If there’s one commonality most individuals share coming out of the pandemic, it is the desire to travel and explore the world. Often, this is made possible by acquiring a tourist visa or residency rights through one of the Golden Visas. While both options are ideally suited to third-country nationals, there is a new alternative visa for those planning on residing in a nation for a period longer than three months without having to invest or be a registered tax resident there. This visa is the Digital Nomad Visa.
In this article, we discuss the Greece Digital Nomad Visa:
The Greece Digital Nomad Visa: A Brief Overview
Countries worldwide have been offering temporary residency rights in their nations to qualifying foreign remote workers to nourish their economies – including the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. These residency rights are granted through Digital Nomad Visas, which have a validity that ranges between six months to two years on average, with the possibility of being renewed. While there is the Malta Digital Nomad Visa, Curaçao Digital Nomad Visa, and Italy Digital Nomad Visa, Greece also has its own.
Launched in 2021, the Greek Digital Nomad Visa is a travel authorization document that enables non-EU and non-EEA citizens working remotely to establish residency in Greece and legally work there for up to 12 months, provided they meet the visa requirements. It also permits them the right to bring along their immediate family members, albeit for an additional fee.
Benefits of Living in Greece as a Digital Nomad
Greece is known for its people, culture, and cuisine, which is why many individuals travel to it every year. Those who live in Greece get to enjoy benefits such as basking in warm weather all year round, feasting on delicious Mediterranean cuisine, socializing with lively and friendly locals, and indulging in the natural diversity of Greece, among other things.
- Warm weather all year-round
- Delicious Mediterranean cuisine
- Friendly people
- Natural diversity
- Large English-speaking community
- Tax reductions and exemptions
- Excellent healthcare facilities
- Low cost of living
The nation is not only adored by tourists and locals alike, but it has been attracting many digital nomads, retirees, and Greece Golden Visa investors, for a good reason. The Greek property market is thriving and yielding high returns for investors. The cost of living in Greece is so affordable that individuals can save up a lot more by working remotely in the nation or retiring there, and health coverage is top-tier as well. There are more reasons to move there than not, and the process for the visa application is quite simple.
Eligibility Requirements for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa
Any non-EU or non-EEA third-country national who is self-employed or has a remote job may apply for the Greece Digital Nomad visa and start living in Greece on the condition they meet the following eligibility requirements:
- They must not be employed by a company registered in Greece
- Have clients or be employed by a company based outside of Greece
- Be able to provide their services and complete their work obligations using a stable internet connection and a laptop, i.e., information and communication technology.
- If self-employed, demonstrate proof of their business activity, corporate purpose, and business address, noting that their businesses cannot be registered in Greece.
- Prove they meet the minimum monthly financial requirement of €3,500
Those who are successful in their application will acquire a Greece Digital Nomad Visa with a one-year validity. Once it’s up, individuals can extend their visa for an additional year by applying for the Nomad Residence Permit on the condition they continue to meet the visa’s requirements.
Financial requirements for the Greek Digital Nomad Visa
While the main eligibility requirements for obtaining a remote work visa are typically your foreign nationality and ability to perform your foreign-based job remotely, countries also have financial conditions. These conditions are usually presented as their average monthly income and are set as a requirement to guarantee that individuals have a stable income and can nourish the country’s economy.
As the main applicant for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa, you’ll have to demonstrate proof of earning €3,500 net income per month after tax deductions. If you plan on extending your residency permit to your immediate family and bringing along your partner/spouse, or child, you’ll have to account for additional finances. Usually, this is an extra 20% for your partner/spouse and 15% for any dependent child.
For example, if you intend on bringing along your spouse, you’ll have to demonstrate proof of earning at least €4,200 monthly after tax deductions. If you plan on bringing along your spouse and child, your net income per month must be at least €4,725, and so on.
Application Process
The Greece Digital Nomad Visa application process is straightforward and depends on where you’re currently based. If you’re in Greece, you can submit your application to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum. However, you have to do that before your initial visa expires. If you’re outside of Greece, then you need to apply for the visa at the local Greece Embassy or Greek Consulate in your home country.
Once you submit your application and all the relevant documents to the concerned Greek authorities, they will process your visa within a month. Usually, it takes around ten days for your Greece Digital Nomad Visa to be issued. However, that depends on when the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum starts processing your application.
1. Gather all the required documents
2. Submit your Digital Nomad Visa application
3. Receive your remote work visa in Greece
1. Gather all the required documents
Before submitting your application to the relevant Greek authorities, you must ensure that you have all the required documents for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa and the Greece Type D Visa. The Type D Visa is what authorizes your stay in Greece and will be discussed shortly after this section.
2. Submit your Greece Digital Nomad Visa application
Where you submit your Greece Digital Nomad Visa application form will depend on your current location. You could either submit your documents to your local Greece Embassy or Consulate or directly to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
If you submit them to a Consulate or Embassy, you have three ways to do so; in person, via e-mail, or by post. Make sure to write the correct address of the political delegation to which you’re submitting your documents.
3. Receive your Digital Nomad visa in Greece
After submitting all your documents, the Greek authorities will evaluate and assess your application within one month. Usually, the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum issues the Greece Digital Nomad Visa within ten days after you lodge your application. Once you receive your visa, you can travel to Greece and start living there.
