Greece Digital Nomad Visa and Residence Permit: Conditions, Application from Abroad, Costs and Renewal

English website article · version 1 · Greece · law checked on 30 October 2026

This article explains Greek law on the residence of digital nomads, as checked on 30 October 2026. The route is set out in Article 68 of the Greek Immigration Code, Law 5038/2023. It is open to nationals of countries outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland who work remotely, using information and communications technology, for an employer or clients established outside Greece. It applies throughout Greece and involves two separate legal stages. The first is a national long-stay visa (“type D”, category Z.1) issued by a Greek consulate abroad for up to twelve months. The second is a two-year residence permit issued in Greece, applied for before that visa expires.

The route suits a person whose income comes from work that is genuinely performed for someone outside Greece and who wants to live in Greece while continuing that work. It requires no investment, property purchase or Greek business. It does not, however, allow the holder to work for an employer established in Greece. It is also not an automatic tax exemption, and it is not a substitute for a work permit for a Greek job. Each of these limits is explained below, because a wrong assumption about any of them is a common reason for an application to fail or for difficulties after arrival.

The most important recent change is procedural. Since 6 February 2026 the route must normally begin at a Greek consulate in the applicant’s country of lawful residence. On that date Article 13 of Law 5275/2026 repealed the provision that had allowed people already in Greece on a short-stay (Schengen) visa or visa-free entry to apply for the digital nomad permit from inside the country. Guidance published before that date, including some official pages that have not been updated, may still describe the older route.

This article covers only the digital nomad route, for people who will keep working remotely for employers or clients outside Greece. Readers who will not work at all should read our analysis of the Greece Retirement Visa in 2026 (the financially independent person permit). Those considering residence through investment should read Greece Golden Visa 2026: The Complete Legal Guide to Residence by Investment in Greece. Our guide to residence permits in Greece gives an overview of every category.

The legal basis and who qualifies

Article 68 paragraph 1 of Law 5038/2023 covers third-country nationals who are employees, freelancers or self-employed and who can perform their work remotely for employers or clients outside Greece. “Third-country national” means anyone who is not a citizen of the European Union, the European Economic Area or Switzerland. The law does not limit the route to a list of approved nationalities. Nationality therefore does not exclude anyone by itself, although every application remains an individual decision and is subject to the ordinary checks on entry, public order, security and health under Articles 7 and 8 of the Code.

The special conditions are set out in Article 68 paragraph 2. They must be met in addition to the general requirements for any national visa.

Condition	What the law requires	Article 68 para. 2
Declaration of remote work	A solemn declaration that the applicant intends to stay in Greece to work remotely, with an undertaking not to work for, or provide services or projects to, an employer established in Greece	point (a)
Basis of the work: employee	An employment contract or other proof of employment with an employer established outside Greece. The contract must be indefinite, or its remaining term must cover the visa period applied for	point (b)
Basis of the work: freelancer with several clients	Contracts with more than one employer or client established outside Greece, each indefinite or covering the visa period	point (c)
Basis of the work: own business	Details of the applicant’s own business established outside Greece: its name, seat, field of activity and objects	point (d)
Sufficient resources	Stable resources of at least €3,500 a month for the main applicant, net of the taxes due in the country where the work is performed; plus 20% for a spouse or partner and 15% for each child	point (e)
Visa fee	A special national visa fee of €75	point (f)

The three working models in points (b), (c) and (d) are alternatives. A genuine employee of a foreign company does not need to set up a freelance business or a company to qualify, and should not do so merely because many other digital nomads are self-employed. Conversely, a person who invoices a single foreign client as a contractor is not an employee. The arrangement must be described as it actually exists. Joint Ministerial Decision 95391/2024 sets out the documents for each model in its Article 10, and that decision expressly states that no prior admission approval is required for this category. The procedure is therefore entirely different from the one a Greek employer follows to recruit a foreign worker.

Three points regularly cause misunderstanding.

First, the income test refers to net income. A gross salary of €3,500 does not satisfy the requirement if deductions in the country where the work is performed bring the amount received below the threshold. The decision allows the authority to assess resources month by month or on an annual average basis. For a single applicant the annual equivalent is €42,000.

