Tsaks Consulting Greece

Legal, Accounting and Company formation for expats in Greece.

Accounting, tax and financial services for expats and foreign residents in Greece and overseas

We work with a number of English-speaking specialist accounting firms that specialise in tax and financial services for expats, foreign residents and foreigners with income or assets in Greece. Earning income overseas while still a tax resident in Greece, or earning income in Greece while living overseas and being domiciled overseas may create tax liabilities in Greece and other overseas countries (depending on which country you are living in).

Our independent partner accountants in Greece have helped expats, including Greek citizens, across the world as well as those living in Greece to optimise their tax structures and comply with tax requirements and regulations.

We have serviced people and businesses from across the globe including:

If you are a Greek expat living overseas in communities in America, Australia, and the United Kingdom, it is crucial  you know your Greek tax obligations. In addition, if you are an expat or foreigner that is a resident in Greece for over 183 days per year, you may have tax obligations in Greece as a Greek tax resident, subject to applicable rules and exceptions. Our team here at Tsaks Consulting, as well as our independent accounting partners across Greece usually help clients such as:

Greek Citizens who:

  • Currently live abroad

  • Are planning to live abroad

  • Are returning to Greece

  • Want to settle outstanding tax matters

  • Want to understand their rights and tax obligations

For Greek expats living overseas who:

  • Own property in Greece

  • Earn income in Greece or overseas

  • Are planning to purchase or sell property in Greece

  • Need representation in Greece

  • Want to know current taxation laws in Greece

Dual Greek/Third Party Citizens who:

  • Own property in Greece

  • Have an income in Greece as well as overseas

  • Are living in Greece or overseas

  • Have business activities in Greece

English Speaking Accountant for Expats in Greece

Understanding your tax obligations in Greece

It is important for Greek expats living abroad to declare any property or assets in Greece where required. If you own a house or land, have a car, business, or any other asset in Greece, you may be required by law to file relevant tax declarations. In addition, on some property you will have to pay income tax if it is rented out, as well as ENFIA and other property taxes.

Our specialist Greek tax accountant partner firms are experts at assisting Greek expats living internationally with understanding their obligations and fulfilling them. Speak to one of our team members about your situation to find the best (and most responsive) independent accountant to handle all your tax needs including completing your property declaration, arranging your AFM, and other services. Our English-speaking accounting partners in Greece help people living abroad comply with their regulatory tax obligations.

Owning or acquiring property as a Greek expat and associated Greek property declarations

According to Greek property tax law obligations, property owners are required to report relevant property changes within applicable deadlines. Our expert independent Greek accountants understand the importance of declaring property and know the implications it may have on your Greek and foreign income or assets.

Tax obligations for property, annually and on demand:

  • Tax property statement – when required

  • Tax income statement – annually, where required

  • Inheritance statement – when applicable

  • Rental income statement – if applicable

  • Tax property statement any time a property is sold or transferred, where required

Tax forms for Greek citizens living overseas

Our specialist independent accountants in Greece are experts when it comes to the documentation required for Greek citizens living overseas. Greek tax law has numerous tax forms that are complex and selecting the right form can be difficult.

Tax forms required for Greek expats:

Tax forms:

Income tax form (E1)

Greek expats living overseas who earn taxable income in Greece may be required to submit an E1 form.

Rental tax form (E2)

Greek expats living abroad earning income from rentals may be required to submit an E2 form.

Real property form (E9)

Greek expats living internationally should declare relevant changes to real property assets by submitting an E9 form.

How we can help complete your income tax return/declaration in Greece

Of the three forms above, one of the most common forms which our accounting partners complete for clients is the Income Tax Return (E1). This is essentially your tax return for your personal income and it is completed each year where required. For many people that do not have any overseas income, this is a very simple process which needs to be completed. Our team of independent accounting partners work on hundreds of income tax returns each year.

Where you are a Greek tax resident with overseas income, it is a bit more complicated as this income generally needs to be declared, subject to applicable rules. However, our partner accountants are experienced in helping people with overseas or ‘worldwide’ income submit tax declarations and are able to provide guidance in this regard.

Other tax forms in Greece

Real estate forms:

Lease Agreement

For rental income, it is generally mandatory that you declare lease agreements electronically, subject to applicable requirements.

ENFIA payment

A real estate property tax (ENFIA) is levied annually on Greek properties according to applicable rules and is quite a complicated process.