Documents Required for the Greek Digital Nomad Visa
When it comes to your application for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa, there are a few documents that you have to submit to the relevant Greek authorities. Four of those documents are solely related to your digital nomadism and declare your intention to reside in the nation under the new visa.
The four specific documents that you have to submit for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa are:
- A declaration letter – One of the essential documents you’ll have to attach to your application for the Nomad Visa is a declaration letter stating your intention not to work for a company registered in Greece while you reside there. It should also include relevant details regarding your job or company and showcase your income.
- Proof of employment – To prove that you are a digital nomad capable of performing your work remotely in Greece, you’ll have to submit a valid employment contract confirming your job is headquartered outside Greece. You’ll also have to submit a letter from your employer reiterating that you can complete your work obligations using a laptop and a stable wifi connection.
If you are self-employed and own a company outside of Greece, then you have to submit the following:
– Your company license and registration number
– Your company name
– The field of activity you’re in
– The corporate purpose of your company
– All other relevant documents that prove you are the owner of that company
- Proof of sufficient financial means – To showcase that you do meet the minimum financial requirement, you’ll have to submit the following:
– Your most recent bank statements
– Your company account statements (if self-employed)
– Your employment contract stating your salary
– Any other supporting documents that showcase your income
- Proof of paying the Greece Digital Nomad Visa fee — As with every visa application, you’ll have to pay a visa processing fee to the relevant authorities. In the case of the Greek Nomad Visa, the cost is around €75. Do note that this fee is non-refundable.
Other documents are also required; however, they’re more relevant to the type D Visa – the travel authorization that permits your legal residence in a nation for a certain amount of time.
Documents required for the Greek Type D Visa
As part of your application for the Digital Nomad Visa, you’ll also have to acquire the Greek Type D Visa – or National Visa. This long-term visa is issued to third-country nationals and permits their entry and stay in Greece for a period exceeding 90 days and up to one year – or 365 days.
The documents which are required for the Type D Visa are:
- A visa application form – You’ll have to fill out a National Visa application form stating your “main purpose of travel.” By stating ‘remote work’ under ‘other’ in the application form, the Greek authorities will process your Type D Visa application as a Digital Nomad Visa application.
- A valid passport – Your passport must be valid for a period no less than six months past the date of your departure back to your home country. It must also have two blank pages for your new visa permit.
- Two passport-size photos – You must submit two recent photographs, colored, and taken in front of a white background. Please make sure they are in line with the Schengen Visa photo requirements.
- Proof of accommodation – Seeing as your long-term visa has a validity period of 12 months, you’ll have to show proof of your accommodation in Greece during that time. You can present a rental agreement or any property deed showcasing evidence of your ownership of Greek real estate.
- Proof of sufficient financial means – As covered above in the required documents for the Digital Nomad Visa.
- Proof of valid and comprehensive travel insurance – Make sure you get a long-term insurance policy that covers all medical expenses that may arise during your travels. It is advisable to get one similar to the requirements of the Schengen Visa insurance policy.
- Certificate of a clean criminal record – You must acquire a legal certificate stating your clean criminal record from all countries where you have lived for more than a year. This certificate acts as proof of your high moral standing.
- Return flight ticket – You must present a booking confirmation of a return flight ticket back to your country, demonstrating your intentions not to overstay your visa permit’s validity.
- Health insurance medical certificate – You must get a medical health certificate from a recognized health institution in your country of residence and present it to the relevant Greek authorities. This document will prove that you do not suffer from any contagious diseases that may be of risk to the Greek population.
Taxes to Consider
Taxes in Greece are usually based on your residence status, among other things. If you stay in the nation for less than six months or 183 days in one year, you will not be considered a tax resident. If you spend more than 183 days in Greece in one calendar year, you’ll be regarded as a tax resident and therefore have to pay income taxes on your worldwide income.
The great thing about the Digital Nomad Visa is that once you acquire it, you will be instantly eligible for a 50 percent reduction on Greece’s tax rate. Therefore, you will benefit from a 50 percent tax exemption during your residency in Greece as a digital nomad, regardless of whether your duration of residence is for one year, or two years after renewing your visa and receiving your Digital Nomad Residence Permit.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Greece Digital Nomad Visa
Does Greece have a Digital Nomad Visa?
Yes, Greece launched its Digital Nomad Visa in 2021 and has since been welcoming digital nomads and their family members to relocate and work remotely there. The validity period of the visa is 12 months, and can be renewed into a Digital Nomad Residence Permit.
How do I get a Digital Nomad Visa for Greece?
You can apply for a Greek Nomad Visa at your nearest Greek Consulate or Greek Embassy if you are outside Greece. You can also directly apply to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum if you are already in the nation.
Do digital nomads pay tax in Greece?
Depending on how long they stay in Greece, digital nomads may or may not be subject to taxation in Greece.
Which Greek island has a Digital Nomad Visa?
Every island in Greece offers foreigners Digital Nomad Visas, as the nation’s government has issued them across all of its territories. Nevertheless, Crete is one of the Greek islands where most digital nomads like to work.
What are the Digital Nomad Visa Greece requirements?
Non-Swiss, non-EEA, and non-EU citizens with a remote job and an employment source outside Greece can qualify for the visa. However, individuals must meet the minimum monthly income set by the Greek authorities.
What are the Digital Nomad Visas in Europe?
Many countries across Europe offer Nomad Visas, including Malta, Croatia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Estonia, and the Czech Republic.
