Published: 08.01.2026
According to the source, since November 2025, non-EU citizens have been able to obtain a five-year residence permit by investing at least €250,000 in a startup listed in the Elevate Greece registry. Conditions reportedly include limiting the investor’s ownership or voting rights to 33% and requiring the startup to create and maintain at least two jobs.
The new category broadens Greece’s investment-residence options beyond real estate, but requires investment in a registered startup and compliance with ownership and job-creation conditions. This creates additional due diligence and makes the residence route partly dependent on the company meeting its obligations over several years. It is primarily relevant to investors willing to accept business risk, rather than applicants seeking a purely passive residence option. According to source [6], applicants should verify the current program requirements and the eligibility of the specific company.