Act Now: Greece Transfer Tax Rises To 15% For Non-EU Buyers From July 2027

Greece plans to raise its property transfer tax from 3.09% to 15% for buyers from outside the EU, with the increase currently expected to take effect on 1 July 2027.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the measure at the Thessaloniki International Fair as part of a €2.2 billion housing package that also includes €2 billion in subsidised mortgages, phased electricity cost cuts and the abolition of the ENFIA property tax in small settlements. The government’s stated aim is to ease foreign demand on residential prices.

The increase applies to residential property only. Offices, retail units, warehouses, hotels and development land stay at 3.09% for all buyers, and the Greece Golden Visa’s fund and deposit routes sit outside the measure entirely.

Every real estate investor in the Greece Golden Visa Program is a third-country national, so the new rate reaches the whole of the property route unless the final legislation carves out an exemption.

Nothing else about the Program itself changes. The thresholds, the residency rights and the eligibility rules stay as they are, and what moves is the cost of completing a purchase after the deadline.

What The Increase Means In Euros

Transfer tax is paid on the higher of the agreed price and the state-assessed objective value, and it falls due before the notary signs the deed.

• At the €250,000 tier, which covers commercial-to-residential conversions and the restoration of listed buildings, the tax rises from around €7,700 to €37,500, an additional cost of roughly €30,000.
• At the €400,000 tier, which applies in most regions of Greece, the tax rises from around €12,400 to €60,000, an increase of close to €48,000.
• At the €800,000 tier for Athens, Thessaloniki and the larger islands, the tax rises from around €24,700 to €120,000, adding around €96,000 to a single transaction.

Total cash to enter the €250,000 tier therefore moves from about €257,700 to €287,500, and at the top tier from about €824,700 to €920,000.

Learn more about the different Greek property options here

Why The Coming Months Matter

The 3.09% rate applies to any deed signed before the measure takes effect. A reservation, preliminary agreement or paid deposit does not fix the rate, so a buyer needs the purchase completed, not just agreed, before July 2027.

Behind a completed transfer sit the Greek tax number, a Greek bank account, source of funds checks and title due diligence. A buyer who cannot travel will also need a power of attorney drafted for the purpose. Our advisers typically allow several months for this process on an Athens purchase, and that timeline lengthens when demand rises.

Demand is expected to increase ahead of the change. The €250,000 route already has relatively few high-quality, liquid properties available, since converted units in Athens transact in a narrow band from roughly €250,000 to €320,000 and the pool of convertible commercial buildings does not refill. The forward pipeline of conversions across the Athens metropolitan area runs to an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 homes.

The measure has not yet been legislated. Parliament must vote on the bill and the law must be promulgated before any new rate applies, and national elections fall due in spring 2027. Until then, the rate stays at 3.09% and the door stays open.

The Greece Golden Visa In 2026

The Greece Golden Visa Program grants five-year renewable residency to investors and their families with no minimum stay requirement, and it remains one of Europe’s most popular residency by investment options. It is possible to apply for citizenship after seven years of residence, subject to the standard requirements.

The real estate route runs at three tiers: €250,000 for qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions and listed building restorations, €400,000 in most regions, and €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and islands with populations above 3,100. Investors who prefer not to hold property can qualify through Greek fund subscriptions or bank deposits, and neither is affected by the transfer tax change.

Investors weighing Greece alongside other European options can compare it with the Portugal Golden Visa fund route, Hungary’s Golden Visa and Malta’s residency program, all of which La Vida offers. Those looking for a second citizenship rather than residency can consider the Caribbean citizenship by investment programs in Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Dominica.

Round-Up

Greece remains one of the strongest residency propositions in Europe, and the proposed transfer tax changes the arithmetic of a purchase rather than the case for the Program. Buyers who complete before July 2027 secure the current 3.09% rate, and the fund and deposit routes are untouched whatever parliament decides.

La Vida’s advisers have guided investors through the Greece Golden Visa since the Program launched and can manage the full process, from property selection and due diligence to the residency application. Get in touch with our expert team to discuss your timeline and the route that suits you.

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