---
title: Getting a Residence Permit in Greece
country: greece
service: "residence-permit"
category: immigration
difficulty: complex
estimated_time: "EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate: typically issued at the in-person appointment, with about three hours of in-office processing. Third-country residence permit: a decision is issued within six months of a complete file, while the acknowledgement of receipt is given immediately on submission."
cost_range: "0,50 € for the EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate; from 150 € plus a 16 € card fee for a third-country residence permit, depending on category"
last_verified: 2026-06-03
canonical: https://publicservices.guide/greece/residence-permit/
status: current
confidence: low
tags:
  - residence
  - immigration
  - "eu-citizens"
  - "third-country"
  - "registration-certificate"
  - "residence-permit"
  - "new-arrival"
sources:
  - https://migration.gov.gr/en/polites-ee-meli-oikogeneias/
  - https://en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94:Certificate_of_registration_for_citizens_of_the_Union_residing_in_Greece_as_employees_or_non-employees
  - https://en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94:Certificate_of_registration_for_Union_citizens_residing_in_Greece_as_financially_inactive_persons
  - https://apdattikis.gov.gr/en/documents/
---

# Getting a Residence Permit in Greece

**Country:** 🇬🇷 Greece  
**Last verified:** 2026-06-03  
**Estimated time:** EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate: typically issued at the in-person appointment, with about three hours of in-office processing. Third-country residence permit: a decision is issued within six months of a complete file, while the acknowledgement of receipt is given immediately on submission.  
**Cost:** 0,50 € for the EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate; from 150 € plus a 16 € card fee for a third-country residence permit, depending on category

## Required documents

- **Valid identity card or passport**
  - EU/EEA/Swiss track: A photocopy of a valid national identity card or passport.
  - Third-country track: A certified photocopy of a valid passport or travel document.
  - _Note:_ Photo and copy specifications differ between the two tracks — confirm the exact spec for your category on the issuing authority's page.
- **Passport-style photographs**
  - EU/EEA/Swiss track: Three colour photographs, 4x4 cm.
  - Third-country track: Four photographs, 40x60 mm, high resolution, white background.
- **Proof of residence address (EU/EEA/Swiss track)**
  - Accepted evidence: A lease contract, property title, utility bills, or tax returns showing the applicant's address in Greece.
- **Proof of status for your sub-category (EU/EEA/Swiss track)**
  - Employees / self-employed: Documentary evidence of paid employment or self-employment status.
  - Financially inactive persons: Proof of sufficient resources (bank statements, pension or salary documentation, deposits) plus proof of full health insurance coverage.
  - _Note:_ The financially inactive sub-category requires resources adequate for the applicant and family members.
- **National entry visa (Type D) (third-country track)**
  - When required: Matched to the purpose of stay, obtained at a Greek consulate before travel; required for most first-time applicants.
- **Insurance policy (third-country track)**
  - What is accepted: A policy from a private insurance company, or proof of public insurance capacity where the category permits.
- **Official birth certificate (third-country track)**
  - Form required: Officially certified and translated, with the place of birth rendered in Latin characters.
- **Tax and social-security documentation (third-country track)** *(ΑΦΜ)*
  - What is required: Tax clearance notes or submitted returns, which presuppose a Greek ΑΦΜ (AFM) tax registration number.
  - _Note:_ The AFM is needed for the social-security insurance-capacity printout and the tax-clearance certificate. Obtain it before assembling the file.
- **Proof of fee payment (third-country track)**
  - What is required: Proof of payment of the administrative fee and the card-printing fee through the e-paravolo system.

## Costs

- **EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate — Hellenic Police stamp fee:** 0.5 EUR — Stated by the source as 0,50 €. This is the only state charge for the registration certificate itself.
- **Third-country residence permit — standard employment category:** 150 EUR — Stated by the source as 150 €. The administrative fee depends entirely on the permit category; this is the standard employment figure. Higher categories run into the hundreds or thousands of euro.
- **Third-country residence permit — financially independent persons category:** 1000 EUR — Stated by the source as 1.000 €. Applies to the financially independent persons route most commonly used by retirees and the self-sufficient.
- **Residence-permit card-printing fee (all third-country categories):** 16 EUR — Stated by the source as 16 €. The same charge applies to the residence card for third-country family members of EU citizens.

## Steps

### 1. Identify Which Track Applies to You

- If you are an EU, EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) or Swiss citizen, you do not need a residence permit — you register after three months and receive a registration certificate. Follow the EU/EEA/Swiss steps below.
- If you are a citizen of any other country, you are a third-country national and need a residence permit under the Immigration Code. Follow the third-country steps below.

> **Tip:** The two tracks are governed by different laws and handled by different authorities. Confusing them is the single most common mistake newcomers make.

### 2. EU/EEA/Swiss: Live on Your ID for Three Months, Then Prepare to Register

_Applies when: If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen_

- Live in Greece for up to three months on your valid national ID or passport alone — no registration is needed during this initial period, and the right of residence is automatic.
- As the three-month mark approaches, assemble your documents: an ID or passport copy, three 4x4 cm photos, proof of address, and the proof relevant to your sub-category.
- Financially inactive applicants must show resources and health insurance; the registry requires evidence of sufficient resources for themselves and their family members.

