Updates
What changed in Greek rules
Greek rules genuinely move — thresholds in 2024, tax brackets and a closed application route in 2026, borders in April. This is every change we have recorded, newest first, with the date it took effect and what it affects.
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.
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New-build VAT suspension runs to 31 December 2026
The suspension of 24% VAT on new builds has been extended to 31 December 2026. While it holds, qualifying new builds attract the 3.09% transfer tax instead. Not every new property is treated the same way, so confirm the status of the specific development. This is a dated cliff edge and should be re-checked as the year ends.
Extension of the new-build VAT suspension, as reported · Affects: /move/housing/buying , /tools/property-costs
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ETIAS still not operating; applications are not open
As at September 2026, ETIAS is not operating and no one can apply. The launch has been postponed repeatedly and the most recent reporting points to a 2027 start, with the European Commission saying the date will be announced several months in advance. Any website selling an ETIAS application today is selling something that does not yet exist. We re-check this entry before every publication.
European Commission travel and borders · Affects: /visit/entry-requirements
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EU Entry/Exit System fully operational
The EU's biometric Entry/Exit System became fully operational across the Schengen Area on 10 April 2026, after a phased rollout that began on 12 October 2025. It records passport data, a facial image and fingerprints plus entry and exit dates, replacing physical passport stamping for non-EU travellers. There is no advance application and no fee; registration happens at the border. There is no nationality-based exemption.
European Commission travel and borders · Affects: /visit/entry-requirements , /tools/schengen-counter
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Minimum wage rises to €920 gross a month
Ministerial Decision 8934/2026 raised the statutory minimum wage from €880 to €920 gross a month, an increase of 4.55% and the sixth since 2022. The minimum daily wage for manual and skilled workers rose from €39.30 to €41.09. Remember that this is the 14-payment expression; Eurostat-derived sources will quote a higher monthly figure for the same wage. Benefits indexed to the minimum wage rose with it.
Ministerial Decision 8934/2026, as reported · Affects: /move/work/minimum-wage , /move/work/salaries , /move/visas/eu-blue-card
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Rent payments reported to be moving away from cash
Greece is reported to be moving rent payments from cash towards traceable bank transactions registered with AADE, from an April 2026 starting point, alongside a unified digital property register linking E9, ENFIA, the cadastre, rental data and short-term rental activity. The operational detail is not yet clear enough for us to publish advice on it, and we have marked the underlying data point for verification.
Reported reform; operational detail unclear · Affects: /move/housing/renting
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In-country Digital Nomad permit applications abolished
Under Law 5275/2026, effective 5 February 2026, applications for the Digital Nomad residence permit can no longer be made from inside Greece. The previous path — enter visa-free as a tourist, find an apartment, then apply on the ground — is closed. Applications must now be submitted at a Greek consulate before travelling. Content published before February 2026 that describes the in-country route is wrong.
Law 5275/2026, as reported consistently across 2026 sources · Affects: /move/visas/digital-nomad
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New income tax scale: mid-range rates cut, a 39% band introduced
Law 5246/2025 replaced the personal income tax scale from 1 January 2026. Most mid-range rates fell by two percentage points, a new 39% band was introduced for income between €40,001 and €60,000, and the top rate's starting point moved up to €60,000. Under-25s pay no income tax on the first €20,000.
Law 5246/2025, as reported · Affects: /move/money/income-tax , /tools/net-salary
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Cruise Sustainable Tourism Fee starts
A per-passenger, per-port-call fee for cruise arrivals came into force on 21 July 2025, ranging from about €1 to €20 depending on the port and the season. The highest rates apply at Mykonos and Santorini in peak season. It is a different charge from the accommodation fee and is normally bundled into the cruise line's port charges.
Cruise Sustainable Tourism Fee · Affects: /visit/costs
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Emergency treatment at public hospitals free to everyone
Emergency treatment at Greek public hospitals is reported as free to everyone regardless of nationality or insurance status, a position in place since 2025. It does not replace travel or private health insurance, which covers repatriation, planned treatment and private care.
Reported position since 2025 · Affects: /move/healthcare , /emergency
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Golden Visa moves to three tiers — the €250,000 threshold is no longer general
The 2024 reform replaced the flat threshold with three zones: €800,000 in Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above 3,100 population; €400,000 elsewhere; and €250,000 only for a completed commercial-to-residential conversion or a restored listed building. It also introduced a 120 m² minimum on main spaces, a single-property rule, and a ban on short-term letting with a reported €50,000 fine. A large amount of still-live content quotes the old flat €250,000 figure and is actively misleading buyers.
2024 Golden Visa reform, as reported · Affects: /move/visas/golden-visa , /invest , /tools/golden-visa-zones
How this page works
Every figure on this site lives in one place with a source and a verification date. When one of those figures changes, an entry is drafted here. That means this page is not a blog — it is a side effect of maintaining the data, which is why it stays accurate.
Entries marked unverified are ones where our sources disagree or the rule is genuinely in flux. We publish the uncertainty rather than picking a side. The ETIAS entry is the clearest example: it has been postponed repeatedly and we re-check it before every publication.