Greece: what’s there not to love about it? Historic ruins, volcanic cliffs, and friendly locals meet the crystal clear Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.Â
With 227 islands to chose from and a great quality of life, it is now possible,even as a non European citizen, to stay even more than a few months and to make this beautiful land your home due to the new Digital Nomad Visa launched in 2021.
The Greece Digital Nomad Visa is a travel authorization document that allows remote workers to live and work from Greece for at least one year.
In September 2021, Greece issued the Digital Nomad Visa under Law 4825/2021 and a plan agreed upon by Greece’s Ministers of Migration and Foreign Affairs. The objective of this program is to attract foreign remote workers and permanent investors too.
When applying for your greek Digital Nomad Visa, you will in fact apply for a Greece National Visa also known as Type D Visa. This visa will allow you a stay of up to 12 months and will enable you to live and work in Greece.
This kind of visa is commonly referred to as the Greek Digital Nomad Visa. However, many people also refer to this type of visa as the Digital Nomad Residence Permit.
Nevertheless, like many other visas, the Greece Digital Nomad Visa has its own specific eligibility requirements you need to meet.
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Greece Digital Nomad Visa - Quick Facts
Duration
1 year with the possibility to extend for another year.
Fees
75 EUR
Family Visa
Yes, possible.
Renewable
Yes
Monthly Budget
1500-2500 EUR/ month
Minimum income
3500 EUR
Who Can Apply For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
The Greece Nomad Visa was created for non-EU citizens who wish to work remotely in Greece.Â
Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and the Schengen Area won’t be able to apply for the Greece DNV This is because citizens from the Schengen Area already enjoy the freedom of movement under the Schengen Agreement.Â
Moreover, the European nationals can already enjoy working in and from Greece without the need to apply for this type of visa.Â
What Are The Eligibility Requirements For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
- You must work for a company/clients located outside of Greece.
- You are not allowed to work for a company registered in Greece.
- If self-employed, you must submit confirmation of your business activity, corporate purpose, and business address. Your business cannot be registered in Greece.
- You must be able to complete your work obligations using information and communication technology like wifi, laptops, etc.
How Long Is The Greece Digital Nomad Visa Valid For?
Once you’ve successfully obtained your new Greek Nomad Visa, it will be valid for 1 year (12 months). After that, you’re allowed to extend your visa for an additional year, totaling a maximum of 2 years.
How Much does the Visa Fee Cost
When applying for the Greece Visa, you will be paying around €75 for your new visa.
This amount is paid for the services provided by the Greece Embassy. Therefore, if your application is unsuccessful, you won’t get your money back.
What Is The Processing Time For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
Once you submit your Greece DNV, you’ll receive feedback within 10 days. After approval, your visa will be issued by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum. Sometimes, it takes a bit more time, so expect some delays in the process.
The government does not specify how long it will take for your visa to be issued. You can expect to receive your visa within a month. However, sometimes it may take less than 10 days for your DNV to be issued which is aesome. It all depends on how busy that office is and the seasonality.
What Are The Financial Requirements For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
Remote workers will need to prove they meet the financial requirements when applying for a Greece Nomad Visa.
The applicant will need to prove a monthly income of at least €3,500 (which for a lot of nomads is quite high, so the visa might seem already a bit exclusive). If the monthly income comes from dependent employment or independent service provision, the €3,500 refers to net income (after tax deductions).
What Are The Document Requirements For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
The law 4825/2021 mentions only 4 documents you need to submit for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa. Unfortunately, it does not state that you actually need to submit the same documents like that of the Type D Visa too. This can cause a lot of confusion so just to make things clear, you need to look at the Type D visa too.
So when you submit your Greece Digital Nomad Visa too, you need to submit the documents mentioned below and the required documents for the Greece Type D Visa.
So, let’s take a look at the documents required according to Law 4825/2021:
- A Declaration Letter
- Proof Of Employment
- Proof Of Sufficient Funds
- The Greece Digital Nomad Visa Fee
1. A Declaration Letter
This is probably the most important document of this digital nomad application.
You need to state that you plan to apply for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa and work remotely in Greece. Within your declaration, you must include that you won’t work for a company registered in Greece for the duration of your stay. Moreover, you must add all relevant details about your job/company and that you meet the financial requirements.
