Residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons
If you have a high and stable income and want to do business in the Greek jurisdiction, we have good news for you.
The legislation of this European country provides for the possibility of obtaining a residence permit for financially independent persons.
A residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons is issued for a period of 24 months and is renewed if the conditions for obtaining it are still met. An application for renewal of residency must be submitted two months before the expiration of the original residence permit.
The aforementioned financially independent persons must be citizens of third countries, i.e. non-EU countries. They can be accompanied by their family members, who are granted a personal permit that expires with the permit of their sponsors. Family members are the spouses of the main applicant and his children under the age of 18 (including adopted children), as well as the children of his spouse.
A comparative analysis of all available methods of obtaining Greek residency shows that this option will be useful primarily to businessmen and other wealthy individuals from the post-Soviet countries seeking to obtain resident status in an EU member state without spending excessively high amounts.
By applying for a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons, the applicant receives, among other things, the following benefits and rights as a Greek resident:
The right to a visa-free visit to all Schengen countries, as well as to stay on the territory of such countries of destination, virtually without any time restrictions;
The right to de facto residence by the family in its entirety in the arbitrary jurisdiction of the Schengen area while the residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons is valid;
No need to actually reside in Greek territory at one time or another in order to maintain a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons;
The right to register a new or buy an existing Greek business;
The right to organize education for their children in schools, universities and other educational institutions located on the territory of the Schengen signatory countries;
The right to obtain a permanent residence (permanent residence) at the end of a five-year period from the date of actual receipt of a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons;
The right to apply for Greek citizenship at the end of the five-year period from the date of obtaining permanent residence.
Who can apply for a residence permit for a financially independent person?
The right to obtain a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons have citizens of third countries, that is, countries that are not part of the EU. Such citizens must:
1. Have a stable source of income (the amount of monthly income should start from the level of 2 thousand euros). This income should allow them to live in Greek territory without using the host country's social security system.
2. Provide supporting documentation regarding the absence of previous convictions, as well as not being involved in the Greek Register of Undesirable Persons.
A residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons is characterized by a number of restrictions:
1. A residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons does not provide for the right to work;
2. The legislation of the host country does not provide foreigners who have issued a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons, the right to change this residence for a residence of any other category;
3. A residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons is issued for a period of two years with the possibility of renewing it for three years - provided that the required income level of a foreigner who has received a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons is maintained.
It is quite simple to obtain a residence permit in Greece for financially independent persons.
The procedures can start with a D visa at the nearest Greek diplomatic mission (eg embassy).
To obtain a type D visa, the following documents must be provided to the authorities of the host country:
1. A valid international passport or other travel document recognized by Greek law with a valid visa. Prerequisite: the passport must be valid for at least another three months after the end of the visa, and have at least 2 blank pages and must have been issued within the last decade;
2. Certificate of no criminal record;
3. Certificate of health status issued by a public or private medical institution recognized by the state of which the applicant is a citizen. The text of such a certificate must indicate that the applicant concerned does not suffer from a disease that is dangerous to public health (according to international standards of the World Health Organization / WHO), or another disease that requires quarantine to protect public health;
4. Documents confirming the existence of a monthly income of 2 thousand euros. Documents confirming the existence of income are:
- Tax return,
- Certificate of income,
- Certificate of receipt of dividends,
- Confirmation of the presence of a bank account in the name of the main applicant in a Greek bank, on which at least 24 thousand Euro.
These funds will cover the minimum required, according to the program requirements, the amount of the minimum income of 2 thousand. euro / month In the event that the spouse obtains residency with the main applicant, the minimum required income level is increased by 20 percent. In the case of registration of residency for minor children together with the main applicant, the level of the minimum required income increases by 15 percent - for each minor involved in the collective application;
5. Medical insurance policy;
6. The presence of real estate in the Greek territory owned / leased or the presence of a registration address, which can be provided by our partners for 2 thousand euros / year.