> **Tip:** The financially inactive sub-category turns on the source requirement of "sufficient resources for themselves and their family members" plus full health insurance coverage.

### 3. EU/EEA/Swiss: Pay the Stamp Fee and Appear Before the Hellenic Police *(βεβαίωση εγγραφής)*

_Applies when: If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen_

- Pay the small Hellenic Police stamp fee through a bank cashier, digital banking or card, or Hellenic Post, and keep the proof of payment.
- After the three-month period expires, appear in person at the competent Hellenic Police authority of your place of residence — the Immigration Department if you live in Attica or Thessaloniki, otherwise the local Security Sub-Directorate, Security Department, or Police Department that handles foreigners' matters.
- The police verify your file, prepare the administrative record, and issue the βεβαίωση εγγραφής (registration certificate). It is typically completed at the appointment with your photograph and signatures.

> **Tip:** The registration certificate does not expire. Keep it with your other identity documents — it confirms your right of residence rather than granting a new one.

### 4. Third-Country: Identify Your Category and Obtain a Type D Visa

_Applies when: If you are a third-country national_

- Identify your permit category — employment and professional reasons, family reunification, study and research, financially independent persons, or investment — because the visa type, documents, fee, and validity all flow from it.
- Apply for a national entry visa (Type D) at the Greek consulate in your country of residence, matched to your purpose of stay; the consulate takes your biometrics and issues the visa.
- Some in-country categories and renewals are exceptions to the visa-first rule — confirm whether your category requires an entry visa first.

> **Tip:** Residence by investment (the route commonly called the investment permit) is one category among many; residence-by-investment is covered separately.

### 5. Third-Country: Get Your AFM and Assemble Your In-Country File *(ΑΦΜ)*

_Applies when: If you are a third-country national_

- After entering Greece on the Type D visa, obtain your ΑΦΜ (AFM) tax registration number, which underpins the tax-clearance and insurance documents.
- Assemble the in-country document set: certified passport photocopy, photographs to spec, the entry visa, an insurance policy, a certified and translated birth certificate, and your tax documentation.

> **Tip:** Most third-country document sets are incomplete without an AFM. Obtaining it first prevents a wasted submission trip.

### 6. Third-Country: Submit, Pay the Fees, and Take the Acknowledgement *(άδεια διαμονής)*

_Applies when: If you are a third-country national_

- Submit your άδεια διαμονής (residence permit) application — for most categories to the competent Decentralised Administration (Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση, the regional administrative authority) of your area, or through the Ministry of Migration and Asylum's online platform where the category supports electronic filing.
- Pay the category's administrative fee and the card-printing fee through the e-paravolo system, and submit proof with your file.
- On submission of a complete file you are given an immediate acknowledgement of receipt (commonly called the blue receipt), which legalises your stay while the application is processed.

> **Tip:** The immediate acknowledgement of receipt means the long decision window does not interrupt your lawful residence.

> **If this fails:** If your file is incomplete — most commonly because the AFM-dependent tax or insurance document is missing — the submission is not accepted as complete and the protective acknowledgement of receipt is not issued. Complete the missing document and resubmit.

_Links:_
- [Ministry of Migration and Asylum — immigration e-services](https://applications.migration.gov.gr/en/metanasteusi/)

### 7. Third-Country: Wait for the Decision and Collect Your Card

_Applies when: If you are a third-country national_

- A decision for many discretionary categories is issued within six months of receiving a complete file.
- When approved, book a delivery appointment — the online platform supports e-appointments for permit delivery — and collect your biometric residence-permit card.

> **Tip:** Keep the acknowledgement of receipt safe until you collect the card; it is your proof of lawful stay throughout the wait.

## FAQ

### Do EU citizens need a Greek residence permit?

No. EU, EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and Swiss citizens do not need a residence permit. They may stay up to three months on a valid national ID or passport alone. If they intend to stay longer, they must register after the three-month period expires before the competent Hellenic Police authority and receive a βεβαίωση εγγραφής (registration certificate). This framework flows from Presidential Decree 106/2007, which transposed the EU free-movement directive.

### How much does the EU registration certificate cost and does it expire?

It carries a 0,50 € Hellenic Police stamp fee, paid via bank cashier, digital banking or card, or Hellenic Post. Once issued, the registration certificate does not expire — it confirms an existing right of residence rather than granting a discretionary one. EU citizens acquire a permanent right of residence after five years of continuous legal residence, evidenced by a separate document.

### What does a third-country residence permit cost?

It depends on the category. The Decentralised Administration of Attica fee schedule lists, among others, 150 € for standard employment, 1.000 € for financially independent persons, and 2.000 € for the investor category, plus a 16 € card-printing fee that applies to all categories. These administrative amounts are paid through the e-paravolo electronic state-fee system and are set by a subordinate ministerial instrument rather than by the Immigration Code itself.

### Which authority issues my document?

It depends on your track. The Hellenic Police (under the Ministry of Citizen Protection) issues the EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate. Third-country residence permits are issued primarily by the Decentralised Administrations — Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση, the regional administrative authority — and by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum for the categories it administers and for the electronic-application and permit-delivery services.

