Moving to Greece: the first 60 days

1. 1. Secure the correct entry visa before travellingGreek consulate in your country of residence · 2–8 weeksMandatory for the Digital Nomad route since February 2026, and expected for most others. Consulate appointment waits are the longest single delay in the whole process, so book before you are ready.
2. 2. Arrange short-term accommodation for four to eight weeksBefore you arrive · 1 week to arrangeDo not sign a long lease sight-unseen. You need somewhere to be while you find the right place, and you will need an AFM before you can sign a real lease anyway.
3. 3. Apply for the AFM at the tax officeDOY, or remotely through AADE, or by power of attorney · Same day, once you have an appointmentFree in person. Available to non-residents, so this can be done in advance. Athens and Thessaloniki appointments fill weeks ahead — build that into your timeline.
4. 4. Activate Taxisnet and gov.gr, and install the gov.gr Wallet appOnline · Same dayUnlocks online tax filing, certificates and most digital services. The Wallet app holds your digital ID, AMKA card, European Health Insurance Card and driving licence, and many pharmacies and doctors accept the digital AMKA from it.
5. 5. Submit the residence permit application and complete biometricsMinistry of Migration and Asylum one-stop office · 1–3 months end to endMust be submitted before your entry visa expires. Biometric registration produces the ADET residence card, which becomes your main legal identity document in Greece.
6. 6. Sign a lease, and confirm the landlord registers it with AADEGreece · 2–4 weeks to find somewherePhotograph every existing defect and attach the list to the contract. Ask for the koinochrista figure in writing. The landlord is legally obliged to register the lease — a landlord who resists is telling you something.
7. 7. Obtain the AMKAKEP, KEM or e-EFKA office · Same day, generally no appointmentTake your passport, AFM, proof of a Greek address and — if you are a non-EU national — your residence permit. EU citizens do not need to show a permit. Offices are open roughly 08:00 to 14:00, so go in the morning.
8. 8. Open a Greek bank accountAny Greek bank branch · 1–2 weeksRevolut and Wise are widely used by newcomers, but a Greek IBAN is still needed for some payroll, utility and government purposes. Plan on having both rather than choosing.
9. 9. Connect electricity, water, internet and a mobile planProviders, online or in person · 1–3 weeksAll of these want your AFM. Fibre availability varies by exact address rather than by city, so check the address before you commit to remote work from it.
10. 10. Register with EFKA and choose a family doctore-EFKA, then your local health centre · 1–2 weeksThis turns AMKA access into actual care. You can book specialists directly without a GP referral, though popular specialists have long waits.
11. 11. Handle the driving licence and, if relevant, the vehicleTransport directorate · 4–12 weeksEU licences are valid. Non-EU holders need an exchange or an international permit within the permitted window. Driving on foreign plates after establishing residence can mean fines and the vehicle being barred from use — regularise it rather than hoping.
12. 12. File the election for whichever tax regime applies to youAADE, through an accountant · Within the applicable windowThe 50% inbound worker exemption, the 7% pension rate and the non-dom lump sum are all elective and all have filing windows. Missing the window costs a full year. This is the step people discover too late.

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