Opening a Bank Account in Greece

Researched from official sources ยท June 3, 2026

Opening an account at a Greek bank is a private transaction conditioned by public law.

You need a Greek tax registration number (ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ) first, because banks report account balances to the tax administration. EU legal residents also hold a statutory right to a basic payment account under EU law.

Estimated time

One branch appointment once documents are in order, or a same-session online flow at banks that offer digital onboarding

Cost

Account fees vary by bank โ€” read each bank's fee information document

Before you start

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • A Greek mobile phone number, used for online-banking verification at banks offering digital onboarding.
  • A tax representative in Greece, appointed by power of attorney or an authenticated solemn declaration, where a non-resident is required to appoint one for the ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ step.
  • Marriage or birth certificates with a Greek translation and apostille where civil-status documents are needed for the tax-number step.
  • The statutory obligation to hold an ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ derives from Article 3 of the Code of Tax Procedure, Law 4174/2013; the right to a basic payment account derives from EU Directive 2014/92/EU.

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Obtain Your Tax Registration Number First

    ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ

    1. Apply for the ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ at the local tax office (ฮ”ฮŸฮฅ), or through the non-residents registration route where you do not live in Greece
    2. Appoint a tax representative in Greece by power of attorney or an authenticated solemn declaration where required
    3. Where you intend to use the digital tax portal (myAADE / TaxisNet), a *ฮบฮปฮตฮนฮดฮฌฯฮนฮธฮผฮฟฯ‚* (activation key) is issued as part of the digital-credential step

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Attribution of the ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ is free of charge. Bring an identity document and a photocopy; non-Greek and non-EU foreigners bring a passport, travel document or ID card.

    โš ๏ธ Watch out: Foreign civil-status documents such as marriage or birth certificates generally need a Greek translation and apostille for the tax-number step. Prepare these before your appointment to avoid a return visit.

  2. 2

    Choose a Bank and Account Type

    1. Compare the everyday-account range across the large Greek retail banks and any other licensed bank
    2. Account types for individuals typically include current accounts, savings accounts, student accounts and salary accounts
    3. Read each bank's fee information document for the costs that apply to the account you want

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: Fees are not published uniformly across banks, so compare each bank's own current fee schedule rather than relying on third-party summaries.

  3. 3

    Decide Between Online and In-Branch Opening

    1. Some banks offer a digital onboarding flow where you open the account without visiting a branch
    2. Digital onboarding presupposes Greek-issued identity documents for the video-identification step
    3. A foreigner without a Greek residence permit will, in practice, need to open in person at a branch

    โš ๏ธ Watch out: If the online flow rejects your documents at the video-identification step, switch to an in-branch appointment, where identification and document signing happen at the counter.

  4. 4

    Gather the Supporting Documents

    1. Assemble your identity document and ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ
    2. Add the tax and address documentation the bank requests โ€” a recent tax statement or tax return certificate, plus a utility bill where your address differs
    3. Add proof of occupation or income appropriate to your status

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: If you cannot yet prove a Greek address, provide a Greek rental contract or utility bill once your lease is secured.

  5. 5

    Complete Identification

    1. For a digital flow, identity is confirmed through a short video call with a bank representative
    2. Prepare a quiet area, good lighting and a strong internet connection, with no glasses or face-covering items, and have your Greek ID (Latin characters) or valid Greek passport ready
    3. For in-branch opening, identification and document signing take place at the counter
  6. 6

    Sign, Activate, and Know Your Rights if Refused

    1. For a digital flow, the sequence concludes with password creation and digital signing
    2. For a basic payment account, the bank must hand you a fee information document before you sign the contract
    3. If you are turned away from a standard account and you are legally resident in the EU, you can invoke the statutory right to a basic payment account

    ๐Ÿ’ก Tip: An EU institutional source is explicit on the access right: banks cannot refuse your application for a basic payment account just because you don't live in the country where the bank is established.

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Tax registration number (ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ) attribution โ‚ฌ0 N/A Free of charge at your nearest tax office.
Tax registration number (ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ) attribution โ‚ฌ0
Payment:
N/A
Notes:
Free of charge at your nearest tax office.
Total: โ‚ฌ0

FAQ

General

Do I need an ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ before opening a bank account in Greece?

In practice, yes. The ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ (Tax Registration Number) is mandatory for any foreigner with a Greek tax nexus and is the practical precondition banks rely on, because they report account balances and deposit interest to the tax administration. It is issued by the tax administration (AADE) through a local tax office (ฮ”ฮŸฮฅ) free of charge. Obtain it before you approach a bank.

Can a non-resident or someone without a Greek residence permit open an account?

