Greece’s Financially Independent Person (FIP) residence route is for qualifying third-country nationals with sufficient independent financial resources to support themselves in Greece without relying on local employment. It can apply to retirees and other financially independent individuals who want to establish residence in Greece.
The FIP route is separate from Greece’s Golden Visa, which is based on qualifying investment, and the Digital Nomad route, which is designed for qualifying remote workers. Another important clarification from our legal experts at Global Citizen Solutions is that it is also separate from Greek tax residence, especially for those who are interested in the 7% flat tax regime, because holding a residence permit does not, by itself, determine whether you are a Greek tax resident.
This guide will take you through the application process, financial requirements, threshold, supporting documents and more.
Greece FIP Visa: Key takeaways
FIP Visa Greece 2026
The Greece Financially Independent Person (FIP) Visa is a long-term residency program for non-EU/EEA nationals, including retirees and financially independent individuals, who want to live in Greece without working for a Greek employer.
Under Law 5038/2023, applicants must have a stable passive income from sources outside Greece, such as pensions, rental income, dividends, or investments.
The minimum requirement is €3,500 per month for a single applicant, increasing by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child. If you prove your financial means with a bank deposit instead of monthly income, you must show at least €126,000 in personal savings to cover the full three-year residence permit.
If your application is successful, you will get a three-year residence permit that can be renewed. This permit lets you travel visa-free in the Schengen Area. To renew it, you must keep meeting the financial requirements and spend at least 183 days each year in Greece.
Who the FIP Route Fits
The FIP route is a good choice for people from countries outside the EU who want to live in Greece and can support themselves financially without working. This visa would work for you if you fall under the following categories;
- The FIP Visa is mostly targeted at retirees because this group’s living expenses are covered by their pension income or other passive income sources.
- If you are not a retiree, you can still consider the FIP route only if you can financially support yourself through passive income and do not take up any employment in Greece.
- Family members of the main applicant can also take advantage of the FIP visa because spouses and children can be added to the application.
Benefits of the Greece FIP Visa
- Potential tax benefits: If you move your tax residency to Greece and qualify, you can get a 50% reduction in income tax for up to seven years under Greece’s special flat tax regime.
- Schengen travel: As a holder of the financially independent persons visa, you will get to freely travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This added benefit gives you and your family members the opportunity to explore multiple European countries.
- Long-term residency option: The first residence permit is valid for 12 months. If you continue to meet the requirements, you can apply for a renewable two-year permit.
- Family inclusion: You can include your spouse or partner and dependent children in your application. The required minimum monthly income increases by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child.
- Reliable digital infrastructure: If you want to live in the city or in one of the many Greek islands, you will not compromise on convenience or access to the country’s digital economy. You will still get high-speed internet and 5G connectivity.
Greek FIP Visa Requirements in 2026
1. Non-EU/EEA nationality
The Greece FIP visa route is targeted at third-country nationals. These are applicants who are not citizens of the European Union, European Economic Area or Switzerland. EU/EEA citizens do not need this residence route because they have different rights to live in Greece.
2. Minimum financial requirement
The main applicant has to demonstrate at least €3,500 in monthly income. This is the main financial requirement for the FIP visa and is meant to show that the applicant can support themselves in Greece without relying on local employment.
The amount increases when family members are included. The threshold increases by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child.
Applicants can also qualify through savings instead of pensions or other similar passive income, but the requirement is €126,000 in savings for three years.
| Applicant | Minimum monthly resources |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | €3,500 |
| Main applicant + spouse | €4,200 |
| Main applicant + 1 child | €4,725 |
| Main applicant + spouse + 1 child | €5,250 |
| Main applicant + spouse + 2 children | €5,775 |
4. Source of financial resources
You need to show where your financial resources come from and that they are sufficient and available to you.
Depending on your circumstances, acceptable income sources include, pension income, savings or other qualifying independent sources of funds. The documents you provide should also clearly demonstrate the source and amount of your financial resources.
5. No Greek employment or business activity
The FIP route is not for employment. It is specifically created for people who can support themselves through pension or other passive income, without relying on a Greek salary or local business activity.
If your goal is to work remotely for an employer or clients outside Greece, then it’s best to look into the Greece Digital Nomad route, which is a separate residence option with its own requirements.
6. Health insurance
Applicants must have the correct health insurance that will cover them for the full duration of their visa and stay in Greece.
8. Criminal-record documentation
Applicants will need to submit a criminal record as part of the application. Documents issued outside Greece also have to be apostilled or legalized and translated into Greek.
9. Family members
As the main applicant, you are allowed to add your spouse and dependent children under one application. However, keep in mind that the financial requirements increase by 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child.
Type D Visa and Greece FIP Residence-Permit Process
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
Before starting with your application, you need to make sure you qualify. This means meeting the financial requirement, having health insurance that covers you during the entire visa duration, and the rest of the requirements stipulated under Law 5038/2023.