Second, the relationship with the employer or clients must be real and continuing. An employer’s letter written only for the application cannot create employment that does not otherwise exist, and a letter describing a relationship that has ended is not proof of current employment. A company’s age, size or reputation is not a statutory condition. What matters is that the contract, the employer’s confirmation, the payslips or invoices and the bank credits all tell the same story.

Third, the work must be capable of being done remotely from Greece. Where an existing contract names a fixed workplace in another country, an addendum or employer letter confirming that the work may be performed from Greece usually removes an avoidable doubt.

Applying from abroad: which consulate, and why the national visa comes first

The general rules for Greek national visas are now set by Ministerial Decision 22343/2024, as supplemented by Ministerial Decision 65381/2025. The earlier decision F.3497.3/AP24245/2014 was repealed from 1 June 2024, so information still citing it should be read with care. Under Article 2 of Decision 22343/2024, the competent consular authority is the one in whose district the applicant lawfully resides. The applicant does not have to return to their country of nationality. A person who lives lawfully in another country may apply at the Greek consulate responsible for that place of residence, provided they can prove that residence, its address and its validity. If the residence permission is about to expire, is only an application still pending, or does not show ordinary residence in the consular district, that should be resolved before relying on that consulate’s competence.

The first practical step is to contact the competent Greek consulate and confirm three things: that it accepts national visa applications in the digital nomad category, which channel it uses (direct appointment or an authorized external visa service provider), and its current documentary formalities. A short-stay tourist appointment is a different service and should not be booked by mistake.

Article 68 paragraph 2 allows the preliminary material to be presented in person, by email or by registered post. This makes preparation easier but does not remove personal attendance. Under Article 3 of Decision 22343/2024 the consulate keeps control of the interview, the decision and the visa sticker, and may ask for further checks or documents. The applicant should therefore expect to attend with the original passport and documents when called.

The former in-country route is closed. Until 6 February 2026, Article 12 paragraph 7 of the Code allowed a digital nomad who was already lawfully in Greece on a short-stay visa or visa-free entry to apply for the permit there. Article 13 of Law 5275/2026 repealed that paragraph. Article 10 paragraph 3 of Joint Ministerial Decision 95391/2024 still mentions those forms of entry. However, a ministerial decision cannot keep alive a route whose basis in the Code has been repealed. For a new application, the safe course is to obtain the digital nomad national visa first and only then travel to Greece. Entering as a tourist and expecting to convert that status should be avoided.

The procedure, step by step

1. Eligibility and jurisdiction review.Before any money is spent on certificates, translations or travel, the applicant’s identity, lawful residence, working model, income and family composition are checked against Article 68.
   • The name on the employment, banking and tax records should match the passport exactly.
   • Any earlier visa refusal, removal, entry ban or relevant criminal proceeding must be identified now, because each must be disclosed.
   • The competent consulate is asked to confirm its filing channel and formalities.
   • A problem found at this stage costs little to fix. Found after the documents have been authenticated, it costs much more.
2. Preparation of the consular file.The national visa application, the solemn declaration under Article 68 paragraph 2(a), the employment or business evidence and the income evidence are assembled into one consistent file.
   • The employer’s confirmation should state the position, the duties, the start date and term, the salary currency, the gross pay, the deductions and the net pay. It should also give the employer’s registered details and the name and authority of the signatory, and confirm that the work may be done from Greece.
   • Only the translations and authentications that the consulate actually requires are ordered.
3. Submission, interview and the visa decision.The applicant attends when called, with the passport and originals, answers the interview personally and truthfully, and pays the consular fee through the channel the consulate specifies.
   • Requests for further documents are answered within the time given.
   • When the visa is issued, its name, category, dates, duration and number of entries should be checked immediately.
   • A visa does not guarantee entry: ordinary border checks still apply. The applicant should travel with proof of the purpose of the stay, accommodation, resources and health cover.
4. Entry into Greece and the residence permit application.A visa holder who wants to stay longer than the visa allows applies for the two-year digital nomad residence permit under Article 68 paragraph 4.
   • The application is made electronically to the Directorate of Aliens and Migration of the DecentralizedAdministration for the applicant’s place of residence in Greece, before the national visa expires.
   • The application must show that the Article 68 conditions are still met after arrival. Updated employment and income evidence, a Greek accommodation document, health insurance that meets Greek residence requirements, and proof of payment of the residence fees are therefore needed.
   • A Greek tax identification number is usually needed for the administrative and payment steps.
5. Certificate of submission.Once the file is complete, the administration issues an official certificate of submission under Article 10 of the Code.
   • That certificate is different from an appointment request or an unfinished online form.
   • It is also not the same as a residence card. Its validity and what it allows should be checked before any travel outside Greece while the application is pending.
6. Biometrics and the decision.After notification, the applicant attends personally to give fingerprints and a photograph for the residence card under Article 14 of the Code. No representative can do this for them.
   • When the decision and card are issued, the name, expiry date and recorded conditions should be checked.
   • A permit for a digital nomad is recorded under the “I.8” sufficient-resources code, which is also used for financially independent persons. The file should make clear that the digital nomad basis applies, because the two categories have different conditions and restrictions.

