The €250,000 Greece golden visa: conversions and listed buildings

Published and last checked 9 November 2026. By Imago 77 Ltd.

You can still get a Greek golden visa for €250,000, but only through two narrow routes: a commercial building converted to a home, or a listed building that you restore. Neither has a minimum size, and both carry conditions that ordinary purchases do not.

The conversion must be legally complete before you apply. The restoration must be complete before your first renewal.

Route 1: converted commercial property

This covers buildings whose use has changed from commercial, and in some cases professional or industrial, to residential. The conditions are:

• the change of use must be legally completed before you file the application;
• the change must date from after 5 April 2024;
• an engineer's certificate in the set form must prove it;
• a building that could be converted, but has not been, does not qualify;
• a former industrial building must not have hosted industrial activity in the relevant five-year period;
• the property cannot be used as a company's registered office or branch.

Route 2: listed buildings

This covers buildings protected for their heritage value. You may apply before the work is finished, but:

• the full restoration must be complete before the first renewal, five years later;
• you cannot sell the property until the restoration is finished, and a sale in breach is void;
• if you do not restore it, the permit is revoked and you face a €150,000 fine.

Is it the cheaper option?

The entry price is lower, but the total cost often is not. Restoration of a listed building in Greece needs approvals and specialist builders, and costs can run well beyond the purchase price. For conversions, most of the risk sits with the developer, so check that the paperwork is finished before you pay.

For most families, a standard home of at least 120 m² outside the €800,000 areas, at €400,000, is simpler. See the 120 m² rule.

Short-term letting

The same ban applies as for other golden visa property: no holiday lets through online platforms. Long-term leases are allowed.

1. International Bar Association: the Greek golden visa after the 2024 to 2026 overhaul
2. Ministry of Migration and Asylum: golden visa

All insights · Full guide