// NEws

News Details

Greece’s Golden Visa Program Sees Surge in Chinese Investors and Rising Global Demand

Immigration

As of January 2025, a total of 6,398 Golden Visas have been granted to Chinese investors through Greece’s Residency-by-Investment program, making China the leading country of origin for recipients, according to data from Greece’s Ministry of Immigration Policy and Asylum, reported by Schengen.News.

In addition to Chinese nationals, significant numbers of visas were issued to applicants from the following countries:

Turkey: 1,367
Lebanon: 775
Iran: 556

A report from News Beast also highlighted a growing interest from investors in Egypt and Israel.

Over 13,000 Pending Applications in Attica

The Ministry’s data further indicates a backlog of applications, with 13,036 pending in the Attica region alone. Other regions such as Macedonia and Thrace recorded 967 pending applications, while 873 were pending across Peloponnese, Western Greece, and other areas.

Rising Demand in Multiple Regions

Greek Travel Pages recently noted increased interest in the Golden Visa program across various parts of the country. Real estate professionals and legal experts observed this rising demand not only in Attica but also in areas like Thessaloniki, the Ionian Islands, and other regions attractive for property rentals and short-term leasing.

Policy Changes Have Not Dampened Interest

Despite recent changes to the program—such as raising the minimum investment threshold in certain regions to combat the housing crisis—demand for Greece’s Golden Visa remains strong. This trend has been reinforced by Portugal’s removal of real estate from its own Golden Visa scheme and Spain’s decision to terminate its program altogether, effective April 3, 2025.

To address concerns over housing availability, Greece announced plans at the beginning of the year to shift the focus of its Residency-by-Investment program away from real estate toward more productive forms of investment.

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