Greece Golden Visa: Proposed changes starting January 2025

The article focuses on Greece's proposed changes to its Golden Visa program, which is a popular residency-by-investment initiative. Effective January 2025, the Greek government plans to introduce three key modifications to enhance transparency and ensure fair accessibility. These changes aim to regulate the real estate investment threshold and tighten rules to curb speculative practices while maintaining the program's appeal to international investors.

The first significant change is a stricter regulation of property purchases in areas experiencing high demand. This aims to prevent inflation of property prices in regions like Athens and Thessaloniki, which have seen a surge in foreign investments. The government intends to set a minimum investment threshold of EUR 500,000 for such high-demand locations, ensuring that local residents are not priced out of the housing market.

Another proposed change involves stricter oversight of investment funds used to acquire the visa. This measure seeks to ensure that funds are sourced legitimately and comply with anti-money laundering laws. It reflects Greece's efforts to enhance the program's credibility and address concerns about misuse by investors engaging in unethical practices or speculative real estate transactions.

Finally, the reforms aim to streamline the application process and improve monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with the program's guidelines. These updates are expected to attract high-quality investors who are committed to contributing positively to the Greek economy. While these changes might make the program slightly less accessible to smaller investors, they align with Greece's long-term vision of sustainable economic growth and housing market stability.