A total of 6,520 residency permits have been issued to Chinese nationals through Greece’s Golden Visa Program as of February 2025, the statistics from the Ministry of Migration reveal.
The recently provided data show that Chinese nationals continue to remain top beneficiaries of the Hellenic Republic’s Residency-by-Investment scheme, Schengen.News reports.
Chinese nationals are followed by Turkish investors with 1,471 permits issued, Lebanese investors with 798 permits issued, and Britons with 595.
In addition, the statistics from the Ministry also reveal that an increase in demand has also been noted among investors from Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Again, the most sought-after option of this scheme was the real estate investment one. According to a report from Tovima, when it comes to preferred properties, wealthy foreign investors often choose luxury homes, seaside villas as well as homes of historical importance.
Wealthy internationals are attracted to the Athenian Riviera, while central areas such as Kolonaki continue to remain popular due to history and modern amenities.
Foreigners interested in upscale residences choose Athens’ northern suburbs such as Kifisia, Ekali, and Marousi. Islands such as Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and Paros, are also popular for holiday homes. According to a report from Tovima, the Peloponnese has also gained interest from investors interested in luxury vacation properties.
Extension of Deadline to Finalise Golden Visa Applications
The Residency-by-Investment Program of Greece offers residency in exchange for financial investments made through various options, attracting a large number of wealthy foreigners each year.
In 2024 alone, a total of 9,289 applications for the Golden Visa Program were submitted accounting for €2.32 billion real estate investments.
Last year, Greece applied several changes to its Golden Visa Program, among them, increasing the minimum amount required for investments through this scheme to €800,000 in some of the most famous parts of the country.
Greece also introduced new requirements in a bid to address the housing crisis with which the country is dealing.
However, authorities in Greece previously announced an extension for certain investors, giving them the opportunity to complete their transactions under the previous regulations until February 28, 2025.
