Greece Digital Nomad Visa: Full Requirements And EASY Steps To Apply

Greece runs its digital nomad visa as a national D visa. You apply at a Greek consulate in your home country, and if approved you get up to 12 months in Greece while you keep working for a non-Greek employer or your own foreign clients.

Who qualifies

You qualify if you work remotely for an employer based outside Greece, or you run your own business or freelance practice serving clients outside Greece. You cannot take a job with a Greek employer on this visa. You need to hold a non-EU passport, since EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t need a visa to live and work in Greece in the first place.

Income requirement: €3,500 a month

You need net monthly income of at least €3,500 to qualify. This is confirmed on the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs page for the visa. Bringing family counts against the same household, so the threshold rises if you’re not applying alone:

• Spouse or partner: add 20%, so €4,200 total for the two of you
• Each child: add 15% of the base amount, so €525 per child

A couple with one child needs roughly €4,725 a month between them. You show this income through payslips, an employment contract, client contracts, or a mix of bank statements covering the months before you apply.

Required documents

• Valid passport, with at least three months left beyond your intended stay
• Completed D visa application form
• Two passport photos
• Declaration letter stating you work remotely and won’t take Greek employment
• Employment contract, or freelance/client contracts if self-employed
• Bank statements or payslips proving the income above
• Private health insurance valid in Greece for the full stay
• Proof of accommodation in Greece (a lease or booking confirmation)
• Criminal record certificate from your country of residence, apostilled and translated
• Medical certificate confirming you’re free of diseases with public health risk

Consulates can ask for extra documents depending on your situation, so check with the specific consulate before your appointment.

How to apply

1. Book an appointment at the Greek consulate that covers your place of residence. You apply from outside Greece, you can’t switch to this visa from inside the country on a tourist stay.
2. Gather your documents, with certified translations and apostilles where required.
3. Attend your appointment, submit the application, and pay the fees.
4. Wait for a decision. Consulates commonly issue a decision within about 10 working days, though this varies by location and season.
5. Once approved, travel to Greece within the visa’s validity window.
6. Register with the local Aliens and Immigration Department after you arrive, and get a Greek tax number (AFM).
7. Before your first year ends, apply for the two-year digital nomad residence permit if you want to stay longer.

Costs and fees

• D visa application: €75, non-refundable
• Administrative fee: €150
• Two-year residence permit (applied for after you arrive): €1,000, plus €150 for each dependent added to the permit

Fees are paid in cash or by the method the consulate specifies, and they don’t get refunded if your application is rejected.

Permit duration and renewal

The initial D visa covers up to 12 months in Greece. Before it expires, you apply locally for a residence permit, which runs for two years and can be renewed again as long as you still meet the income and insurance requirements. There’s no fixed cap on how many times you can renew, but each renewal checks your income and documents fresh.

Tax treatment

If you spend fewer than 183 days in Greece in a calendar year, you stay a non-resident for tax purposes and Greece doesn’t tax your foreign income. Cross 183 days and you become a Greek tax resident, which brings your worldwide income into Greek tax rules, at rates from 9% to 44% depending on the amount.

Separately from the visa itself, Greece runs a relocation tax incentive under its non-dom rules: people who move their tax residency to Greece and weren’t Greek tax residents in the prior years can apply for a 50% reduction on Greek-sourced income tax for up to seven years, through the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). This isn’t automatic and isn’t part of the digital nomad visa application, so check with a Greek tax advisor if you plan to stay long enough for it to matter.

FAQ

Do I need €3,500 before or after tax? The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes it as net monthly income, so €3,500 after tax deductions in your home country.

Can I apply for this visa from inside Greece? No. You apply at a Greek consulate in your country of residence before you travel. You can’t convert a tourist stay into this visa while you’re already in Greece.

Can my family come with me? Yes. Add 20% to the income threshold for a spouse or partner, and 15% per child.

How long can I stay in total? Up to 12 months on the initial visa, then up to two years at a time on the residence permit, renewable as long as you keep meeting the requirements.

Does this visa lead to permanent residency? Not directly. Permanent residence in Greece generally requires five years of continuous legal residence, and citizenship requires seven, under separate rules from this visa.

Will I owe Greek tax on my income? Only if you’re in Greece 183 days or more in a calendar year. Under that, you’re not a Greek tax resident and Greece doesn’t tax your foreign income.

See if this fits your situation

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