Documents

The two stages need two sets of documents. The consular set proves eligibility for the visa, and the Greek set shows that the conditions still apply after arrival. The consulate or the Greek administration may ask for further documents in an individual case.

Stage 1: the national visa (consulate)

Document	Purpose	Points to note
National visa application form and compliant photograph	Formal application	Use the current form; photograph specifications for the visa and the later residence card may differ
Valid recognised passport	Identity and travel document	Normally issued within the last ten years, valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay, with two blank pages, subject to the consulate’s directions
Proof of lawful residence in the consular district	Establishes that the consulate is competent	Residence permit and address evidence, with validity dates; translation if requested
Solemn declaration under Article 68 para. 2(a)	Intention to work remotely; undertaking not to work for a Greek employer	Signed personally by the applicant
Employment contract, or client contracts, or proof of own business	The working model under points (b), (c) or (d)	Must be current and genuine; a fixed term must cover the visa period
Employer confirmation of remote work from Greece	Shows the work can be performed from Greece and pay will continue	States position, duties, salary currency, gross, deductions, net, and the signatory’s authority
Corporate evidence of the foreign employer or business	Legal existence and active operation	A current registry extract is the usual starting point; a certified or apostilled version only if the authority requires it
Income evidence	Proves at least €3,500 net a month, plus family increments	Payslips or invoices, matching bank statements, tax or withholding evidence, and a transparent conversion where pay is in another currency
Criminal record certificate	Public order check	From the country of residence; a certificate from the country of origin may also be requested where the applicant has lived outside it for more than a year
Medical certificate	General national visa requirement	In the current prescribed form, from an accepted provider
Travel medical insurance	Covers the visa period	Must cover the prescribed emergency care and repatriation risks
Accommodation evidence, if requested, and fee receipt	Completes the file	Proof that the €75 fee was paid through the authorized channel

Stage 2: the residence permit (Greece)

Document	Purpose	Points to note
Copy of the passport with the digital nomad visa and entry evidence	Shows lawful entry on the correct visa	Application must be filed before the visa expires
Updated employment, business and income evidence	Shows the Article 68 conditions continue	A file built only on the consular documents may be out of date
Greek accommodation evidence	Address in Greece (Article 10 para. 3 of Decision 95391/2024)	A lease, title deed or lawful agreement granting use; buying property is not required
Private health insurance for residence	Meets Greek residence requirements	A short travel policy or a foreign employer’s domestic policy is not automatically enough
Proof of the €1,000 application fee and the €16 card fee	Public charges	Fee codes are checked on the day of payment
Photographs and attendance for biometrics	Residence card	Personal attendance is required
Any declaration of name or place of birth	Where the passport does not show them	Requested by the administration as needed

Foreign documents: authentication and translation. A public document issued in a country that is party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention generally needs an apostille. A document from a country outside that Convention generally has to be legalized through the competent Greek consular authority. A translation is not an authentication: a document translated in a third country does not become a public document of that country, and its origin must still be authenticated through the correct route. The accepted route and translation language should be confirmed before any work is ordered. Not every private employer letter needs legalization, and ordering certifications “just in case” is a frequent and avoidable expense.

