Do You Need a Visa to Live in Greece? A Clear Guide for Expats

If you are planning to move to Greece for the sunshine, lifestyle, or just a slower pace of life, the first question you need to answer is simple: do you need a visa?

The answer depends on your passport, how long you want to stay, and why you are moving. Here is the breakdown, explained with expats in mind.

If you are an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen

You do not need a visa to live, work, or study in Greece.
If you stay longer than 90 days, you must register with local authorities for a Residence Certificate. After five years of continuous residence in Greece, you can apply for permanent residence.

If you are from another Schengen country

Greece is part of the Schengen Area, so citizens of the 29 member countries can move here freely.
If you stay longer than 90 days, you must register locally for a Residence Certificate.

Schengen countries include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

If you are from a visa-free country outside Schengen

Many non-Schengen countries have agreements with Greece that allow short stays without a visa. This includes the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and many more.

Citizens of these countries can enter Greece without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
If you want to stay longer, you must apply for a long-stay visa, known as a Type D visa, before you move. Once in Greece, you must also apply for a residence permit.

Pro tip: You cannot usually switch from a tourist entry to a residence permit while inside Greece. The long-stay visa must be issued by a Greek consulate in your home country before you move.

If you are from a visa-required country

If your passport is not in the EU, Schengen, or visa-free lists, you will need a visa to enter Greece, even for a short visit. To live here, you must apply for a Type D visa and later a residence permit.

Long-term visa and permit options

If you are staying more than 90 days, your permit will depend on your reason for moving:

• Work: work visa and residence permit, usually requires a job offer or contract.

• Study: student visa and student residence permit.

• Remote work: digital nomad visa, available if you have a remote job and meet the minimum income.

• Retirement or passive income: financially independent person permit.

• Investment: Golden Visa program, available with a property purchase of minimum amount depending on location.

The Bottom Line

• EU, EEA, Swiss, and Schengen nationals do not need a visa, only registration if they stay beyond 90 days.
• Citizens of visa-free countries such as the US, UK, Israel, Canada, and Australia can enter without a visa for short visits but need a long-stay visa and residence permit to live in Greece.
• Nationals of all other countries require a visa for both short and long stays.

Our take

The easiest way to figure this out is to ask yourself three questions:

1. What passport do I hold?
2. How long do I want to stay?
3. Why am I moving to Greece?

Once you have the answers, the visa situation becomes clear. After that, it is just about handling the paperwork and preparing for your new life in Greece.