To qualify for the Greece digital nomad visa, you must be a non-EU/EEA national working remotely for employers or clients based outside Greece, earn a net monthly income of at least €3,500, and file a specific document package at a Greek consulate with jurisdiction over where you live. The visa was created under Law 4825/2021 and runs up to 12 months, after which you can convert it into a renewable two-year residence permit.1European Migration Network. EMN Country Factsheet Greece 2021
Who Qualifies
The visa is aimed at citizens of countries outside the EU and EEA who perform their work through information and communication technologies. That covers a wide range of jobs: software development, consulting, freelance design, and similar remote roles. You can be a salaried employee of a foreign company or self-employed with clients abroad.
The rule that trips people up is the one about Greek income. You cannot work for a Greek employer or take on Greek clients while holding this visa. Your income stream has to originate outside the country. If you’re self-employed, the authorities want to see business registration documents and client agreements showing your work originates abroad. Freelancers with multiple clients should collect contracts or invoices that clearly show each client’s foreign location.
Income Requirements
The base threshold is a net monthly income of €3,500. If you’re bringing a spouse or partner, that figure rises by 20%. Each dependent child adds another 15%. A family of four (two parents, two children) works out to roughly €5,250 per month.
Proof has to be verifiable. Employment contracts, pay stubs, and bank statements showing consistent deposits are the standard evidence. A single lump-sum balance in an account won’t satisfy the requirement; consulates want to see regular income landing over time.
Documents You’ll Need
Gathering paperwork is the slowest part of the process, so start two to three months before you plan to apply.
- A valid passport with plenty of remaining validity. Aim for at least 18 months beyond your intended stay.
- Proof of remote work: employment contracts, client agreements, or recent pay stubs showing your employer or clients are outside Greece. Fixed-term contracts must cover at least the duration of the visa.
- Twelve months of bank statements confirming your net monthly income meets the threshold, with regular verifiable deposits.
- A criminal record certificate from your home country’s authorities, typically issued within the last three months.
- Private health insurance covering at least €30,000 in medical expenses, including medical repatriation.
- A signed declaration that you will not seek employment with any Greek entity during your stay.
The Health Insurance Fine Print
The €30,000 minimum lines up with standard Schengen visa rules, but consulates often look more carefully at long-stay policies. If your policy is issued in a language other than Greek or English, ask your insurer for a bilingual certificate that spells out coverage limits and the repatriation clause. A vague summary page is a common reason applications get sent back.
Translations and Apostille
Every document issued outside Greece has to be translated into Greek by a certified translator and authenticated with an Apostille stamp. Translations typically cost $24 to $39 per page, and Apostille fees run $10 to $26 per document depending on your country. Budget several hundred dollars and extra weeks for this step, since processing at state offices varies.
How to Apply
Applications go to the Greek consulate or embassy with jurisdiction over your place of residence. The process is in person and includes an interview, so plan the trip if the consulate isn’t close. During the appointment, a consular officer reviews your originals and asks about your remote work arrangements. The application fee is €75 and is non-refundable regardless of the decision.
Processing generally takes ten days to one month, though busier consulates run longer. You’ll hear the outcome by email or phone. If approved, the visa is issued as a sticker in your passport, valid for up to 12 months.
Bring originals and copies of everything, organized in the same order as the checklist. Some consulates will let you supplement missing items by email, but don’t count on that. Making the reviewer’s job easy works in your favor.
After You Arrive: The Residence Permit
The initial visa lets you into Greece, but if you want to stay past a year you’ll need to convert it into a residence permit before the 12 months expire. That application goes through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s one-stop service offices inside Greece, not the consulate where you got the visa. The permit is valid for two years and renewable as long as you keep meeting the income and employment requirements.2EY. Law 4825/2021 – Digital Nomad Visa
The renewal package looks a lot like the original: current work contracts, fresh bank statements, valid health insurance, and the signed declaration about not working for Greek employers. File before your current permit expires to avoid a gap in legal status. Processing speed varies noticeably between Athens, Thessaloniki, and smaller cities, so a complete, well-organized file matters.
Bringing Family
Your spouse or partner and dependent children can come with you under the same framework. Each family member gets their own visa or residence permit that expires when yours does.1European Migration Network. EMN Country Factsheet Greece 2021 You need to meet the higher family income thresholds from the start and maintain them throughout the stay.
Family members cannot work in Greece. Their permits explicitly exclude employment or professional activity in the country. A spouse who wants to keep doing their own remote work for a foreign employer would need to apply for the digital nomad visa independently and meet the full €3,500 income threshold on their own.
A Tax Warning Before You Go
The visa itself doesn’t address your tax situation, and this is where digital nomads get caught. If you spend more than 183 days in Greece within a calendar year, Greek authorities generally treat you as a tax resident, which means Greece can tax your worldwide income. Authorities also look at your “center of vital interests,” so someone under 183 days whose family, finances, and daily life are all in Greece can still be classified as a resident. Talk to a Greek tax advisor before you assume the visa keeps your tax life abroad untouched.