Documents
AFM — the Greek tax number
Greece's administrative system rests on two numbers, and this is the first one. Without an AFM you cannot open a bank account, sign a lease, buy property or a car, start a job, pay tax, connect electricity or get online. Get it before anything else.
Last verified 12 September 2026 · 1 day ago · checked by spec-import Every figure on this page was checked against its source on this date.
What it is
AFM (Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) is your tax identification number: AFM length Nine digits, issued once, valid for life.9 — source and verification date
Why you need it first
The AFM is a prerequisite for almost everything else:
- Opening a Greek bank account
- Signing a rental contract
- Buying property or a vehicle
- Starting employment or freelance work
- Paying tax of any kind
- Setting up electricity, water and internet
- Accessing most online government services
- Applying for an AMKA, which asks for your AFM
Who can get one
Anyone, including non-residents. You do not need a residence permit and you do not need to live in Greece. This matters for two groups in particular: overseas property buyers, who need an AFM before they can purchase, and people preparing a move who want the number in hand before they arrive.
The three ways to get one
- In person at a DOY. The standard route, and free. Where your documents are complete, the number is typically issued on the spot.
- Remotely through AADE and gov.gr. Identity verification happens by video appointment. Useful if you are not yet in Greece.
- Through a Greek lawyer or accountant holding a notarised power of attorney. The usual route for property buyers who will not travel before the purchase.
What it costs
Cost of obtaining an AFM in person Free when applied for in person. Where documentation is complete, the number is typically issued on the spot.€0 — source and verification date
How long it takes
The appointment is the bottleneck, not the process. Appointments at Athens and Thessaloniki tax offices fill weeks ahead, and every relocation timeline should be built around that rather than around the ten minutes the counter interaction takes. Book as early as you can, even before you are certain of your arrival date.
Where it goes wrong
- Arriving under-documented. Requirements are applied with local variation. Take more than you think you need, including certified translations of anything not in Greek or English.
- Leaving it until you need it. By the time a landlord wants your AFM to sign a lease, the next available appointment may be a month away.
- Stopping at the number. The AFM on its own does not give you online access. Activate Taxisnet and a gov.gr account, and install the gov.gr Wallet app — it holds the digital ID, AMKA card, European Health Insurance Card and driving licence, and many pharmacies and doctors accept the digital AMKA straight from it.
After the AFM
Next is the AMKA, the social security number that gets you healthcare and lets an employer register you. The first 60 days checklist puts both in the order that actually works.
Questions people actually ask
Do I need to live in Greece to get an AFM?
No. The AFM is available to non-residents, which is why overseas property buyers can start the process before they have ever lived in Greece. You do not need a residence permit and you do not need a Greek address to obtain one.
How much does it cost?
Nothing, when you apply in person. Where documentation is complete the number is usually issued on the spot. If you use a lawyer or accountant under power of attorney you are paying for their time, not for the number itself.
Can I get it from abroad?
Yes, two ways. Remotely, with identity verification by video appointment through AADE and gov.gr. Or by authorising a Greek lawyer or accountant under a notarised power of attorney, which is the usual route for property buyers who have not yet travelled.
What is a DOY?
The DOY is the local tax office, the branch of AADE — the Independent Authority for Public Revenue — that handles tax registration in person. Which DOY you belong to depends on your address in Greece.
Can I lose it or does it expire?
Neither. The AFM is issued once and is valid for life. If you leave Greece and come back years later, it is still yours.
What is the difference between AFM and AMKA?
The AFM is your tax number and the AMKA is your social security number. The AFM comes first, because the AMKA application asks for it. The AFM gets you a bank account, a lease and utilities; the AMKA gets you healthcare and employment.
What if the tax office asks for documents I do not have?
Requirements are applied with some local variation, and what one DOY accepts another may query. Go with more documentation than you think you need: passport, proof of address at home and in Greece if you have one, and a certified translation of anything not in Greek or English. Going twice is the common outcome of going under-prepared.