Digital Nomad Visa – Work Remotely from Greece
So, you want to work remotely from Greece with the new Digital Nomad Visa? Cool. There are a few options available to you if you do want to work remotely from Greece. But for today, I’m going to be talking about the new Digital Nomad Visa that the Greek government have just introduced.
If you’re one of the UK employees that’s now able to work remotely, or you’re self-employed and fancy spending an extended period in beautiful Greece, then you’re in luck. Greece has just agreed on the highly anticipated Digital Nomad visa. The proper visa one that is, not the tax status of the same name. Actually, let’s just talk about that for a minute.
The Greek Digital Nomad Visa that’s a tax status
For the last few months, word on the street has been that there is a digital nomad visa for Greece brewing. But it all got a bit confusing because there were actually two digital nomad visas being debated by the government. The first is a bit of a misnomer because it’s not actually a visa.
This one is a tax status. It’s more for people who are completely nomadic and aren’t in one place long enough to register for tax. Greece allows you to register here and you get something like a 50% tax reduction for the first 7 years. However, if you’re a third country citizen, i.e. not a citizen of the EU, there are no benefits in terms of how long you may stay in the country. You’re still bound by the 90 days in any rolling 180 day period.
The Greek Digital Nomad Visa that’s actually a visa
The second, more exciting one, is actually a visa to stay beyond the 90-day limit. Non-EU citizens should apply via the Greek Embassy in their main country of residence. However, for this kind of visa you’re actually allowed to apply to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum if you’re already in Greece on a visa or visa-waiver scheme. (Which is different to the rules for the Type D visas).
Who’s eligible for the Digital Nomad Visa in Greece?
People with sufficient funds to support themselves
You can be employed or self-employed to apply for the visa. One of the main criteria is proving that you can support yourself during your stay and will not be a burden to the Greek welfare system. The amount they’ve set to show you can do this is 3500 euros per month.
If you’re self-employed, that figure is turnover. If you’re an employee, it must be your take-home salary. That is, your net pay after tax (and NI etc) must be at least 3500 euros each month.
Should you be moving to Greece with a spouse (who isn’t apply independently), you need to earn at least 20% more each month. Any depends will need you to provide a further 15% each month.
People who work with clients or a company outside of Greece
One of the other big criteria for the Digital Nomad Visa Greece is that you can’t work with clients or employers within Greece. The company you work for must be in another country, the same for clients if you’re self-employed. This way, Greece benefits from the spending we all do as digital nomads in the country, without us taking anything away from a local Greek person.
How long does the Greek Digital Nomad Visa last?
These visas are valid initially for up to 12 months. If you think you’ll still be eligible after that time, you can apply for a Digital Nomad residence permit. This would be valid for two years and has the option to renew it. Any family members would also be eligible for this.
Can I become a Greek citizen after the visa expires?
People often confuse residency and citizenship. When you become a Greek resident you retain your original citizenship. For most people, that will give them the best of both worlds, citizenship in one country, and legal residence in another.
Becoming a legal Greek citizen is a whole new ball game. Most people who apply for this are married to a Greek or have some Greek heritage that would entitle them to apply. However, it’s something of a long-winded process either way.
I’m not hugely au fait with the application procedure, but I understand that if you don’t have Greek heritage or didn’t spend a good deal of your childhood at school here, it’s particularly difficult. You need to have been a tax resident of Greece for at least seven years and have a vested interest in the country. You need to speak Greek very well and be familiar with things like Greek history, politics and geography. In fact, since 2021, there’s a test you have to pass before you can even begin applying for Greek citizenship. Most people who seek Greek residence don’t need to go down that road.
Where can I get more support?
Pick wisely, but you might find a good Facebook group to support you to gain residency. I am a member of British in Greece. It’s a citizens’ rights group and is very cognisant of only providing factual information. If you’re British and want to become a resident or citizen of Greece then I recommend joining it. Search the files and existing conversations on what you have questions about. There is loads of information in that group.
If you’re not in the UK, see if you can find something similar. It could be either for any third-party nationals or one specifically for people from your main country of residence. Just double-check the validity of the information because let me tell you, there is all sorts of misinformation out there!
It may also be wise to consult an immigration lawyer or similar. I have to say, this wasn’t necessary for me to gain residency, thanks to the clear information in the Facebook group above. And from the sounds of it, the Greek Digital Nomad Visa has a fast-track system, presumably with plenty of support. But ask for recommendations if you think you might need a lawyer.
Try before you buy – test remote working from Greece
So, are you excited about the opportunity of a Digital Nomad Visa for Greece? Plenty of people seem to have come over to Greece recently to take advantage of their new ability to work remotely. Remember that you can come and be in the country for 90 days and you’re allowed to work remotely during that time. (Double-check your eligibility with your Government website to confirm!) So consider using that as a trial run to see how things go.
Always bear in mind that your 90 days in 180 is for any rolling 180 day period and includes time spent in other Schengen countries. So you can stay a total of 90 days maximum in the Schengen area, not per country.
All in all, it sounds like a pretty good deal. I’d love to hear your experiences if you go for it. Otherwise, if you have any questions, let me know and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction for help.
