleading offers
The circular also says the ministry will refer complaints to tax and law enforcement authorities, and to Greece’s anti-money laundering authority, when it finds:
- Misleading advertising, in Greece or abroad, about the price, how it’s paid, the rights a permit gives, or the rental ban
- Unexplained money transfers before or after the purchase that leave the real investment substantially below the legal minimum
These violations can also result in existing permits being revoked, on top of the specific penalties in Article 100.
Who is affected?
The warning applies to non-EU nationals who hold, or are applying for, a Greek investor residence permit through a property purchase. That includes investors renewing a permit, because the rental ban covers properties used for renewals too.
It doesn’t apply to everyone:
- Long-term rentals are allowed. The ban covers short-term lets only, so renting a Golden Visa property to a long-term tenant is still permitted.
- Older purchases are outside the rental ban. The circular says the ban doesn’t cover properties bought under the requirements that applied before Law 5100/2024, or investments completed within its transition period.
- Tourists aren’t affected. These restrictions govern investors’ residence permits, not short visits to Greece.
What does it mean for your residence permit?
A Golden Visa is a residence permit, so losing it means losing the right to reside in Greece under that permit. If your permit is revoked, you’ll need to meet the standard entry requirements for your nationality on your next trip, which may mean applying for a Schengen visa.
If you’re buying a property for a Golden Visa, check that the contract shows the full price paid and that any offer below the minimums above isn’t relying on a discount or “guaranteed return” arrangement. A lawyer in Greece can confirm how the law applies to your purchase.
For an overview of Greece’s entry requirements for visitors, see our Greece travel guide. Our Greece Golden Visa guide covers how the program works.