Timing: legal deadlines and realistic estimates

The law sets one short deadline for this route, but the overall timetable depends mostly on how long it takes to gather documents and get appointments. Article 68 paragraph 2 requires the consular authority to respond within ten days of the relevant request and to complete the process as a one-stop procedure. Article 3 of Decision 22343/2024 likewise sets a ten-day period for the decision on a digital nomad national visa. These are real legal obligations that can be relied on. They run from the submission of a complete application, not from a first enquiry, and the period passing without an answer is not an approval.

The second fixed point is the deadline for the residence permit application. It must be submitted before the national visa expires. There is no reason to wait until the visa’s last days.

Stage	Typical allowance	What it depends on
Eligibility review once the basic records are available	About 3–5 working days	Complete, legible identity, residence, contract and income records
Employer evidence, translations and authentication	Commonly 2–6 weeks	Documents from countries needing consular legalization, certified corporate records and missing records can extend this considerably
Consular appointment and visa decision	Appointment availability varies; the decision period is 10 days from a complete application	Further checks or missing evidence
Preparing the Greek residence application after arrival	Normally 1–3 weeks once the Greek address, insurance and documents are ready	Must in every case be filed before the visa expires
Biometrics and the residence decision	A planning allowance of several months, provisionally 2–6 months after a complete submission	Administrative workload; an estimate, not a published service standard

The figures in the table, other than the ten-day period and the visa-expiry deadline, are planning estimates based on practice, not legal deadlines or guarantees. The actual visa expiry date and any request for further evidence always set the real calendar. Irreversible commitments, such as ending a lease or resigning from local arrangements, are best made only after the visa decision.

Costs paid to the State and to third parties

For one adult who completes both stages, the fixed public charges currently total €1,091: the €75 visa fee, the €1,000 residence permit fee and the €16 card fee. Other unavoidable costs, such as insurance, the medical certificate, translations and travel, are priced by the provider and vary from case to case. The tables below cover one main applicant first obtaining the national visa and then the initial residence permit. All amounts are in euros. Public charges are paid at the stage shown, not all at once: if the process stops after the visa, the residence charges are not incurred.

Mandatory charges

Charge	Paid to	Amount	Unit	When	Legal basis and check date
National digital nomad visa fee	Greek consular authority, through its authorized channel	€75	Per applicant	Visa stage	Law 5038/2023, art. 68 para. 2(f); checked 30 Oct 2026
Residence permit application fee	Greek State (electronic fee)	€1,000	Main applicant	Residence application in Greece	Law 5038/2023, art. 171 para. 1; Joint Ministerial Decision 95391/2024, art. 10 para. 3; checked 29 Oct 2026
Residence card production fee	Greek State (electronic fee)	€16	Per card, for each person including children	Card and biometrics stage	Joint Ministerial Decision 95391/2024, art. 2; checked 29 Oct 2026
Travel medical insurance for the visa period	Insurer	Insurer’s quotation	Per person	Before the visa application	National visa rules (Decision 22343/2024)
Health insurance meeting Greek residence requirements	Insurer	Insurer’s quotation	Per person	Residence application	Joint Ministerial Decision 133692/2024
Medical certificate	Accepted medical provider	Provider’s charge	Per person	Visa stage	National visa rules (Decision 22343/2024, as supplemented in 2025)
Criminal record certificate from the country of residence	Issuing authority	Issuing authority’s tariff, if any	Per adult	Visa stage	Decision 22343/2024, art. 4
Photographs (visa and card specifications)	Photographer	Provider’s charge	Per person	Each stage	Visa and residence card rules
Travel to the consulate and to Greece, and personal attendance	Carriers and accommodation providers	Actual cost	Per person	Each stage	Personal attendance is required for the interview and biometrics

