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10 minutes
2026
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Program
Greece
Timeline
7 months
Investment
€290,000
Family Size
3 persons
Names and photos have been changed to protect client privacy.
Case study by an Astons expert
Susanna Uzakova
Senior Citizenship & Residency Advisor
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Susanna Uzakova
Senior Citizenship & Residency Advisor
After heart surgery, regular check-ups became part of my life. We wanted to know that if I needed to see my doctors in Germany, I could arrange the trip without first having to go through another visa application.
Karim A.
Business owner , Cairo
PROFILE
Entrepreneur & Family
| Applicant | 49 y.o. |
| Spouse | 44 y.o. |
| Daughter | 17 y.o. |
goals
Client Requirements
Karim is a business owner from Cairo. Several years ago, he underwent heart surgery at a specialist hospital in Germany and has since returned regularly for follow-up examinations and consultations.
The family was accustomed to planning these trips in advance, but their dependence on Schengen visas became increasingly inconvenient. Routine check-ups could be scheduled several months ahead, but medical care was not always predictable. If Karim’s doctors requested additional tests or an earlier consultation, the family still had to factor a visa application into their plans.
After his surgery, Karim and his wife Nour wanted a more reliable long-term solution. Their objective was not to relocate from Egypt: Karim continued to manage his business in Cairo, while their daughter was still at school.
Instead, they wanted a European residence status that would give the family greater flexibility to travel within the Schengen Area and allow Karim to organise medical visits around his doctors’ recommendations.
During the consultation, Astons reviewed European residence options based on the family’s priorities: Schengen access, long-term status for the family and no requirement to relocate permanently.
The Greece Golden Visa met these requirements. The program provides qualifying non-EU nationals with a five-year renewable residence permit and does not impose a minimum stay requirement for maintaining the status.
Greek residence permit holders can also travel to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. For Karim, this meant being able to travel to Germany for follow-up examinations and consultations without applying for a separate Schengen visa before each trip.
The next step was to select a qualifying property. The standard minimum real estate investment is €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki and other designated high-demand locations, and €400,000 in other eligible areas. A separate €250,000 threshold applies to specific property categories, including qualifying commercial properties converted to residential use.
Astons presented the family with several properties eligible under the €250,000 route. As Karim and Nour did not plan to live permanently in Greece, they wanted a modern property that could be rented out on a long-term basis.
They selected a two-bedroom apartment for €290,000 in a residential development near The Ellinikon. The property had been converted from commercial to residential use and therefore qualified for the Golden Visa under the €250,000 threshold.
The apartment can be rented on a long-term basis when the family is not using it. Short-term rentals of properties used to qualify for the Golden Visa are not permitted.
1. Consultation and profile assessment
Astons reviewed the family’s objectives, financial profile and source of funds and confirmed their eligibility for the selected Golden Visa route.
2. Property selection
The family reviewed qualifying properties in Athens and selected a €290,000 two-bedroom apartment near The Ellinikon.
3. Property purchase and documentation
Astons’ legal team conducted due diligence on the property and coordinated the documentation required for the purchase. The transaction was completed and ownership was registered in Greece.
4. Golden Visa application
After the qualifying investment was completed, Astons prepared and submitted residence permit applications for Karim, Nour and their daughter. Medical insurance was also arranged for all applicants.
5. Biometrics
The family travelled to Greece to provide their biometric data and complete the required in-person stage of the application.
6. Residence cards
Around 9 months after starting the process, the family received their five-year Greek residence cards.
| Program | Investment Threshold | Processing Time | Schengen Access | Minimum required stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Residency | from €250,000 | 4 months | Yes | None |
Residency | from €250,000 | 18 months | Yes | 14 days every 2 years |
Residency | from €169,000 | 4 months | Yes | None |
Residency | from €300,000 | 8 months | No | 1 visit every 2 years |
Residency | from €500,000 | 3 months | Yes | None |
Residency | from €250,000 | 4 months | Yes | None |
Apartment near The Ellinikon
€290,000
| Property transfer tax at 3.09% | €8,961 |
| Land Registry registration fee at approximately 0.6% | €1,740 |
| Notary fee at approximately 1.5% | €4,350 |
| Residence permit government fees for three applicant | €6,450 |
| Residence card issuance (€16 × 3) | €48 |
| Additional Costs: | |
| Astons’ services and other transaction-related expenses | are calculated individually |
| Total Investment: | €311,549 |
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Around seven months after beginning the process, Karim, Nour and their daughter received their Greek residence cards.
The family continues to live primarily in Cairo, and Karim remains involved in his business in Egypt. Their apartment near The Ellinikon can be rented out on a long-term basis when they are not using it.
For Karim, the main result is greater flexibility when organising his medical follow-ups in Germany. Regular check-ups no longer require a separate Schengen visa application before each trip, making it easier to schedule visits according to his doctors’ recommendations.
The family’s Greek residence permits are valid for five years and can be renewed as long as the qualifying investment and other applicable requirements are maintained.
For the family, the Greece Golden Visa was not primarily a relocation solution. It provided long-term Schengen mobility for a practical reason: ensuring that Karim could continue accessing the medical team that had treated him when necessary.
Maximum Freedom
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Hungary
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Italy
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Malta
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UAE
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Nasos Fousias
Head of Property Department in Greece
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Susanna Uzakova
Senior Citizenship & Residency Advisor
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After heart surgery, regular check-ups became part of my life. We wanted to know that if I needed to see my doctors in Germany, I could arrange the trip without first having to go through another visa application.
