What must stay true for five years
- You still own the property, and it is in your possession. The permit is renewed for the same term while the property remains yours.
- Health insurance stays in force, with the minimum cover the law sets.
- You do not let it short-term. Short-term letting through the sharing economy is banned for Golden Visa properties.
- For a converted property, its main areas stay a home: not a company seat or a branch.
Time spent abroad does not count against you. The law says plainly that absences from Greece do not prevent renewal, so you can hold the permit while living mainly elsewhere.
The renewal file
Your lawyer assembles it; this is what it contains under the current Joint Ministerial Decision.
| Item | What it shows |
|---|---|
| A recent E9 property statement or a recent Cadastre extract | That you still own the property |
| Private health insurance | Cover valid in Greece, at the legal minimums |
| The fee: €2,000 for the main applicant | Family members’ fees are set separately; the card fee may also apply (your lawyer confirms) |
| A solemn declaration on letting | That the property is not let short-term through the sharing economy |
| For a converted property: a solemn declaration on use | That the main areas are still a home, not a company seat or branch |
| Final Cadastre or registry proof | Only if the first application was filed with the registration request instead |
When to file
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File in the two months before the permit expires
Your lawyer files the renewal online. The filing certificate keeps you lawfully resident until the decision.
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If you miss the date
A 2026 amendment (Law 5275/2026) allows late filing up to three months after expiry, with a fine of €100 a month; later filing only for proven force majeure. Whether this applies to investor permits is still being confirmed, so do not plan on it.
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Fingerprints again where needed
Children who have turned six since the last permit give fingerprints for the new card.
Family members at renewal
Family members’ permits follow the investor’s and are renewed with it. A child who turns 21 does not simply drop out: they can receive a permit of their own for three years. Your lawyer should plan the child’s file a few months before the birthday, not at the renewal.
Letting the property while you hold the permit
- Long-term leases are allowed. Register the lease with the tax authority (AADE). Rent is taxed in Greece on a scale from 15% to 45%, after a 5% deduction for expenses (2026 rules; your tax adviser confirms what applies to you).
- Short-term letting is banned. Letting or sub-letting the property through the sharing economy, for stays of under 60 days, is not allowed for Golden Visa properties: the penalty is a €50,000 fine and the loss of the permit.
- Sub-letting arrangements of any kind, including a master lease to an operator, should not be signed until your lawyer has confirmed in writing that they are compatible with the permit.
- A converted property stays a home: it may not become a company seat or branch.
Be realistic about income: at a price of €250,000, a long-term let in Patras would earn a gross yield of roughly 1–3% a year. The permit, not the rent, is the reason to buy.
Replacing the property
You can move your permit to a different property, but the order matters: buy the new property and notify the authority first, and only then sell the old one. Sell first and the permit is partly revoked; you would need a new application. The selling guide walks through the sequence.
Questions about renewing
Can I renew if I lived abroad for most of the five years?
Yes. The law states that absences from Greece do not prevent renewal. What matters is that you still own the property and meet the other conditions.
What if my health insurance lapsed?
Insurance must be valid when the renewal is filed; if it is missing, the authority gives a short deadline (30 days) and then refuses the file. Keep a policy in force and diarise its end date next to the permit’s.
Does my child need a new permit at 21?
Yes. A child who turns 21 can apply for an autonomous permit lasting three years. Ask your lawyer to prepare it before the birthday.
Sources
- Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), art. 100, as replaced by Law 5100/2024, art. 64 (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Joint Ministerial Decision 214926/2025 on supporting documents (Government Gazette B' 6014, 11.11.2025) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Circular 1/2026 of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Prot. 72019, 21.04.2026), on Diavgeia (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Law 5038/2023 (Migration Code), consolidated, including art. 95 on family members and art. 171 on fees (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Joint Ministerial Decision 133692/2024: minimum health insurance for residence permits (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Law 5246/2025, art. 8: tax scale for rental income (accessed October 13, 2026)
- EY Greece tax alert on Law 5275/2026 (residence permits; secondary source, 13 February 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)