Following trends worldwide, digital nomad visa has been introduced in Greece under Law 4825/2021, in September 2021. Digital nomads, i.e. third-country nationals who work as self-employed, freelance workers, entrepreneurs, or employees working remotely from Greece exclusively with employers and clients outside Greece, now have the opportunity to apply for a visa and/or a residence permit.
A digital nomad visa does not allow any access to dependent employment or business activity in Greece whatsoever.
The procedure to obtain a digital nomad visa is simplified. The application is submitted by the interested person to the Greek consular authority of the place of its main residence either in person or by email or registered mail before traveling to Greece and it has to be answered within 10 days from the submission. To be eligible for a digital nomad visa, the applicant has to submit supporting documentation proving inter alia that he/she is not employed nor engaged in any business activity in Greece and that he/she has adequate financial resources (at least 3,500 euro per month, which can be proved by either the employment/works agreement or by a proof of funds in his/her bank account) to cover his/her living expenses while residing in Greece. The family members of the applicant may also be granted, at their request, an individual visa and/or a residence that expires at the same time as the digital nomad visa. In this case, the required "adequate living resources" are increased - by 20% for the spouse and by 15% for each child. The family members are also not allowed to engage in any kind of economic activity in Greece.
The digital nomad visa can be valid for up to 12 months. Following this term and before its expiration, the third-country national may apply to be granted a residence permit for two years (with the possibility to renew for two more years), provided that the eligibility criteria continue to apply.
In case that the third-country nationals (as well as members of their family), who meet the eligibility criteria for the digital nomad visa, have already entered Greece either with a uniform type of visa or under a visa waiver regime, they can apply directly for the abovementioned residence permit within the period of validity of their existing visa to the one-stop service of the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum. In this case, they shall also be required to submit documentation proving their residence address in Greece (a lease agreement or a real estate purchase agreement).
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