Possible or conditional expenses

Expense	When it arises	Paid to	Amount	Stage
Translation and authentication (apostille or consular legalisation) of foreign documents	A foreign document must be translated into Greek, or apostilled or legalised, before submission (for example, the criminal record certificate)	Translators, notaries, apostille or consular authorities	Depends on the document, the language and the issuing country	Before submission
Spouse or partner’s residence application and card	An adult family member accompanies the applicant	Greek State	€150 + €16 = €166 per adult	Residence stage
Child’s residence card	A child under 18 accompanies the applicant (the application fee is waived)	Greek State	€16 per child	Card stage
Family members’ national visas	Family members apply for their own visas under art. 68 para. 3	Consular authority	To be confirmed in writing by the competent consulate	Visa stage
Criminal record from the country of origin, with legalisation and translation	The applicant has lived outside the country of origin for more than a year and the consulate requests it	Issuing authority, consulate, translator	Actual tariffs	Visa stage
Certified or apostilled company documents	The authority requires a certified record rather than an ordinary registry extract	Foreign company registry, apostille authority	The registry’s and authority’s current tariffs	Before submission
Notarial certification of copies or signatures	A specific document must be certified	Notary	Notary’s quotation	Before submission
Tax certificates or an accountant’s explanatory statement	The authority asks for further tax evidence, or the tax position needs explaining	Tax authority or accountant	Official tariff or agreed fee	Visa or residence stage
Service charge of an external visa provider, or a consular administrative charge	The consulate directs applicants to an authorised provider or levies an administrative charge	Provider or consulate	Current tariff, confirmed in writing before booking	Visa stage
Extra translations, renewed certificates, courier, further travel	Documents expire, names differ, or more evidence is requested	Various	Actual cost	Any stage
Greek or foreign tax and payroll advice	Relocation raises tax residence, employer payroll or business-presence questions	Accountant or tax adviser	Adviser’s quotation	Before relocating
Lease security deposit	Renting accommodation in Greece	Landlord	As agreed in the lease	Residence stage
Late renewal charge	Renewal filed after the permit expires (allowed for up to three months)	Greek State	€100 for each month of delay	Renewal
Replacement residence card	A card is lost, damaged or must be reissued	Greek State	€100 + €16, subject to applicable exemptions	When needed

A lease deposit is refundable security, not a cost of the procedure. Some older guides mention other flat fees for this route; any amount not listed above should be confirmed with the competent authority before it is paid.

Worked example for a family of three. For a main applicant, a spouse and one child, the residence-stage public charges are:

• Main applicant:€1,000 + €16 = €1,016
• Spouse:€150 + €16 = €166
• Child:€16 card only
• Total for the residence stage:€1,198

Add the main applicant’s €75 visa fee and the family members’ visa fees as confirmed by the consulate. This total excludes insurance, documents, translations, travel and accommodation.

The income requirement is not a cost. The €3,500 a month is not paid to anyone. It is a level of stable net income the applicant must show and keep up.

Household	Monthly net resources required	Annual equivalent
Main applicant alone	€3,500	€42,000
With spouse or partner (+20%, €700)	€4,200	€50,400
With spouse or partner and one child (+15%, €525)	€4,725	€56,700
With spouse or partner and two children	€5,250	€63,000

Where pay is in another currency, the euro equivalent must be shown on a clear and identifiable exchange basis. A sensible margin above the threshold protects against exchange-rate movements. Transfers between the applicant’s own accounts, loans, gifts and reimbursements are not earnings, and an unexplained recent lump sum is not evidence of stable income. A bank balance can support the file, but it does not replace evidence of continuing remote work.

What the permit allows, its limits, tax, family and renewal

What the permit allows. The permit lets the holder live lawfully in Greece while doing the declared remote work for the foreign employer, clients or business. It does not allow work for an employer established in Greece. A foreign contract that is only nominal, used to cover what is really a Greek job, breaches both the declaration given at the visa stage and the conditions of the permit. Any change of employer, working model, income, address, passport or family circumstances should be assessed promptly, as it may require notification or affect renewal. False documents, misleading declarations or the loss of the substantive conditions can lead to refusal, non-renewal or withdrawal. The expiry date printed on a card does not cure a misrepresentation.

Travel. A Greek residence permit is not a right to live or work in another EU state or in the United Kingdom. Travel within the Schengen area must respect the ordinary short-stay conditions and the validity of the passport and permit.

