About the Greek Golden Visa Start Up Option
There has been an addition to the Golden Visa Program in Greece that now makes Greece a particularly attractive investment for foreign investors outside the EU. The Greek Government has introduced investing in a StartUp as an avenue for securing the Golden Visa and gaining Greek (and EU) residency.
The current government has a strong focus on making Greece a supportive country for investment, economic innovation and reducing and reversing the brain gain. The Golden Visa was originally focused on attracting investment in Greek Property, however, now there is a focus on investment in start-ups making the investment options far more wide reaching and also providing Greek start-ups with an additional source of potential funding. This, coupled with different tax break initiatives on offer, make Greece an increasingly attractive option for residency and investment.
Key dates, conditions and requirements – designed to make investing in Greece attractive
- The startup option has been detailed in the Greek 2025 Budgetary plan.
- The minimum investment amount is €250,000.
- There needs to be a minimum of two jobs created within the first year of the invention. It’s important to know that wages in Greece are relatively low compared to other countries. Therefore this is certainly something that is achievable. The increase in the workforce needs to be maintained for a minimum five years.
- The startup must be listed in the National Register of Startups (otherwise known as Elevate Greece). Elevate Greece is similar to a start-up incubatory program run by the Greek Government.
- There is a limit of 33% in terms of capital and voting rights. This is designed to limit the integrity of the program and decision making of the startups.
The reasons why investing in a startup in Greece for the Golden Visa makes sense
- A wide range of compelling investment opportunities. Greece has a robust start-up sector with a track record of success. Through the startup option, you can gain exposure to different industries and some investors see it as safer at the 250,000 euro level than investing in the real estate market.
- A positive impact on the Greek Economy. There is a direct impact on job growth and economic growth in Greece – which is diversified and has substantial downstream economic and social benefits to the country.
- The 250,000 euro entry barrier compared to investing in the Golden Visa which has higher thresholds for properties in more popular locations makes it attractive.
Helping overseas investors invest in Greek Startups and develop a pathway to Citizenship
Our team of citizenship and migration professionals is across these changes and ready to assist clients from overseas invest in this Golden Visa option which has the potential for permanent residency and citizenship. In addition, our tax and finance team also has the experience to assist with due diligence on investments in Greece. We provide independent financial due diligence on potential investment opportunities in the start-up sector and can assist you when you conduct due diligence on different start-ups.
Talk to our team today about how we our legal team can assist with your Golden Visa application particularly with a focus on this new startup avenue (although of course our lawyers are experienced in the property purchase avenue as well.