Retiring in Greece in 2026: how to get residence

8 min read · Published 6 October 2026

Income from $4,000 (€3,500) a month, gets a 3-year permit with Schengen travel. Tax on a foreign pension can be cut to 7%.

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Key facts	2026
Minimum income	$4,000 (€3,500) a month
Spouse and children	plus 20% for a spouse and 15% per child
Permit	3 years, renewable for 3 years
First step	national visa D at a Greek consulate
State fees	$1,200 (€1,000) for the applicant, $170 (€150) per family member
Tax on a foreign pension	7% under a special regime for up to 15 years
Couple's budget in Thessaloniki	from $1,500 (€1,300) a month

Data checked: 06.10.2026

Greece has no separate retirement visa. Retirees get the permit for financially independent persons: income from abroad of at least $4,000 (€3,500) a month, and no work in the country. The permit is issued for 3 years and gives the right to live in Greece and travel across Schengen.

The threshold is higher than in Bulgaria or Portugal, but Greece has a special tax regime for pensioners: 7% on all foreign income for up to 15 years. Below is who qualifies, how to prove a Russian pension, what a couple's life costs and the steps of the move.

We will work out online the investment or income your family needs and what the permit costs for each member.

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Who can get residence as a retiree

The permit suits those with a stable legal income from abroad of at least $4,000 (€3,500) a month after tax: a pension, dividends, rent, interest. For a spouse add 20%, $4,700 (€4,200) in total, and another 15% per child. You may not work as an employee or run a business in Greece with this status.

The threshold is counted on income after tax, so the pension certificate is supported by statements of credits for recent months. If the pension falls short, other legal income from abroad is added, for example from renting out a flat in Russia. Working for a remote employer does not fit this status: there is a separate digital nomad visa for that.

pension recipients, if the pension plus other income reaches the threshold;
retirees with rental or deposit income abroad;
a spouse and minor children as family members;
with lower income, the route through buying property remains: the golden visa.

Documents and how to prove a Russian pension

passport;
a Social Fund of Russia pension certificate with the amount, apostilled;
statements of pension and other income for recent months;
a lease or proof of ownership of a home in Greece;
health insurance covering Greece;
a police certificate with an apostille;
for a spouse, a marriage certificate with an apostille;
fee receipts and photos.

All Russian documents are translated into Greek and certified. The pension certificate must be a paper document with a stamp: an electronic statement from the government services portal cannot be apostilled.

You can keep receiving the pension on a Russian card. But transfers from Russian banks to the EU are restricted, so for renewals it is easier to show income on an account opened in Greece in advance.

Health insurance

The visa and permit require private health insurance covering Greece for the whole term. A policy for one person in Thessaloniki costs about $45-140 (€40-120) a month, more at older ages. Until you pay into the Greek system, public healthcare is not free for you, so the policy is chosen before filing.

At renewal after 3 years insurance is shown again, so it is better to choose an insurer that renews contracts for older people.

Tax on your pension and the treaty with Russia

You become a Greek tax resident after 183 days in the country in a year. A resident pays tax on worldwide income at 9-44%. Pensioners have a special regime: 7% on all foreign income, not just the pension, for up to 15 years. The conditions are not having been a Greek tax resident in 5 of the previous 6 years and moving from a country that has a tax information exchange agreement with Greece; Murblz specialists check whether it applies to you before the move.

The Russia-Greece double tax convention was signed in 2000, but in August 2023 Russia suspended almost all of its articles, including pensions. This does not affect a state pension: Russia does not tax it. More in taxes in Greece.

If the special regime does not apply, the pension is taxed on the general scale together with other income. With a pension of about $45,000 (€40,000) a year the difference between the scale and 7% runs into thousands of euros, so the calculation is done before the move and the application for the regime is filed with the tax authority on time.

Monthly budget for a couple

Monthly item	Amount
One-bedroom flat in Thessaloniki	$560-900 (€500-800)
Utilities	$120-230 (€100-200)
Groceries for two	$560-790 (€500-700)
Travel passes for two	~$70 (€60)
Internet	$30-40 (€25-35)
Private health insurance for two	$90-270 (€80-240)
Total for a couple	from $1,500 (€1,300)

In Athens a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $680-1,100 (€600-900), more by the sea and in the north, so a couple's budget in the capital is higher. Winter heating bills in older buildings can be unexpectedly high. A consultant will calculate a budget for your city and home in the chat.

Support from the visa to the card

Retirees in Greece are refused not over the amount but over paperwork and order: income shown without the spouse surcharge, insurance that does not cover Greece, an unregistered lease, an application filed without the national visa. We check income against your family, prepare the visa D file, choose a policy and housing and handle the permit application.

A consultant will calculate the support fee in the chat.

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Where retirees settle

Thessaloniki is 15-20% cheaper than Athens on rent, with a seafront, university hospitals and a calm pace. The seaside district of Kalamaria suits those who want quiet and parks.

Athens suits those who value large clinics, an airport with direct flights and cultural life; the coast south of the centre is calmer. Crete and the islands attract with climate, but in winter some shops and cafés close and a good hospital can be far away.

The Peloponnese and small seaside towns suit those who value quiet and moderate rent, but a car is needed and a large hospital can be over an hour away. Many retirees first spend a year in Thessaloniki or Athens and only then move closer to the sea.

Steps and timelines

Step	Timeline
Checking income against the family, choosing a city	1-2 weeks
Certificates, apostilles, translations, insurance, housing	3-6 weeks
National visa D at a Greek consulate	$210 (€180) fee, a few weeks
Entry and permit application	within the visa term
Residence card	usually a few months
Renewal	every 3 years
Long-term status	after 5 years of legal residence

The permit fee is $1,200 (€1,000) for the applicant and $170 (€150) per family member, and the card costs $20 (€16). While the application is reviewed, the filing receipt confirms legal stay.

Common reasons for refusal

income below the threshold including spouse and child surcharges;
income from Greek sources or work in Greece;
an application without the national visa D;
insurance that does not cover Greece or ends before the permit;
a lease not registered with the tax authority;
documents without an apostille or a certified Greek translation.

The financially independent permit will not be renewed if you barely lived in Greece over 3 years or your income fell below the threshold. So statements and insurance are kept in order for the whole term, not just before filing.

This topic in other countries

Retiring in other countries:

FAQ

What income does a retiree need for Greek residence?

From $4,000 (€3,500) a month after tax, for the applicant. Add 20% for a spouse and 15% per child.

Does Greece have a retirement visa?

Not a separate one. Retirees get the 3-year permit for financially independent persons.

What tax does a retiree pay in Greece?

A resident pays 9-44%, but under a special regime you can pay 7% on all foreign income for up to 15 years.

Can I work on a Greek financially independent permit?

No, you may not work as an employee or run a business in Greece with this status.

How much does a retiree permit in Greece cost?

The fee is $1,200 (€1,000) for the applicant and $170 (€150) per family member, the card $20 (€16) and visa D $210 (€180).

Can I travel in Schengen with a Greek residence permit?

Yes, with a Greek card you can stay in other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180.

Can Russian retirees get Greek residence?

Yes, the permit is open to non-EU nationals. The first step is a national visa D at a Greek consulate.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

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Programs

Programs in Greece

Citizenship by birth Repatriation Digital nomad

Retiring in Greece in 2026: how to get residence

Who can get residence as a retiree

Documents and how to prove a Russian pension

Health insurance

Tax on your pension and the treaty with Russia

Monthly budget for a couple

Where retirees settle

Steps and timelines

Common reasons for refusal

This topic in other countries

FAQ

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

Programs in Greece

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