Family members. Under Article 68 paragraph 3, the following may accompany the main applicant:

• a spouse or registered partner;
• the couple’s unmarried children under 18, including adopted children;
• the other unmarried children under 18 of either partner, where that partner has lawful custody.

Each family member receives an individual visa that expires with the main applicant’s visa, and each needs a separate residence application and evidence, including the increased income. Family members may not take dependent employment or carry on any economic activity in Greece during their stay.

Tax. Immigration status and tax residence are different legal questions. Under Article 4 of the Greek Income Tax Code (Law 4172/2013), a person is generally tax-resident in Greece if their permanent or main home, habitual residence or centre of vital interests is in Greece. A person who is physically present for more than 183 days in any twelve-month period is also generally tax-resident, subject to the exceptions set out in the law and in guidance from the Greek tax authority.

• Being paid by a foreign employer into a foreign bank account does not, by itself, make income from work physically performed in Greece tax-free.
• Where the work is performed, the source and residence rules, any tax treaty and foreign tax credits all need separate review.
• The digital nomad permit carries no automatic tax exemption, and it is not automatic eligibility for the separate tax incentives available to qualifying new Greek tax residents.
• Employers should also check whether prolonged remote work from Greece creates Greek payroll, social insurance or business-presence obligations for them.

This review is best done before choosing a relocation date or signing a long lease.

Renewal. The initial permit lasts two years under Article 68 paragraph 4. It can be renewed while the conditions continue to be met. Article 10 paragraph 4 of Decision 95391/2024 refers renewal to the general sufficient-resources rule in Article 163 paragraph 8 of the Code, which provides for three-year permits. Official practical guidance, however, describes digital nomad renewals every two years. The length of a renewed permit should therefore be confirmed against the law in force at the time of renewal. Planning should not assume either period.

Article 11 of the Code, as amended by Article 12 of Law 5275/2026, governs the renewal application. Renewals are best prepared in the two months before expiry. The law allows filing up to three months after expiry, at a charge of €100 for each month of delay and subject to its conditions, with a separate rule for proven force majeure beyond that period. Relying on late filing is not a sound way to keep a clean immigration record.

The route does not lead automatically to permanent residence or Greek citizenship after a fixed number of years. Any later change of status, such as long-term residence, requires its own assessment of the conditions applicable at that time.

Refusals and the available remedies

A refusal should be answered from the written decision, not from an informal explanation. If a consulate refuses the visa, the first step is to obtain that decision, record the date it was notified and examine the factual and legal grounds it gives. Depending on those grounds, the right response may be:

• a new and corrected application, where a document was missing or unclear;
• a request for administrative reconsideration;
• judicial protection, where the decision appears unlawful.

If the residence permit application is refused, or a permit is later withdrawn, Articles 15 and 16 of the Immigration Code provide the framework, including the requirement for a reasoned decision and the remedies stated in the applicable procedure. Correspondence with the authority does not suspend a court deadline, so the time limits stated in the decision’s notice of remedies must be tracked from the start.

The most common avoidable causes of difficulty are:

• income that is gross rather than net;
• an employer letter that does not match the payslips or bank credits;
• a contract whose term does not cover the visa period;
• relying on the repealed in-country route;
• missing authentication of foreign documents;
• filing the residence application after the visa has expired.

Court decisions of the European Union on other kinds of visa help explain how such files are assessed, but none of them decides a Greek digital nomad application. In Koushkaki (Case C-84/12, 19 December 2013) the Court of Justice addressed the individual examination of short-stay visa applications under the EU Visa Code. In Fahimian (Case C-544/15, 4 April 2017) it addressed a study visa and the authorities’ broad discretion on public security, which must still rest on an adequate factual basis and remain subject to judicial review. Neither judgment creates a right to a Greek national visa. Both confirm that a decision must be based on the applicant’s verified individual circumstances.

How Oikonomakis Law can assist

Oikonomakis Law handles Greek digital nomad applications for clients of any nationality living anywhere in the world, subject to the statutory conditions and acceptance of the individual instruction. The work is organised through four teams:

• the immigration and residence practice, which identifies the correct admission route and prepares the visa and residence files;
• the administrative law team, which follows the application, deals with requests for further evidence and, under a separate instruction, examines any adverse decision;
• the cross-border employment and corporate documentation practice, which reviews the foreign employer’s or business’s evidence and the remote-work arrangements;
• the tax coordination function, which identifies the questions to be referred to a Greek accountant or a foreign adviser before relocation.