Yes. An ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ can be issued without a residence permit, and an EU legal resident holds a statutory right to a basic payment account that a bank cannot refuse simply because you do not live in the country where the bank is established. Without a Greek residence permit, expect to apply in person at a branch rather than through a purely online flow, since the video-identification step at banks offering digital onboarding presupposes Greek-issued identity documents.

Can I open the account online?

Some banks offer digital onboarding. Where available, the online flow runs through several same-session steps โ€” personal details, tax and address documentation, financial profile, password creation, a short video-call identification, and digital signing. The video step requires a Greek ID in Latin characters or a valid Greek passport. Applicants without Greek-issued identity documents generally need an in-branch appointment instead.

Is the account free?

The ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ is free. For the account itself, the cost varies by bank. A basic payment account may carry a reasonable annual fee, and the exact figure is set out in the bank's fee information document, which must be provided before you sign. Do not rely on third-party expat summaries for fee figures โ€” read each bank's own current fee schedule.

What if a bank refuses to open a basic payment account?

A bank may lawfully refuse where you do not comply with EU rules on money laundering and terrorist financing, and in some EU countries where you already hold a similar account with another bank in the same country. Outside those grounds, an EU-legally-resident applicant turned away from a standard account can invoke the statutory right to a basic payment account under EU Directive 2014/92/EU.

Who supervises Greek banks?

The Bank of Greece (ฮคฯฮฌฯ€ฮตฮถฮฑ ฯ„ฮทฯ‚ ฮ•ฮปฮปฮฌฮดฮฟฯ‚) is the national prudential supervisor of Greek credit and payment institutions. The basic-payment-account right itself derives from EU Directive 2014/92/EU rather than from a single bank's terms.

After This Process

  • โ†’ Salary deposits โ€” give your account number to your employer once the account is active
  • โ†’ Tax filing โ€” your account links to your ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ for reporting to the tax administration
  • โ†’ Direct debits โ€” set up standing orders for rent and utilities once your account is open

Sources

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4 sources cited last accessed 2026-06-03

T1 official portal ยท T2 embassy/consulate ยท T3 news ยท T4 community โ€” higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →

  1. T1
    National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) 2026-06-03

    The attribution of the ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ and registration in the tax register is mandatory for every person, domestic or foreign, who will be liable to pay or withhold tax under article 3 of the Code of Tax Procedure, Law 4174/2013, or to submit any declaration within the scope of the Code. An applicant can apply for the ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ free of charge by visiting their nearest tax office. The ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ is issued by the tax administration (AADE) through a local tax office (ฮ”ฮŸฮฅ); foreigners can be issued an ฮ‘ฮฆฮœ without a Greek residence permit, appointing a tax representative where required. No procedure specifically addressing bank-account or basic-payment-account registration appears in the Foreigners category, because banking is a private-sector transaction.

    en.mitos.gov.gr
  2. T1
    Your Europe โ€” European Commission 2026-06-03

    A consumer legally resident in an EU country is entitled to open a basic payment account, and banks cannot refuse the application just because the applicant does not live in the country where the bank is established. The right may be refused where the applicant does not comply with EU money-laundering and terrorist-financing rules, and in some EU countries where the applicant already holds a similar account with another bank in the same country. The bank may charge a reasonable annual fee, and must give the applicant a fee information document showing the most important services and any related fees before the contract is signed.

    europa.eu
  3. T1
    European Commission โ€” Access to bank accounts 2026-06-03

    The right to a basic payment account derives from EU Directive 2014/92/EU (the Payment Accounts Directive) and applies to people in the EU regardless of their place of residence or financial situation. The fee information document must be given to the client before they sign a contract to open an account. The exact basic-account fee is left to each Member State and bank and must be read from the bank's own fee information document rather than assumed.

    finance.ec.europa.eu
  4. T2
    National Bank of Greece โ€” digital customer onboarding 2026-06-03

    A bank offering digital onboarding completes identification through a short video call with a representative, requiring a quiet area, good lighting, a strong internet connection, and no glasses or face-covering items, and accepting a Greek ID (Latin characters) or a valid Greek passport. The onboarding collects tax and address documentation (a recent tax statement or tax return certificate, plus a utility bill where the address differs) and financial-profile evidence appropriate to the applicant's status โ€” employer certificate or payroll slip for employees, latest pension slip for pensioners, business registration documents for sole proprietors, student pass or proof of employment for students, and a solemn declaration for other statuses. The online flow lets an applicant open accounts without visiting a branch, but the video step presupposes Greek-issued identity documents.

    nbg.gr
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