ENFIA certificates

Owners wanting to transfer their property may need an ENFIA certificate before a notary public, proving they have met the appropriate tax obligations.

Buying or selling property

For Greek expats overseas that buy or sell property in Greece, you will need to complete the required documentation before a notary public.

Forms for professionals:

E1 form – for professionals

Similar to income tax, professionals who earn income from business activities, interest earned on deposits, real estate investments, or any capital earned abroad may need to complete an E1 income tax form.

E3 form – professionals with offices in Greece

Greek expats living abroad with business activities in Greece may be required to complete an E3 tax form.

Our tax and accounting services for expats and foreigners living in Greece

We act as consultants on your behalf and collaborate with you to engage independent accountants to assist. We find the best approach to servicing your needs is through short meetings and consistent communication over email. With this method, everything is documented and it’s easier to refer to previous content and issues as they arise.

Most of the time, we can coordinate matters on your behalf if you are overseas, with formal tax representation handled by authorised professionals.

If you are looking at completing some kind of tourist development, or undertaking other business activities, we are able to assist you with identifying funding opportunities provided by the Greek government through the ESPA and other schemes.

Our approach to servicing foreign residents in Greece is to:

  • Communicate clearly and by email as much as possible.

  • Respond to your emails as required.

  • Keep you updated with any updates from the Tax office.

  • Keep you informed about the amount of tax you may be required to pay so there are no surprises.

  • Tell you we don’t know, if we don’t know something you ask, and then find the answer and come back to you. When dealing with tax treaties and foreigners, there are often occasions where we don’t know the answers to a question. We will consult our independent professional partners and/or enquire with the tax office for clarification.

  • Communicate in English.

  • Work with you and other professionals as required. For example, if you have civil engineers, lawyers or other professionals who you need to work with for property documentation and other issues. We can cooperate with any professional across Greece.

We are based in Athens and our independent partner accountants can service clients across all of Greece. The benefit of communicating with the tax department is everything is mostly now online. You can even reset your Taxisnet details online now through an online video call with the tax office, where available. Our independent partner accountants’ services also include:

  • Tax filing for expats and foreigners in Greece and internationally

  • Tax return for expats and foreigners in Greece and internationally

  • Tax advice for expats and foreigners in Greece and internationally

  • Bookkeeping for expats and foreign residents in Greece and internationally

  • Help opening a business as an expat or foreign resident in Greece and internationally

After an initial paid consultation with us, you will understand the cost of an English-speaking accountant in Greece and whether one of our independent accounting partners meets your requirements.

Immigration advice

Many of our clients request immigration, citizenship and other legal advice as these issues are often linked to tax affairs. We work with independent accountants and lawyers in order to find you the right professional to assist. More information can be found here. 

Client testimonial

The Tsaks Consulting team are great. The big advantage is that they deal with expats all the time. This is very helpful because they know all the rules and answer your questions quickly. They and their can help with taxes, legal issues (such as purchasing and inheritance) and everything else you come across. For example, they assisted us with the process for buying a car and many other regulatory issues. They are an excellent team and provide a reliable and efficient service to expats.

John H | Expat Living in Athens

I use the team at Tsaks Consulting and all of their partner accountants for all our tax issues and compliance in Greece. Their accounting partners (and they are selective with who they refer us to and work with) are very experienced in advising on property and other investments if you are overseas and investing in Greece. They understand the double tax treaties which is probably the most important thing. They are also quick to respond to emails and get everything done. I also referred my cousin to the Tsaks Consulting Greece team and they were very happy with them. He only needed to submit a tax return and also get some advice on wills and inheritance for expats. The team were great they understand the processes and how to overcome the challenges expats face. Also, we are based in Thessaloniki and we did everything remotely. They were very helpful and they are all over it in terms of emailing docs, arranging translations etc. Therefore, it doesn’t matter where you are in Greece, they are able to service you and they know what they are doing. 

Maria F | Expat from Australia living in Thessaloniki

I moved to Greece a year ago and after going through two accountants I found Tsaks Consulting Greece. They specialise in expats and that was the big difference. The key advantage I found with working with their team as well as the accounting partners in their network, is that they know about all the special tax regime and incentives that are applicable for expats. So therefore, they can give you ideas about how to save tax, completely legitimately of course, if you are moving to Greece. The team speaks English and there is another person that speaks German so that is also important. They are efficient and very helpful.

Dimitri B | Expat in Athens