In practice we can:

• assess eligibility before any expense is incurred;
• confirm the competent consulate and its current channel;
• prepare the application, the solemn declaration and a reasoned covering submission;
• review the employer’s confirmation and any remote-work addendum;
• organise only the translations and authentications actually required;
• prepare the applicant for the interview;
• after arrival, prepare and file the residence application electronically, follow it through to the decision and arrange the biometric and card formalities.

Preparation and coordination can be done remotely, but the applicant must still attend the consulate and the biometric appointment in person.

Oikonomakis Law has its head office in Piraeus, Greece, and offices across Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Oceania. The full list, with telephone numbers, appears in the contact section below. To discuss a specific case, contact us at leads@oikonomakislaw.com or on our global WhatsApp line +44 20 3769 4973, which serves clients in every country.

Questions and answers

Can I apply while I am in Greece as a tourist? No. Since 6 February 2026, when Law 5275/2026 repealed the in-country route, a new applicant should obtain the digital nomad national visa from the competent Greek consulate abroad before travelling.

Can I apply in the country where I live rather than my country of nationality? Yes, if you live there lawfully. The competent consulate is the one for your place of lawful residence, which you must prove.

Do I need to set up a company or register as a freelancer? No. A genuine employment contract with an employer established outside Greece is enough. Freelancers with several foreign clients and owners of a business outside Greece also qualify, each with their own evidence.

Is the €3,500 a month gross or net? Net, after the taxes due in the country where the work is performed. It rises by 20% for a spouse or partner and 15% for each child.

Can I work for a Greek company once I have the permit? No. The permit is based on remote work for employers or clients outside Greece, and you undertake not to work for an employer established in Greece. Accompanying family members may not work in Greece at all.

What are the government charges? For one adult: €75 for the visa, then €1,000 for the residence permit and €16 for the card, a total of €1,091. Insurance, certificates, translations and travel are extra and vary. See the cost tables above for family members and conditional items.

How long does the digital nomad visa and permit process take? The law requires a decision on a complete visa application within ten days. Collecting documents and getting appointments usually take longer, and the residence decision in Greece can take several months.

Does the digital nomad permit make me tax-free or tax-resident in Greece? Neither automatically. Tax residence depends on Article 4 of the Income Tax Code, including the 183-day test. Income from work done in Greece is not exempt simply because the employer is foreign.

How long is the permit, and can it be renewed? The first permit lasts two years and can be renewed while the conditions are met. Confirm the length of the renewed permit against the law in force at the time, and file the renewal before expiry.

What can I do if the consulate refuses the digital nomad visa? Ask for the written decision and note the date you received it. Depending on its reasons, you may file a new, corrected application, ask for administrative reconsideration or seek judicial protection. Court deadlines run from notification and are not suspended by correspondence with the authority, so act promptly. See the section on refusals above.

Contact Oikonomakis Law

If you are considering the Greek digital nomad route, send us a short private description of your situation at leads@oikonomakislaw.com or on our global WhatsApp line +44 20 3769 4973. Tell us your nationality, where you live lawfully, how you work (as an employee, a freelancer or a business owner), roughly what your net monthly income is and whether family members will come with you. To arrange a Zoom consultation, please propose a day, time and time zone, give the names and roles of the participants, and outline what you would like to discuss. Please do not post passports, identity documents or personal details in public comments.

Our offices

Head office: 42–44 Iroon Polytechniou Avenue, 185 35 Piraeus, Attica, Greece. Our global WhatsApp number, +44 20 3769 4973, serves clients in every country, including countries where no local office is listed.

