Greece has made notable progress in reducing Golden Visa processing delays, cutting average wait times to a 14-month low. Faster approvals and administrative reforms are helping authorities steadily clear a large backlog while maintaining strong investor interest.

1. Golden Visa Backlog Reaches Lowest Level in Over a Year

By November 2025, Greece reduced pending Golden Visa applications to 42,390, reflecting the sharpest month-on-month backlog decline since August. Processing volumes reached their highest monthly level since reforms began in March, with approvals consistently outpacing new applications.

2. Decentralized Processing Speeds Up Approvals

The shift to decentralized processing offices has significantly shortened timelines that previously extended up to 18 months. Authorities have now completed 88% of 2023 applications, 50% of 2024 files, and 26% of 2025 submissions, with some recent cases approved in less than 30 days.

3. Application Trends and Investor Nationalities

Greece is receiving around 600 Golden Visa applications per month in 2025, putting it on track for approximately 7,200 applications for the year. Chinese nationals account for about half of all active Golden Visa holders, followed by Turkey and Lebanon, while Israelis and Turks show the fastest monthly growth rates

4. Property Investment Shifts Toward €250,000 Threshold

Investors increasingly favor the lower €250,000 investment option by purchasing and converting historic or commercial buildings. This trend has driven renovation activity in central Athens districts such as Exarchia, Metaxourgeio, Kypseli, and Piraeus, with most acquired properties entering the long-term rental market.

5. Upcoming Reforms to Residence Permit Validity

Greece plans to introduce legislation in January 2026 to address backdated residence permits. The reform would calculate validity from the date of card issuance rather than application submission, ensuring Golden Visa holders receive the full five-year residence period.

Summary

Greece’s Golden Visa program is showing clear signs of recovery, with faster processing, a shrinking backlog, and improving administrative efficiency. Continued investor demand, strong real estate activity, and planned legal reforms are expected to further strengthen the program’s appeal and reliability in 2026.