Greece Sees A Massive Decline For The New Golden Visa Applications Of This Year Amid Slower Demand

Published on August 26, 2025

The astir caller figures from nan Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum bespeak a steep autumn successful applications for nan Golden Visa during nan first half of 2025, aft a grounds twelvemonth successful 2024. Both first-time and renewal applications are declining, indicating a highest successful request for Greece’s highly celebrated residency-by-investment program.

Golden Visa Applications Fall by Nearly 47%

From January to July 2025, nan number of Golden Visa requests dropped by a important 46.7%, falling to 5,011 from 9,399 during nan aforesaid play successful 2024. Of these, only 757 applications were approved, pinch 4,249 still pending. The diminution successful renewals was moreover much pronounced, pinch a staggering 83.4% driblet to 668 applications, compared to 4,022 renewals successful 2024.

The highest number of first-time requests occurred successful January 2025, pinch 1,095 applications received, on pinch 234 renewals. However, by July, nan numbers importantly decreased, pinch only 511 first-time applications submitted, down 28.4% from 714 successful nan aforesaid period of 2024.

Chinese Investors Lead successful Golden Visa Demand

Despite nan wide decline, Chinese investors proceed to show beardown liking successful Greece’s Golden Visa program. As of July 2025, Chinese nationals accounted for a 62.7% increase successful renewals, reaching a full of 3,741. Additionally, first-time applications from Chinese investors roseate by 47.4%, amounting to 8,179.

Other countries besides contributed to nan request for nan program. Turkish nationals recorded a 14.2% rise successful caller applications and an 8% increase successful renewals. Russia, Iran, and Egypt rounded retired nan apical 5 countries contributing to Golden Visa applications.

There was besides a noticeable uptick successful applications from the UK and the US. British applications roseate by 4.1% to 704, while American applications grew by 3.0% to 518.

Attica Region Leads successful Golden Visa Demand

The Attica region, which includes nan superior metropolis of Athens, recorded nan highest request for Golden Visa applications, pinch 3,079 requests for areas wrong nan region. The Macedonia and Thrace regions followed, receiving 527 applications. Other celebrated regions for Golden Visa investors see nan Peloponnese, Western Greece, Ionian Islands, Thessaly, Central Greece, Crete, Aegean Islands, Epirus, and Western Macedonia.

Impact connected Greece’s Housing Market

While nan Golden Visa programme continues to pull overseas investors, critics person raised concerns astir its effect connected nan Greek lodging market, peculiarly regarding rising lodging costs. Some reason that nan influx of overseas capital, peculiarly successful high-demand areas for illustration Athens, has contributed to accrued spot prices, making lodging little affordable for locals.

However, business groups antagonistic these concerns, emphasizing that nan programme drives important investment into nan existent property sector, revives unused properties, and supports economical growth. They reason that these benefits outweigh nan imaginable drawbacks, highlighting nan request for balanced policies that guarantee nan continued travel of overseas superior while maintaining housing affordability for Greek residents.

Long-Term Tourism Impact of Golden Visa Decline for Greece

The diminution successful Golden Visa applications could person important semipermanent consequences for Greece’s tourism industry. While nan programme has agelong been a root of overseas investment, attracting able individuals seeking residency, its slowdown whitethorn awesome reduced overseas liking successful Greek tourism and existent estate. The Golden Visa programme has driven tourism growth by not only bringing investors but besides their families and networks, fueling request for luxury accommodations and services.

A sustained diminution successful applications could inhibit nan economic growth driven by foreign tourism, peculiarly successful cardinal areas for illustration Athens and the Ionian Islands, wherever overseas investors person historically been nan astir active. Furthermore, less Golden Visa holders whitethorn trim request for high-end tourism products and limit nan maturation imaginable of businesses that trust connected world finance and tourism, impacting job creation successful hospitality and existent property sectors.

Conclusion: The Need for Balanced Policies

The driblet successful Golden Visa requests successful 2025 represents a melodramatic alteration successful nan fame of nan program, albeit 1 that remains favored by investors, peculiarly Chinese. With nan authorities continuing to face nan rumor of balancing overseas finance and nan affordability of housing, location is an important domiciled to play successful enacting policies that will respond to nan concerns of home communities while maintaining nan economical boon delivered by nan Golden Visa program.

With nan ongoing progression of nan market, Greece mightiness beryllium required to rethink and modify its Golden Visa programme truthful that it is still capable to cater to nan needs of some overseas investors and home citizens, promoting patient maturation for nan system and lodging marketplace of nan country.