Region	Country	Office	Telephone
Europe	Greece	Piraeus (head office)	+30 210 3600036
Europe	Greece	Athens	+30 210 3600036
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Europe	United Kingdom	London	+44 20 3769 4973
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Europe	Belgium	Brussels	+32 2 8860345
Europe	Luxembourg	Luxembourg City	+352 20606179
Europe	Romania	Bucharest	+40 31 2295320
Europe	Bulgaria	Sofia	+359 2 4929301
Europe	Albania	Tirana	+355 4 5301325
Europe	Cyprus	Nicosia	+357 22008290
Europe	Malta	St Julian’s	+356 20341850
Europe	Russia	Moscow	Global WhatsApp +44 20 3769 4973
Europe / Asia	Türkiye	Istanbul	Global WhatsApp +44 20 3769 4973
Asia	Singapore	Singapore	+65 31258831
Asia	India	Gurugram / New Delhi	+91 22 62054742
Asia	United Arab Emirates	Dubai	+972 3 3741019
Asia	Israel	Tel Aviv	+972 3 3741019
Africa	Nigeria	Abuja	+234 209 3940815
Africa	South Africa	Pretoria	+27 12 0041723
Africa	Zambia	Lusaka	Global WhatsApp +44 20 3769 4973
Africa	Cameroon	Douala	Global WhatsApp +44 20 3769 4973
America	Panama	Panama City	+507 8360403
Oceania	Australia	Melbourne	+61 3 70480468

This article is general information on Greek law as checked on 30 October 2026. It is not legal advice on any individual case. Whether the route is available, and on what terms, depends on your own facts and on the law and charges in force when you apply, so a professional assessment is needed before you act. Reading this article, or sending us an initial message, does not create a lawyer-client relationship.

Sources

No published Greek court decision applying Article 68 was identified in the firm’s review. The analysis therefore rests on the legislation and official materials above. Web sources were checked between 28 and 30 October 2026, and Greek-language originals prevail over any translation.

Source	What it supports	Where to find it
Law 5038/2023, Greek Immigration Code (Government Gazette A’ 81, 1 April 2023), arts 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 68, 163 para. 8 and 171, as amended	Eligibility, visa and permit, family members, renewal, charges, remedies	National Printing House · Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Greek original)
Law 5275/2026 (Government Gazette A’ 17, 6 February 2026), art. 12 (renewal and late filing) and art. 13 (repeal of art. 12 para. 7 of the Code)	Closure of the in-country route; late renewal charge	National Printing House; draft article 13 in public consultation (draft text, Greek)
Joint Ministerial Decision 95391/2024 (Government Gazette B’ 1807, 22 March 2024), arts 2 and 10	Documents for the visa and permit; no prior approval needed; card fee	National Printing House (Greek original)
Ministerial Decision 22343/2024 (Government Gazette B’ 2555, 1 May 2024), arts 2–5, and Ministerial Decision 65381/2025 (Government Gazette B’ 6445, 2 December 2025)	Consular competence by lawful residence; interview, decision, ten-day period; supporting documents	Ministry of Foreign Affairs, national visas (Greek original)
Joint Ministerial Decision 133692/2024 (Government Gazette B’ 2724, 10 May 2024)	Private health insurance for residence applicants	Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Greek original)
Law 4172/2013, Income Tax Code, art. 4	Tax residence and the 183-day test	Independent Authority for Public Revenue
Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents	Apostille and authentication of foreign documents	Hague Conference on Private International Law
Court of Justice of the EU, Koushkaki, C-84/12, 19 December 2013, ECLI:EU:C:2013:862	Individual examination of visa applications (short-stay visas; limited relevance)	Curia
Court of Justice of the EU, Fahimian, C-544/15, 4 April 2017, ECLI:EU:C:2017:255	Public security discretion with factual basis and judicial review (study visas; limited relevance)	Curia
Embassy of Greece in London, “Greece welcomes digital nomads”	Official summary of the visa and income requirement (administrative information)	Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Work from Greece	Practical guide linked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (non-binding)	workfromgreece.gr
European Commission, EU Immigration Portal	Overview of the Greek route (administrative information)	European Commission
OECD, The 2025 Update to the OECD Model Tax Convention (19 November 2025), doi 10.1787/5798080f-en	Remote work and an employer’s possible taxable presence (interpretative, not binding law)	OECD
European Migration Network, ad hoc query on forged documents in digital nomad applications (3 December 2024)	Recommended further reading on verifying employment and income evidence	EMN Belgium