Golden Visa Greece for Ukrainians: documents and translation

800,000 euros for a flat in Athens - and you’ve got a Greek residence permit. Or 250,000 - if you know where and what to buy. Golden Visa is a program that gives you a residence permit in Greece (and free movement across the Schengen zone) in exchange for a real estate investment. For Ukrainians, it’s one of the most straightforward paths to an EU residence permit - no employer needed, no university enrollment, no endless embassy queues. But here’s the catch: without properly prepared and translated documents, your application joins a backlog of 50,000 others. Let’s break it all down.

What Golden Visa gives you and who it’s for¶

Greece’s Golden Visa is a five-year residence permit for you and your family, issued after a qualifying real estate investment. The program has been running since 2013, with over 31,000 permits issued to main applicants.

Here’s what you actually get:

• A 5-year residence permit, renewable as long as you keep the investment
• Visa-free travel across the entire Schengen zone (up to 90 days per 180-day period)
• Zero minimum stay requirements - you can live in Greece full-time or just visit once a year
• The right to include your spouse, children under 21 (extendable to 24 with annual renewals), and parents of both spouses
• After 7 years of residence - eligibility for Greek citizenship

Who it’s for: if you’ve got the capital and want a “plan B” EU residence permit, or you’re planning to relocate to the Greek coast. No job search required, no Greek language test for the permit itself, no obligation to live in the country year-round.

Three investment zones: how much you need¶

Since September 2024, Greece has completely restructured its Golden Visa thresholds. Instead of a single 250,000 euro minimum, there are now three zones with different requirements.

Zone A: 800,000 euros¶

The premium zone. Includes:

• All of Attica (Athens, Piraeus, and suburbs)
• Central Thessaloniki
• Mykonos and Santorini
• All Greek islands with populations above 3,100 (that’s 32 islands, including Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and Zakynthos)

Requirements: a single property of at least 120 m², valued at 800,000 euros or more.

Zone B: 400,000 euros¶

The rest of Greece - mainland areas (except Attica and Thessaloniki) and small islands with populations under 3,100.

Same area requirements: one property, minimum 120 m², but the investment threshold is half of Zone A.

If you’re not tied to Athens - the Peloponnese, Halkidiki, and the Ionian Islands are solid options at 400,000.

Zone C: 250,000 euros (conversion or restoration)¶

The most interesting option for budget-conscious investors. Works across all of Greece - even in Athens and Santorini. But there’s a condition: you either convert a commercial property into residential, or restore a listed heritage building.

The conversion must be completed before you apply for the Golden Visa. So you buy a commercial unit, get a change-of-use permit from the municipality, complete the renovation - and only then submit your application.

This option generates the most discussion on investor forums. One commenter wrote: “Bought an office space in central Athens for 280,000, conversion cost another 40,000. Total 320,000 instead of 800,000 - and the Golden Visa is exactly the same.” But lawyers warn: the conversion process takes 3 to 12 months and requires a Greek architect and engineer.

Step-by-step: from decision to residence card¶

Step 1: Get an AFM¶

Without an AFM (ΑΦΜ - Greek tax number), you can’t buy property or apply for a Golden Visa. Full details on how to get one are in our AFM guide for Ukrainians.

Step 2: Hire a Greek lawyer¶

For Golden Visa, a lawyer isn’t optional - it’s essential. They check the property, prepare documents, and submit the application on your behalf. Most of the process can be handled remotely through a Power of Attorney.

A Power of Attorney is a notarized document that authorizes your Greek lawyer to act on your behalf: buy property, open accounts, submit applications. You get it notarized in Ukraine, apostilled, and translated into Greek.

Lawyer fees for Golden Visa run 1-1.5% of the property value.

Step 3: Open a Greek bank account¶

You’ll need one for paying for the property and fees. Your lawyer with a Power of Attorney can open it for you. Requirements: your passport and AFM.

Step 4: Buy the property¶

After the lawyer’s due diligence - you sign the purchase contract at a Greek notary, pay the property transfer tax (3.09%), and register the property in the land registry. Full details on the buying process are in our property guide.

Step 5: Submit the Golden Visa application¶

Your lawyer submits the application to the migration authority (Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης) with the complete document package. A temporary permit is usually issued within 1-2 months, but full processing of the residence card takes 4 to 12 months. As of 2025-2026, there’s a backlog of roughly 50,000 pending applications.

Step 6: Travel to Greece for biometrics¶

The only time you need to be physically present in Greece - to provide fingerprints and collect your residence card. Everything else your lawyer handles remotely.

Full document checklist for Golden Visa¶

Main applicant documents¶

Investment documents¶

Family member documents¶

What needs to be translated and how to do it right¶

The key rule: ALL documents issued outside Greece must be translated into Greek by a certified translator.

Who can do the translation¶

In Greece, official translations are only accepted from three sources:

1. The Translation Service of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs - most reliable option, but slow and expensive
2. A lawyer registered with the Greek Bar Association - convenient because your lawyer can translate and file documents in one go
3. A certified graduate of the Ionian University’s Faculty of Foreign Languages - they work as independent translators

Full details on how sworn translation works in Greece are in a separate article.

The correct order: original → apostille → translation¶

This trips up a lot of applicants. First you get the apostille on the original document in Ukraine, and THEN you get the Greek translation done. Not the other way around. The translator translates both the document itself and the apostille text.

For Ukrainian documents, apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Justice or the Ministry of Education (for diplomas and school certificates). How it all works is covered in our apostille guide.

Which documents specifically need translation¶

• Passport (data pages)
• Criminal record certificate
• Medical certificate
• Marriage certificate (if applying with family)
• Children’s birth certificates
• Power of Attorney (if applying remotely)
• Income certificates and financial documents
• Bank statements from Ukrainian banks
• Tax returns

Every document needs an apostille and a certified translation. Even a small mismatch - a different name spelling, a missing page, a missing stamp - can freeze your entire application.

If you need document translations prepared, ChatsControl can help with the translation work, and the certified translation is then verified in Greece. This is especially useful when you’ve got a large document package.

What it all costs (beyond the investment itself)¶

The property is just part of the expense. Here’s the full picture of additional costs:

Total additional costs run 8-12% of the property price. If you’re buying a 400,000 euro apartment, budget an extra 32,000-48,000 for all fees, taxes, and services.

FAQ¶

Can a Ukrainian with temporary protection apply for Golden Visa?¶

Yes. Temporary protection doesn’t prevent you from applying for Golden Visa - they’re two different permit types. If you already have temporary protection in Greece and an AFM, it actually simplifies things - you don’t need to get a tax number separately.

How long does it take to get Golden Visa after applying?¶

Officially - 2-4 months. In reality in 2025-2026 - 4 to 12 months due to a backlog of 50,000 applications. A temporary permit (which lets you legally stay in Greece) is usually issued within 1-2 months.

Do I have to live in Greece after getting Golden Visa?¶

No. There’s zero minimum stay requirement - not for getting the permit, not for renewing it. The only condition for renewal is keeping the investment. But if you want Greek citizenship down the line, you’ll need at least 7 years of actual residence.

Do I need an apostille on every document?¶

Yes, every official document (criminal record certificate, marriage and birth certificates, etc.) needs a separate apostille. It’s issued in Ukraine BEFORE the Greek translation. The sequence: original → apostille → translation.

Can I get Golden Visa without traveling to Greece?¶

Almost entirely - through a Power of Attorney given to your lawyer. Property purchase, bank account, application filing - your lawyer handles all of it. But you’ll need to visit Greece once - to provide biometrics and pick up your residence card.