€250K Startup Investment — Greek Golden Visa Route
A route for investing at least €250,000 in the capital of a company registered in the National Startup Registry (Elevate Greece), through a qualifying share-capital increase or bond issuance under Article 100A. Subject to current law and individual eligibility.
Official sources for this page: Hellenic Republic / National Printing House. Law 5038/2023 — Migration Code
Subject to current law and eligibility
The conditions below summarise the Greek startup-investment residence route (Article 100A) as we currently understand it. They are subject to current law, the latest implementing rules and individual eligibility, and they may change. Nothing on this page guarantees eligibility, a residence permit or any return.
At a glance
- Minimum investment
- €250,000 into the capital of a qualifying startup
- Qualifying company
- Registered in the National Startup Registry (Elevate Greece)
- Form of investment
- Share-capital increase or bond issuance, as defined by Article 100A
- Participation cap
- The investor’s participation or voting rights may not exceed 33%
- New jobs
- At least two new jobs within the company’s first year
- Employment maintained
- Required total employment level, including the new jobs, kept for at least five years
A €250,000 investment in a qualifying Greek startup
This route is for third-country nationals who invest at least €250,000 in the capital of a company that is registered in the National Startup Registry. The money goes into the company through a qualifying share-capital increase or bond issuance as defined by Article 100A. It is not a property purchase, and it is separate from the €250,000 special property category.
Eligibility depends on the investor, the company and the structure of the investment, and is assessed by the competent authorities. The route is not a lower-risk alternative to property: an investment in a young company is a different kind of exposure, and the company’s results are not within the investor’s control.
Key Features
- Minimum €250,000 into the capital of a company in the National Startup Registry
- Investor participation or voting rights capped at 33%
- Company must create at least two new jobs in its first year
- Required employment level, including the new jobs, maintained for at least five years
Qualifying startup: the National Startup Registry
The company must be registered in the National Startup Registry, which is administered through Elevate Greece. Not every young or innovative company qualifies, and its status should be checked against the current registry before any money moves.
Registration is an eligibility status. It does not mean the State endorses the company’s quality, prospects or suitability as an investment.
The 33% participation cap
The participation or voting rights the investor acquires through the investment may not exceed 33%. The investor therefore holds a minority position.
The cap shapes governance and exit. Review it together with the company’s share structure and any shareholder agreement before committing.
Job creation and employment maintenance
The enterprise must create at least two new jobs within its first year.
It must also maintain the required total employment level, including the new positions, for at least five years.
These are obligations of the company. Whether they are met depends on the business, which is why the company’s plan and funding deserve close examination.
Holding, monitoring and certification
The detailed holding period, monitoring and certification procedures for this route are set by the implementing rules. We have not been able to confirm their current text, so we do not state them here. They are being checked with legal counsel and will be added only once verified.
Residence permit
A successful application leads to a Greek investor residence permit. The permit’s duration, its renewal conditions and any holding requirement for this route are not stated here, pending verification against the current implementing rules.
Employment rights: please note
The investor residence permit does not by itself give a general right to dependent employment in Greece. The two jobs the company must create are positions in the company’s workforce. They are not a right of employment for the investor or for family members.
Family members
Eligible family members may be included in the investor’s application. Who counts as family, and what residence rights they receive, is set out on our central family page.
Read about family coverageApplication and certification workflow
- Eligibility review: we check your nationality, the company and the proposed structure against the current rules.
- Company check: confirm the company’s National Startup Registry status and its capacity to meet the job and employment obligations.
- Structuring and legal review: independent counsel reviews the share-capital increase or bond terms, the 33% cap and the shareholder arrangements.
- Investment and certification: the investment is made and documented as the competent authorities require.
- Residence application: the application is filed with the competent authority for the investor and eligible family members.
Steps and responsible authorities are confirmed against the current implementing rules at the time of instruction.
Route facts
- Threshold
- €250,000
- Legal basis
- Article 100A (Greek Migration Code) — exact amending provision to be confirmed in legal review
- Property / investment rule
- Capital of a company in the National Startup Registry; 33% participation cap; two new jobs in year one; employment maintained for five years.
- Short-term rental
- Not applicable to this route.
- Employment rights
- The residence permit does not by itself give a general right to dependent employment in Greece.
- Last reconciled
- 2026-10-17
- Last legal review
- Pending: not yet reviewed by a Greek-qualified lawyer.
Risks and what to check
Every application is assessed on its own facts, and approval is not guaranteed. Read the points below before committing funds — they describe what can go wrong on this route, not what we expect to happen.
- Your capital is at risk. A startup can fail, and you could lose all or part of the amount invested.
- The investment is illiquid. A minority stake in a private company can be hard to sell, and there may be no market for it.
- The company must meet its job-creation and employment obligations. If the business struggles, those obligations can become difficult to meet.
- No return is guaranteed, and none should be assumed. Past results of other startups say nothing about this one.
- Registration in the National Startup Registry is an eligibility status. It is not a State endorsement of the company’s quality or of the investment.
- Holding, monitoring and certification rules for this route are being verified and may change.
Before you commit
- Confirm the company’s current status in the National Startup Registry before any money moves.
- Have independent counsel review the share-capital increase or bond terms, the 33% cap and the shareholder agreements.
- Review the company’s business plan, accounts, funding and its ability to meet the job and employment obligations.
- Check what happens to your holding if the company fails, is sold or raises further capital.
- Take independent financial advice suited to your own circumstances before investing.
This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Take independent advice from advisers qualified in Greece and in your own country of residence before making any commitment.
Official basis
- Law and article
- Article 100A, Greek Migration Code (Law 5038/2023, as in force). The exact amending provision is being confirmed in legal review.
- Competent bodies
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum (residence permits); Elevate Greece (National Startup Registry).
- Last legal review
- Pending. This page has not yet been reviewed by a Greek-qualified lawyer.
- Last editorial update
- 17 October 2026
- Official sources
- Ministry of Finance announcement (minfin.gov.gr)
- Ministry of Development statement (mindev.gov.gr)
- MITOS: proposal on the characterisation of investment plans
Check the current law and the implementing rules before relying on any figure on this page.
Get notified if the rules change
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