The Golden Visa program in Greece appears to be entering a phase of de-escalation, as recent data points to a noticeable drop in the number of residence permit applications submitted by foreign investors.
According to figures released by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, a total of 441 new applications were filed in June 2025, marking a 26.5% decline compared to the same month in 2024, when 600 applications were recorded, media report.
This shift follows steady growth since September 2022 but started to slow down in March 2024 when the Greek government raised the minimum investment threshold to up one million euro in popular destinations.
Since then, the program has seen a steady influx of interest, largely driven by successive amendments by the government aimed at curbing foreign acquisitions of residential properties. Ironically, these measures had the opposite effect in the short term, creating artificial demand as investors rushed to finalize deals before new rules took effect.
Now, June’s figures offer the first tangible indication that the market may be cooling, with expectations of a continued decline in application numbers in the months ahead.
Who Are the Investors?
I seem to have seen this same report for 5 years now. The strange thing is I haven’t seen ay Chinese or Saudi investors (though i don’t doubt this), but Israelis (at the end of the list) are absolutely everywhere in Greece now, even remote areas like Epirus.