Golden Visa applications down 63.5% in January
According to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, 398 new applications for an initial investor residence permit were submitted in January, down 63.5% from 1,167 in the same month of 2025. The drop follows the increase in the minimum investment threshold to €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and major islands, and €400,000 in the rest of the country.
Overall, 7,031 new applications were filed in 2025, a 25% decrease from 9,414 in 2024.
Foreign investment in the property market has also slowed. Data from the Bank of Greece show inflows fell 24% in the first nine months of 2025 to €1.46 billion.
Despite the slowdown in applications, approvals surged 101% in 2025 to 9,479 as authorities processed a backlog of pending cases. Since the program launched in 2014, a total of 28,589 residence permits has been granted or renewed. China remains the largest group of investors.