This is more like a cover letter where you need to justify why you want to work remotely from Greece and give the Greek Immigration office the key points of your application.
2. Proof Of Employment
You need to prove that you’re a digital nomad planning to do remote work in Greece. There are a few documents that you can provide.
An employment contract that proves you have work outside of Greece. Usually, contracts should mention something like that.
A letter from your employer stating that you can complete your work obligations using information technology.
Keep in mind that your employment contract must be valid for the duration of your Greece Visa.
If you own your own company outside of Greece:
Your company license and/or registration number
Your company name
Field of activity
Corporate purpose
Any other relevant documents that prove you own a company registered outside Greece.
3. Proof Of Sufficient Funds
 This is probably the key document where you prove that you need to meet the minimum financial requirements for this greek visa type.
You can provide the following documents to be eligible for this part:
- Most recent bank statements
- Company account statements
- An employment contract stating your salary
- Any other relevant document that proves your monthly income
4. The Greece Digital Nomad Fee
As per the Greek law 4825/2021 you will have to pay a €75 fee.
Documents Required For The Greece Type D Visa
a) One Visa Application Form
First, you need to fill in the National Visa application form. This is also known as the long-stay visa application form.
The information you provide must be accurate and correct. Always review your application and ensure that you have filled out all the required fields.
Quick tip:Â Within the application, you’ll find a section that asks “main purpose of journey”. Under “other,” you can enter remote work. When authorities receive your application, they will process your Type D Visa application as a Digital Nomad Visa application.
b) A Valid Passport
As the name suggests, you need to provide copies of your valid passport.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended date of departure back to your home country.Â
If your passport is close to its expiration date, you should definitely apply for a new passport before starting the DNV application.
I should mention that you might have to leave your passport with the Embassy. Once a successful application is processed, your visa sticker will be attached to your passport.
c) Two Passport Photos
The passport photos must be in color and taken in front of a white background. More details on how to make an accepted passport photo here.
d) Proof Of Accommodation
You will need to provide proof of accommodation in Greece. This can be done by providing a rental agreement or a document that shows you own a property over there. We are not sure if the tenancy contract has to be for 12 months or less so please check in advance.Â
e) Proof Of Financial Means
As previously mentioned, there are minimum financial requirements to be met if you want to obtain the Greece DNV.
You can provide the following documents to prove financial sufficiency:
Most recent bank account statements
Company account statements
An employment contract stating your salary
Any other relevant document that proves your monthly income
f) Proof Of Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Your insurance policy must cover all medical expenses that may occur during your trip, and be valid for the duration of your stay in Greece.
There are no specific requirements for medical insurance. Nonetheless, we recommend obtaining one similar to the Schengen Visa medical insurance.
Make sure you pick a good one that will cover you everywhere like Allianz.
g) A Clean Criminal Record
You must obtain a valid criminal record certificate from the authorities within the country you are a resident of.Â
h) A Return Flight Ticket
Another requirement for the National Type D Visa is to provide a return flight ticket. Your return flight ticket proves that you plan to travel back to your home country after your stay. You just need to show a booking so you could book a flight with free cancellation policy or via an offline agent that has that option.
i) A Medical Certificate
Your medical certificate must be issued by a recognized health organization in your country. It must prove that you are healthy and don’t suffer from any contagious diseases that may be of risk to Greece and its citizen
How To Apply For The Greece Digital Nomad Visa
Get All The Documents Mentioned Above
Make sure you have the necessary documents both for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa and Type D Visa.
There are quite a few things to gather for these two so if you do the application yourself, make sure you create a list and stay on top of it as you progress. If you will be working with a lawyer, then he will tell you what’s left to provide.
Submit Your Digital Nomad Visa Application
Submit your visa application and required documents at your local Greece Embassy or Consulate.
You can do this either in-person, Via email, or mail (post).Â
It is best to contact the Embassy before applying. Doing this will enable you to learn more about the exact visa application steps you need to take and if there are any papers you might have missed.
Wait for feedback and follow up
After submitting your documents, the Embassy authorities will evaluate your application within 10 days. Once your application is approved, your new Greece Digital Nomad Visa will be issued by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum.