Greece’s “Golden Visa” program, whereby non-EU foreign nationals can gain a residence permit with the purchase of property for more than 250,000 euros, has generated 18,833 applications since 2018, according to the relevant migration policy ministry.
Nevertheless, an upcoming hike in the sum necessary to apply, set to be raised to half a million euros in three months, has alone accounted for just more than 6,064 applications since March 2022 and 1,545 renewal applications.
Over the first quarter of the year, 1,360 new applications for the “Golden Visa” were issued, up 139 percent on an annual basis compared to the corresponding period of 2022. With the addition of renewal applications, the number reaches 1,545.
The vast number of applicants for the program are Chinese nationals, with 6,386 residency permits, or a whopping 62.1 percent of the total.
Far behind in second place are Turkish nationals, with 672 visas (6.5 percent), with Lebanese nationals in third place, with 487 visas (4.7 percent).