### Do I get anything to prove my status while a third-country application is processed?

Yes. Submitting a complete third-country application gives you an immediate acknowledgement of receipt (the blue receipt), which legalises your stay during processing. Because a decision can take up to six months for many categories, this immediate receipt is what keeps your residence lawful in the meantime.

### What happens if I let a residence permit lapse?

Renewals are filed within the window before the permit expires. A late application may be filed within a limited grace period after expiry, subject to a per-month fine of 100 €. After that grace period passes, no renewal can normally be filed unless force-majeure circumstances exist, and the holder falls out of legal status. File renewals on time to avoid the fine and the lapse risk.

### How long is a financially independent persons permit valid, and is there an income condition?

The financially independent persons permit is issued for three years under Article 163 of the Immigration Code (Law 5038/2023), renewable for equal periods if the conditions remain met, and holders may not access the Greek labour market. A minimum monthly income condition applies — higher for a spouse and for each child — together with a Type D entry visa. Confirm the current income threshold and visa fee at the consular point of application, as the consular tariff varies by nationality and category.

## Local tips

- Work out which track is yours before doing anything else. An EU citizen who walks into a Decentralised Administration office expecting a residence permit is in the wrong place — Union-citizen registration is a Hellenic Police function. A third-country national who turns up at a police station for a residence permit is likewise misdirected for most categories.
- Almost every third-country document set presupposes a Greek tax registration number, the *ΑΦΜ* (AFM). It underpins the tax-clearance certificate and the social-security insurance-capacity printout, so obtain it before assembling your file.
- For third-country nationals, the decisive question is which permit category your circumstances fit — employment, family reunification, study and research, financially independent person, or investment. The entry visa, the document set, the fee, and the validity period all flow from the category.
- Most first-time third-country applicants must obtain a national entry visa (a Type D visa) from a Greek consulate before travelling. Arriving as a tourist and trying to convert is not the standard route for most categories.

## Sources

- [Ministry of Migration and Asylum — Free movement and residence of EU citizens and their family members](https://migration.gov.gr/en/polites-ee-meli-oikogeneias/) — accessed 2026-06-03 — _T1_ — EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may enter and stay in Greece for up to three months with a valid national ID or passport; registration becomes obligatory after the three-month period expires for those staying longer, before the competent immigration authority of the place of residence. Third-country family members of EU citizens apply for a residence card/permit, paying the 16 € card fee (code 2119); a decision is issued within six months of complete documentation, with an immediate acknowledgement of receipt (blue confirmation letter) on submission. Framework flows from Presidential Decree 106/2007, transposing Directive 2004/38/EC.
- [National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) — Certificate of registration for Union citizens as employees or non-employees](https://en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94:Certificate_of_registration_for_citizens_of_the_Union_residing_in_Greece_as_employees_or_non-employees) — accessed 2026-06-03 — _T1_ — The competent authority is the Hellenic Police under the Ministry of Citizen Protection (Immigration Departments in Attica/Thessaloniki, Security Sub-Directorates/Departments elsewhere). Required documents: photocopy of ID or passport, three 4x4 cm colour photographs, proof of residence address, and proof of employment or self-employment. The stamp fee is 0,50 €, paid via bank cashier, digital banking or card, or Hellenic Post. Estimated in-office processing is around three hours; the certificate validity is indefinite. Legal basis: Presidential Decree 106/2007 (Articles 7, 8), Law 4071/2012 (Article 42), Ministerial Decision 8000/28/34-IV/2021.
- [National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) — Certificate of registration for Union citizens as financially inactive persons](https://en.mitos.gov.gr/index.php/%CE%94%CE%94:Certificate_of_registration_for_Union_citizens_residing_in_Greece_as_financially_inactive_persons) — accessed 2026-06-03 — _T1_ — Financially inactive EU/EEA/Swiss applicants residing for more than three months must show sufficient resources for themselves and their family members so as not to become a burden on the social-security system, plus full health insurance coverage. The sufficient-resources condition derives from Presidential Decree 106/2007 Article 8(3). Required documents: photocopy of ID or passport, three 4x4 cm colour photographs, proof of residence, proof of sufficient resources, and proof of full health insurance.
- [Decentralised Administration of Attica (Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση Αττικής) — Residence Permit Documents](https://apdattikis.gov.gr/en/documents/) — accessed 2026-06-03 — _T1_ — Third-country residence-permit core document set: certified passport photocopy, four 40x60 mm white-background photographs, national entry visa (Type D) matched to purpose of stay, a private insurance policy, a certified and translated birth certificate with place of birth in Latin characters, and tax documentation requiring a Greek AFM for the EFKA insurance-capacity printout and tax-clearance certificate. e-paravolo administrative fees by code: standard employment 150 € (2107), second-generation 300 € (2108), autonomous children 450 € (2109), ten-year 900 € (2110), financially independent persons 1.000 € (2111), investor 2.000 € (2112), card-printing 16 € (2119), set by subordinate ministerial instrument.

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Verification pending — see the canonical page for the latest trust state.
Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/greece/residence-permit/