Step 2: Prepare your documentation
The next, and one of the most important, step that our legal advisors have noticed is often undermined by applicants is collecting all the required documents. For a smoother application process, make sure you have all the supporting documents in order such as proof of passive income or savings, health insurance, accommodation, and a clean criminal record.
Step 3: Submit your Type D Visa application
Submit your National Type D Visa application and supporting documents to the Greek Consulate or Embassy in your country of residence, and it will be reviewed against the legal requirements.
Step 4: Travel to Greece and apply for your residence permit
Once your entry visa has been approved, you will need to travel to Greece and submit your residence permit application to the Ministry of Migration and Asylum before your visa expires. This is also when you will complete your biometric registration as part of the residence permit process.
Step 5: Receive your residence permit
Following approval, you will receive your three-year residence permit. This will allow you to legally live in Greece. The permit can be renewed every three years if the requirements continue to be met based on Greece’s Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023).
FIP Greek Visa Validity and Renewal
Under Greece’s Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023), the Greece FIP residence permit is issued for three years and can be renewed for additional three-year periods, provided applicants continue to meet the program’s financial and residency requirements.
To renew your residence permit, you’ll need to show that you still meet the minimum passive income or savings requirements and provide updated supporting documentation.
The FIP Visa does not allow employment or self-employment in Greece. To remain eligible for renewal, applicants must also reside in Greece for at least 183 days per calendar year.
Cost of the FIP Visa Greece
The cost of applying for the Greece FIP Visa includes government fees for the entry visa and residence permit, as well as any additional administrative costs. There is a possibility for additional costs which mostly come from certifying, translating and legalizing documents, as well as the fees from the immigration agency you would choose to work with.
| Government Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| National Type D Visa | €150–€300 |
| Residence permit | €1,000 |
| Residence card (biometrics) | €16 |
Greece’s 7% Foreign-Pension Tax Regime
Foreign pensioners qualifying as Greek tax residents can benefit from a flat 7% tax rate on qualifying foreign-sourced income for up to 15 years. To qualify, applicants must not have been Greek tax residents for five of the last six years and must move their tax residence to a country with which Greece has a tax administration cooperation agreement.
The FIP residence permit is different from the 7% regime. Simply holding an FIP permit does not imply that you are a Greek tax resident or that you are entitled to the 7% tax rate. If your aim is tax optimization, it is necessary first to satisfy the individual requirements for Greek tax residency and for the foreign pension regime.
FIP Greece Visa Processing Time
Processing times are different depending on the Greek Consulate and if you have submitted an application that is complete with no missing documents. But in most cases, applicants can expect the following timeline:
Long-Term Residence and Citizenship Through the Greece FIP Visa
An FIP residence permit can help you work toward long-term residence in Greece. If you live legally in the country for five years in a row and meet the extra requirements, you can apply for long-term resident status.
To become a Greek citizen through the normal naturalisation process, you need to have lived in Greece legally for seven years before applying. You also need to show you know Greek by passing the language test, understand Greek history and culture and integrate into Greek society.
Greece FIP vs Golden Visa vs Digital Nomad Visa
The FIP visa might not be for you, but that does not mean there are no other options toward Greek residency. Greece offers people who are not from the EU different visa options that are intended for entirely different applicants and circumstances. The table below highlights the main differences between the FIP route, Greece Golden Visa and Greece Digital Nomad Visa.
| Requirement | FIP Route | Golden Visa | Digital Nomad Visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Residence based on financial independence | Residence based on qualifying investment | Residence for qualifying remote workers |
| Minimum financial requirement | €3,500/month net for the main applicant | Investment of at least €250,000, with higher thresholds of €400,000 or €800,000 applying to certain investments and locations | €3,500/month net for the main applicant |
| Spouse | Financial threshold increases by 20% | Family members can be included under the applicable rules | Financial threshold increases by 20% |
| Dependent child | Financial threshold increases by 15% per child | Family members can be included under the applicable rules | Financial threshold increases by 15% per child |
| Savings alternative | €126,000 for the main applicant over three years, based on the €3,500 monthly requirement | Not applicable; the route is based on a qualifying investment | Not the primary qualification; applicants must demonstrate the required remote-work income |
| Residence permit validity | 3 years | 5 years, renewable while the qualifying investment is maintained | 2 years |
| Local employment | No ordinary Greek employment under the FIP route | Depends on the applicable Golden Visa rules; it is not an employment permit | Designed for remote work for employers or clients outside Greece, subject to the applicable conditions |
| Who is it best suited to? | Retirees and financially independent individuals | Applicants who want residence through investment | Remote workers employed or contracted outside Greece |
| Investment required? | No | Yes | No |
| Tax residence | Residence permit does not automatically create Greek tax residence | Residence permit does not automatically create Greek tax residence | Residence permit does not automatically create Greek tax residence |
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